What is it?
Urinary incontinence is the loss of urine from the bladder and can affect approximately 30% of adult women and three to 11% of adult men. The most common types of UI are stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence.
Stress urinary incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence is when you leak with increased pressure on the bladder such as with a cough, laugh, sneeze, jump or heavy lifting. This normally happens because the muscles and tissues of the pelvis are not strong enough to manage extra pressure, from a cough for example. With this extra pressure, urine is forced past the muscles that keep the urethra (tube through which you urinate) closed. This can happen when the structures are weakened or damaged with having babies, chronic constipation, extra weight or simply getting older.
Urge urinary incontinence
Urge urinary incontinence is when you have a strong urge to void (pee) and you are unable to get to the bathroom in time. It happens because the bladder itself is overactive and is trying to squeeze out the urine before you are ready. Some people do not get a warning from the bladder before they leak and others are overwhelmed by the urge to void. Some triggers for urgency include hearing running water, going out into the cold, arriving home or simply standing up from a chair or bed.