Loss of Bladder Control

Pelvis | Urology | Loss of Bladder Control (Symptom)


Description

Urinary (or bladder) incontinence is when you are not able to keep urine from leaking out of your urethra, the tube that carries urine out of your body from your bladder. You may leak urine from time to time. Or, you may not be able to hold any urine.

The three main types of urinary incontinence: (i) Stress incontinence, occurs during certain activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise; (ii) Urge incontinence, involves a strong, sudden need to urinate. Then the bladder squeezes and loses urine; (iii) Overflow incontinence, occurs when the bladder cannot empty. This leads to dribbling; (iv) Mixed incontinence, involves more than one type of urinary incontinence.

Causes

Incontinence may be sudden and go away after a short period of time. Or, it may continue long-term. Causes of sudden or temporary incontinence include: (i) Bed rest, for example, when recovering from surgery; (ii) Certain medications (such as diuretics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, some cough and cold remedies, and antihistamines for allergies); (iii) Mental confusion; (iv) Pregnancy; (v) Prostate infection or inflammation; (vi) Stool impaction from severe constipation, which causes pressure on the bladder; (vii) Urinary tract infection or inflammation; (viii) Weight gain.

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