Urinary incontinence is a condition involving a loss of control over bladder functioning. The condition is a symptom of many other conditions that result in the bladder muscles being too weak or too active.

There are four types of urinary incontinence:

• Stress incontinence – experiencing leakage when coughing, sneezing, or laughing due to weak muscles
• Urge incontinence (or overactive bladder) – experiencing a strong and sudden urge to urinate that lead to leakage
• Mixed incontinence – having symptoms that reflect a combination of stress and urge incontinence
• Overflow incontinence – leaking urine due to the body making more than the bladder can hold or having a full bladder and being unable to empty it, which leads to leakage

There are some factors that increase your likelihood of experiencing urinary incontinence. Although these conditions occur in both women and men, they are more common in women. The general female anatomy in addition to various female conditions such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause make it more likely that a woman will develop urinary incontinence. However, men with problems of the prostate gland may have a higher risk of developing urge and overflow incontinence.

Other factors that increase your chances of having this condition include aging, being overweight, and having certain medical conditions like diabetes.

After getting a comprehensive medical history and physical exam, your doctor will complete a urinalysis, have you fill out a bladder diary, and measure the amount of urine output. Additional testing may be required.

How your urinary incontinence is treated will depend on the specific type you have. Treatment may consist of lifestyle changes with exercises, taking medication, and bowel control therapy like InterStim Therapy. If other treatments don’t work, Dr. DelCharco may recommend more intensive treatment approaches such as Advantage® Transvaginal Mid-Urethral Sling System. Call the clinic to learn more.