Some knowledge you need to know about incontinence

The most common question regarding incontinence is almost always, what is incontinence?

Incontinence is the involuntary loss ofurine or stool. More generally, it is the accidental leakage of urine or bowel from the body. Other common phrases for incontinence are loss of bladder control, bladder leaks, overactive bladder, bedwetting and others. Incontinence can be experienced temporarily or can be life long.

Incontinence can be urinary (pee), fecal (poop) or both. Urinary incontinence is the term used for people with only bladder leakage; fecal incontinence is used for people experiencing bowel leakage. Urinary incontinence is the most common type of the two. Urinary incontinence can be light, which is described as light drips and dribbles whenyou laugh, sneeze or don’t fully empty the bladder. Urinary incontinence can also be heavy, described as full urinary voids or full bladder release of urine.

Both adults and children can experience incontinence. Incontinence is more common in older people because incontinenceis caused by medical conditions and diseases that are more commonly experiencedin old age.

If you experience incontinence, you are not alone!

As we age, our risk of incontinence increases. Incontinence is not caused by age, but as we get older, we are atrisk of other diseases and conditions that may cause incontinence. More than half of adults over the age of 65 experience urinary or fecal incontinence. Although not everyone will experience incontinence, chances are as you growolder, you or someone you know will develop incontinence. Therefore, it is important to understand what causes incontinence and what to do if you orsomeone you know has incontinence.

Incontinence is not a normal part of aging. Urinary incontinence, as well as fecal incontinence, is a condition that is a result of another disease, condition, disorder or age-related body change. Urinary incontinence can be caused by the following:

There are alternative causes of temporary incontinence, such as urinary tract infection (UTI), constipation, certain medications, alcohol, caffeine and other food and drink that irritate the bladder or bowels.

Is incontinence normal during your period? 

Yes, some women experience urinary incontinence around the time of their menstrual cycles. One study showed thatover 40% of women surveyed experienced a slight loss of bladder control just before or during their period. The numbers for just after menstruation were much lower. 

There are two types of incontinence,urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. Urinary incontinence is broken down into six types (stress, urge, overflow, reflex, functional and mixed).

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is more common than fecal incontinence, with about 44% of adults over 65 experiencing only urinary incontinence and approximately 17% experiencing only bowel incontinence.

Stress Incontinence

Stress incontinence is when there is asudden pressure or stress on the bladder that causes urine to unexpectedly leak. Sudden pressure or muscle contractions on the bladder are caused by coughing, sneezing, exercising, heavy lifting or laughing. Stress incontinenceis more common in women, as it can be a result of weakened pelvic floor musclesdue to childbirth and menopause.  

Urge Incontinence

Urge incontinence is a sudden urge tourinate that is so strong it cannot be held long enough to reach the bathroom. Urge incontinence is also known as overactive bladder (OAB). Urge incontinenceor OAB can be the result of nerve damage, bladder spasms, stroke and other conditions.

Mixed Incontinence

Mixed incontinence is the combination of urge incontinence and stress incontinence. Mixed incontinence shares the symptoms and causes of both stress and urge incontinence. Therefore, peoplewith mixed incontinence experience both sudden stress on the bladder and asudden urge to urinate, causing urine to leak before they can use the bathroom. It is common in women following childbirth and menopause, as well as with nervedamage, multiple sclerosis (MS), diabetes, stroke and others.

Overflow Incontinence

Overflow incontinence occurs when thebladder is unable to contain urine under pressure. The bladder fills up andeventually overflows, causing urine to leak. People with overflow incontinence may also feel like they cannot completely empty the bladder. Overflow incontinence is common for men with an enlarged prostate and in adults with a UTI.

Reflex Incontinence

Reflex incontinence is caused by bladder muscle contractions that cause urine to leak out without warning. Reflex incontinence is similar to urge incontinence; however, the difference with reflex incontinence is the absence of the warning or urge to go. Reflex incontinence is common in people with neurological impairments, such as spina bifida, MS and spinal cord injury. It can also be the side effect of surgery or radiation treatment.

Functional Incontinence

Functional incontinence is when a person can not get to a bathroom fast enough or cannot recognize the need to go to the bathroom. It is often due to physical or mental impairments. People with physical disabilities that keep them from being able to get to the bathroom experience functional incontinence. Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause changes in the brain that can make adults unable to recognize the body’s signal of the need to use the bathroom. Additionally, people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias may experience confusion trying to find the bathroom and urinate before they make it to the toilet. Functional incontinence is often urinary and fecal.

Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence is the involuntary loss of stool/feces and ranges from occasional leaks to complete loss of control. Fecal incontinence can be temporary or recurring. People can experience temporary incontinence with diarrhea, hemorrhoids or constipation, whereas fecal incontinence caused by muscle damage, surgery or dementia is often recurring.