HOW COMMON IS INCONTINENCE?

Incontinence affects approximately 10 million Americans, without regard for sex or age.  That means 1 out of every 25 Americans suffer from some type of incontinence.

DEFINITIONS

Incontinence can be simply defined as the unwanted loss of urine.  There are actually many types of incontinence and for successful treatment the type of incontinence must be defined properly.  The three major types of incontinence are urge incontinence, stress incontinence, and overflow incontinence.

URGENCY INCONTINENCE

Urgency incontinence is the unwanted loss of urine that is usually associated with an abrupt and very strong urge to urinate. 

STRESS INCONTINENCE

Stress incontinence is the unwanted loss of urine that occurs during periods of activity such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or running. 

OVERFLOW INCONTINENCE

Overflow incontinence is the unwanted loss of urine that is associated with an overdistended or incomplete emptying of the bladder.  Most people present with a frequent or constant dribbling of urine, and may have some components of urgency incontinence and stress incontinence as well. 

EVALUATION

Many times the various types of incontinence present together making the diagnosis somewhat more difficult. The basic evaluation of the patient with incontinence should include a complete history and physical examination with a urinalysis.  A good history should include the exact characteristics of the periods of incontinence and the voiding patterns of the patient.  A list of precipitating factors, all the important urinary tract symptoms, and any previous treatments for incontinence should be included.  See the list below about the things we need to know.

We may ask you to keep a chart of your voiding pattern to help us make a firm diagnosis or to help us with treatment to see how successful we are in treating your condition:

• When do you go to the bathroom and how much? (Use an old jar to measure)
• When do you experience wetness?  During or after lifting?  While coughing, sneezing, or straining?  Day, night, or both? Before or after going to the bathroom?
• How much urine do you lose? Estimate amount in teaspoons, tablespoons, or parts of a  cup.
• Do you have trouble stopping or starting the flow of urine?
• What is your daily fluid intake? (Amount and description of what you drink)
• Be prepared to name the medications you take and any surgery you have had on your  urinary tract or around it.  When you have this information ready, it is easier for the  doctor to proceed with an evaluation.
• If you have had previous treatment for incontinence, bring those records or X-rays with  you.

WHAT WILL BE DONE?

Each treatment is personalized to your needs and diagnosis.  Often, multiple treatment options for each situation will exist and it will be up to the patient, with the urologist's help to select the best first option to try.