Urge Incontinence

What is urge incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the uncontrollable leaking of urine from the bladder. Urge incontinence is inability to hold your urine once you have the urge to urinate. It is a very common kind of urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is an embarrassing problem for as many as one in three Americans age 60 or older.

What causes urge incontinence?

Urge incontinence often occurs in people with Parkinson's disease, stroke, or multiple sclerosis, but it can occur in healthy people, too. It can be made worse by conditions that compress the bladder, such as constipation, or conditions that irritate the bladder, such as infection or stones in the bladder.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms include:

inability to hold urine long enough to get to the toilet (The urge to urinate is followed by release of urine that continues until the bladder is empty.)
release of urine often triggered by a change in position, for example from sitting to standing
smell of urine on clothes and in the house.

How is it diagnosed?

Your health care provider will take a careful medical history and examine you to see if the incontinence is caused by an underlying condition that can be corrected. Your blood and urine will be checked for infection or other problems. You may be referred to a urologist for further tests and treatment.

How is it treated?

Medicine can be given to relax an irritable bladder or to treat infection. Bladder training (described below) teaches you to empty the bladder on schedule, rather than waiting for the urge. Incontinence pads are available in all sizes and degrees of absorbency. A collecting device can be fitted over the penis. Catheters can be inserted into the bladder so that it can be mechanically drained on schedule, but this is usually a last resort.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow your health care provider's advice for correcting or managing your incontinence.
Bladder training:

Instead of waiting for your bladder to signal the need to urinate (too late for many people), set a schedule for emptying your bladder. Use the toilet 20 to 30 minutes after each meal, at least twice between each meal, and before you to bed. You can set a timer to remind you. Adjust the schedule as you learn the frequency of using the toilet that best meets your needs.
Arrange your life so you stay within easy reach of a bathroom. Have a night-light and grab bars in your bathroom to help prevent falls. Be willing to ask where the toilet is when you are away from home.
Wear incontinence pads for protection if you need to as a last resort. (The pads are expensive.) Be sure to change the pads regularly.
Drink plenty of fluids. Don't try to control urinary incontinence by cutting back on fluids. It won't help and may even be harmful to you.
Keep the groin area clean and as dry as possible.
Avoid common bladder irritants such as alcohol, carbonated beverages, coffee or tea, chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes, or acidic fruit juices.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File URI5361F.HTM Release 9.0/2006