What is urinary incontinence?
What their various forms look like and what the possible causes are
In Germany alone, around 10 million people suffer from urinary incontinence. That means: one in eight people is affected! At least – because the unreported number is probably much higher.
Nevertheless, the topic is still taboo. Less than half of those affected seek medical help – and even fewer actually receive treatment. Yet there are many ways to do something about involuntary urine loss.
In this article, you will learn exactly what incontinence is, what symptoms can occur, and what its causes are.
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What does incontinence mean?
Incontinence means that one cannot reliably hold urine (or stool) and loses it involuntarily – between normal bathroom visits. The risk of becoming incontinent increases with age. However, it does not only affect older people. It can also be an issue for younger people. For example, women after a pregnancy.
Urinary incontinence is also referred to as "bladder weakness". There are various forms. The most common are:
- Stress incontinence (also called urge incontinence)
- Urge incontinence
- Mixed incontinence
- Overflow incontinence
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1. Stress Incontinence: When movement becomes a problem
This form of incontinence occurs with physical exertion: when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or even during sports, urine is lost. Women after childbirth or during menopause are particularly affected.
Typical symptoms:
- Urine loss during physical activity
- no strong urge to urinate
- Frequency depends on the exertion
Possible causes:
-
Weak pelvic floor muscles - Hormonal changes
- Surgeries in the pelvic area
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2. Urge Incontinence – When you suddenly have to go quickly
As the name suggests: With this form of incontinence, affected individuals experience a sudden, strong urge to urinate – sometimes without warning. Often, involuntary urine loss occurs because they cannot make it to the toilet in time.
Typical symptoms:
- frequent, sudden urge to urinate
- urine loss before reaching the toilet
- feeling of a constantly full bladder
Possible causes:
- Overactive bladder (involuntary bladder contractions)
- Urinary tract infections (bladder infections)
- Neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or stroke
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3. Mixed Incontinence – When stress and urge come together
Mixed incontinence involves both urge and stress incontinence. It can significantly impair the quality of life of the affected person.
Typical symptoms:
- Urine loss during physical exertion
- sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control
- frequent urination, even with little fluid intake
Possible causes:
- Weak pelvic floor
- Overactive bladder (e.g., due to infections, neurological diseases, or hormonal changes)
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Diseases such as diabetes or nerve damage
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4. Overflow Incontinence:
In this type of incontinence, the bladder is not completely emptied during urination. This leads to constant pressure and sudden urine loss. It occurs more frequently in men than in women.
Possible causes:
- Prostate enlargement
- Nerve damage
- Medications that inhibit urine flow
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Other forms of incontinence
Functional Incontinence:
The affected person can control their bladder, but cannot make it to the toilet in time – for example, because they have limited mobility or suffer from dementia.
Unconscious Incontinence:
The affected person loses urine without noticing it. They also feel no pressure on the bladder. Causes are often neurological diseases or age-related pelvic floor weakness.
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In our next blog post: What to do about incontinence?
You now know what the different forms of incontinence look like and what their causes can be. But what happens next? In our next blog post, you will learn how incontinence can be treated.
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© Photo:Rony Michaud/pixabay
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