Different Types of Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence (UI) means involuntary urination and is referred to by the medical term, ‘enuresis’. The problem of UI is both embarrassing and distressing and it almost always results from an underlying medical condition, which can be treated.
However, there is also idiopathic UI, for which there is no distinct cause and for which there is no viable medical reason causing the condition. There are different types of urinary incontinence, and the following article will discuss the types, description of each, the symptoms and the causes.
Stress incontinence is described as the loss of urine when a person exerts pressure on the urinary bladder. The symptoms of stress incontinence include bladder leakage when sneezing, laughing, coughing or exercising or when lifting something heavy. The causes of stress incontinence can be related to prostate cancer treatment in men, which can be the result of surgery or radiation therapy and for females; pregnancy, child birth and menopause can be responsible for the condition developing.
Another type is urge incontinence which is the sudden, intense urge to urinate, which is often followed up by an involuntary loss of urine. Symptoms include a sudden or frequent need to empty the bladder and getting up more than two times in a night to urinate. The causes of urge incontinence are vast and may include Multiple Sclerosis, urinary tract infections, stroke, bladder irritants, bowel issues, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Mixed incontinence is a combination of urge and stress incontinence together, and it is a condition which many people suffer from. Many medical research studies have shown conclusively that this condition is the most common type of incontinence in women. Mixed incontinence is the co-existence of these two conditions can be related to many different causes and sometimes there is no known cause.
Overflow incontinence is the frequent or constant dribble of urine and sometimes people find they cannot stop the bladder from dribbling after passing urine. Weakened bladder muscles can result in an incomplete emptying of the bladder or a blocked urethra can also cause this type of condition. A person may never feel as if the bladder is completely emptied and when urinating, may only be able to pass a weak stream or small amount of urine.
Functional incontinence is the inability of a person to make it to the bathroom to empty the bladder. Some of the reasons behind this condition are because of mental or physical disabilities that prevent a person from reaching the bathroom in time. The condition can be related to physical or mental disabilities which keep a person from reaching the bathroom within time to urinate. Some of the causes of functional incontinence can be related to mobility issues, pain with movement and taking certain types of prescription medications like sedatives.
Total incontinence is classified as the continuous loss of urinary control and it happens days and night, or it is the periodical uncontrollable leaking of large volumes of urine. In cases of total incontinence, the bladder has no storage capacity which results in the total loss of all urine. Some people with this condition were born with an abnormal bladder or suffer from another type of anatomical defect. Causes of total incontinence can include injuries to the spinal cord, birth defects, severe trauma and possibly neurological damage.
Having problems with urinary incontinence may require a person to wear protective undergarments and follow special instructions from their physician. Incontinence can be an embarrassing condition for many people, however, when a person speaks with a healthcare professional about it, the individual will see there are many medical and non-medical options for treatment. With a few simple, lifestyle modifications and following the recommendations from your medical professional, incontinence is a condition which can be managed and does not have to rule a person’s life.
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If you notice that your bladder control weakens, check with a doctor to see if you may temporarily need to consider bariatric needs.
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