Urge Incontinence

Normally, people can hold urine for some time after feeling that the bladder is full. People with urge incontinence cannot hold it and need to find a bathroom quickly.

The symptoms of the disease are:

• urgent need to urinate
• loss of control of urine

When urge incontinence comes on suddenly, the most common cause is a urinary tract infection. Urge incontinence without infection is common in older people and often has no clear cause.

Other causes of urge incontinence are:

• overactive bladder muscles
• obstruction of urine flow
• medication side effects
• weakened bladder muscles
• bladder stones and tumors
• stroke

There are ways to prevent urinary incontinence:

• Urinating at regular intervals before the urge occurs can help.
• Exercising the muscles of the pelvic floor can help. To feel how these muscles work, a person can simply stop the flow of urine while urinating. This exercise should be practiced several times a day to strengthen the muscles.
• Drinking 1 or 2 glasses of cranberry juice each day will help prevent infection.
• Drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day will keep the urine dilute.

People often live with incontinence without seeking help because they are too embarrassed to discuss it. The condition is diagnosed primarily by the pattern of symptoms. If it starts suddenly, it is most likely a bladder infection. Usually the healthcare professional strongly suspects this diagnosis after listening to the history and performing a physical exam. Appearance of bacteria and white blood cells in the urine confirms the presence of infection.

Depression is a common long-term effect for people with incontinence. The condition interferes with normal activities of daily living. Without correct diagnosis and treatment the problem will get worse and will be even more difficult to treat.

If the cause is a urinary tract infection, it is treated with antibiotics. There are also drugs to relax the bladder. Drug treatment should be monitored carefully and adjusted to each person's needs.

All medications have potential side effects. The specific side effects depend on the medication that is prescribed. For example, a drug that relaxes the bladder may cause dryness of the mouth.

Follow up and ongoing monitoring is important in any treatment to make sure progress is being made.