Urinary Incontinence

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the uncontrollable leakage of urine. It is more common in the elderly, especially among women. Urinary incontinence is not a natural process of ageing.

How Does Your Bladder Empty Urine?

The lower urinary tract consists of the urinary bladder and the bladder outlet. In a healthy person, the bladder stores urine and voids at the person's convenience. During the storage phase, the bladder relaxes and the bladder outlet contracts. No urine leaks out. However, when the bladder and / or the bladder outlet are not functioning normally, urine may leak.

Types Of Urinary Incontinence

There are four types of urinary incontinence:

1. Leakage of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh or lift something heavy (stress incontinence).
2. Leakage of urine before you can reach a toilet (urge incontinence).
3. Inability to stop urine from constantly dribbling out; you may sense a full bladder but you have difficulty emptying it completely (overflow incontinence).
4. A false connection between the bladder or the ureter to the vagina (fistula).