What Is Urge Incontinence?

Urge incontinence is a condition where the person is unable to hold urine and passes it unintentionally.

The need to urinate usually occurs suddenly, even though the bladder may be only slightly full.

A strong urge to urinate immediately follows. If this type of urinary loss occurs more than twice weekly, it is called urge incontinence.

Urge incontinence is the most common type of urinary incontinence in adults. It usually begins when a person is 50 or older and becomes more common as people age. However, it can occur at any age.

Dietary factors such as caffeine intake and alcohol consumption may trigger urge incontinence in some individuals.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of urge incontinence may be similar to the symptoms of other health problems. If you are unsure about your symptoms, please consult with your doctor or health care professional for a diagnosis.

At first, people with urge incontinence may only leak small amounts of urine when they feel an urgent need to urinate.

They may be able to hold it until they find a bathroom, especially if they are in familiar surroundings.

Or they may make several trips to the toilet without passing all the urine each time. Some people with this condition learn techniques, such as putting absorbent products (pads) in their underwear and using “bladder training” exercises, so that they don’t have outside of their homes or at least can avoid accidents.

Other people with urge incontinence may urinate more frequently.

They may feel an urgent need to urinate as soon as their bladders are one-quarter full. Frequent urination often interrupts sleep and may cause insomnia.

Also, the frequent need to go may lead to urinary tract infections or bladder stones.

As time passes, people with urge incontinence may lose complete control over their bladder muscles (urinary retention).

The loss of bladder muscle control usually happens slowly, but some people experience it suddenly after a stroke or other health problems.

Many people who experience urinary retention also have difficulty emptying their bladders completely when they urinate (partial urinary retention).

Experts suggest that urge incontinence will be present if a person has two or more episodes of leakage per week and one or more of the following:

– Urgency to urinate, even if their bladder is not full.

– Accidents during the day despite having the urge to go.

– Accidents during waking hours after feeling an urgent need to go to the toilet.

Treatment:

There may be different options available for treating urge incontinence depending on your symptoms and overall health.

Some people require no treatment at all, especially those who have infrequent accidents or mild symptoms.

The main goal of treatment is to make incontinence less stressful and embarrassing.

There are many products designed for this purpose, both over-the-counter and prescription.

Some people with mild symptoms can improve control of their bladder by performing exercises known as “bladder training” or Kegel exercises.

They may also benefit from medications that relax the muscles in the bladder, allowing urine to fill more completely before leakage begins.

If these treatments are not helpful enough, further options include surgery, electrical stimulation of the nerves controlling the bladder (sacral nerve stimulation), injections into the walls of the bladder (bulking agents), and devices that pull back on the opening between your bladder and urethra (urethral sphincter).

Doctors will ask you about your symptoms and other aspects of your health before suggesting treatment for urge incontinence.

They will also ask you about your diet, how often you urinate, the color of your urine, and whether you have had leakage while coughing or moving your bowels.

Your doctor may perform tests to learn more about bladder function. These tests include checking for diabetes, measuring kidney function, cystoscopy, or urodynamic testing.

The purpose of these tests is to detect the cause of urge incontinence so that it can be treated effectively. If no cause has been found after these tests are done, an underlying medical condition may account for the symptoms.

Your doctor will then recommend treatment specific to that condition.