URINARY INCONTINENCE

Loss of bladder control, varying from a slight loss of urine after sneezing, coughing or laughing, to complete inability to control urination.

Causes

There are different types of incontinence with a number of possible causes. The following are the most common:

– Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence in women is often caused by pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Pregnancy and childbirth can stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles that support the urethra causing stress incontinence during activities that push down on the bladder.

– During menopause, oestrogen (a female hormone)
is produced in lower quantities. Oestrogen helps to maintain the thickness of the urethra lining to keep the urethra sealed after passing urine (much like a washer seals water from leaking in a tap). As a result of this loss of oestrogen, some women experience stress incontinence during menopause.

– Urge incontinence
this is a sudden and strong need to urinate. You may also hear it referred to as an unstable or overactive bladder, or detrusor instability.

– Incontinence associated with chronic retention
this associated with chronic retention is when the bladder is unable to empty properly and frequent leakage of small amounts of urine occurs as a result.