Urinary incontinence

What is urinary incontinence?

Incontinence is the unwanted or accidental leakage of urine from the bladder. Many refer to it as ‘loss of bladder control’, a ‘leaky bladder’ or a ‘weak bladder’. Episodes of incontinence are often referred to as ‘accidents’. Urine leakage can be just a few drops or a dribble, or may be a stream. Some urine leakage can be severe, which is when the entire bladder contents leak.

How common is urinary incontinence?

People often keep the problem to themselves, so urinary incontinence is much more common than most people realize. Incontinence affects more than twice as many women as men, and is often a significant health issue for women as they age. At least 1 in 3 adult women and 1 in 5 men will experience urinary incontinence.

Incontinence can vary from person to person and from day to day, and can occur rarely or frequently. Studies have shown that 2 years after childbirth 1 in 3 women reports drops or small amounts of urine leakage during certain activities such as coughing, laughing, sexual intercourse and high-impact exercises. As women approach menopause the quantity of urine they leak increases, progressing to large amounts and sometimes soaking clothing.

Can urinary incontinence be treated?

Incontinence is not a personal failure, nor is it something that women should expect; it can often be cured. Sadly, most women simply put up with it and do not get the help they need. On average, women wait 3 years before seeking treatment while men wait only 6 months. Women who mention their problem to a doctor or nurse are often told to ‘live with it’. The most common reasons given for not seeking treatment are ‘incontinence is not abnormal’ or ‘treatment is unlikely to help’. It is sad that despite the increase in the number of women and men with incontinence there is still a lack of open discussion about the problem.

To find out more about urinary incontinence, see our related articles on how the bladder works, types and causes of incontinence, what you can do, what your doctor can do, urinary incontinence in men and living with urinary incontinence.

Written by: Diane Newman
Edited by: Diane Newman
Last updated: Thursday, February 2nd 2012

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Comments on this article

Posted by Optional on 15/05/2012 at 10:07

Hey I have a serve problem with having urinary tract infections frequently I have herd the cause is caffiene but there are many cases where wether i drink caffiene or not i still have issues

Posted by After Sex on 04/04/2012 at 05:46

After sex I have to urinate so bad that It starts to leak out so I have to run to the bathroom.I have 2 children(6 years and 4 months) both by c-section so I don't believe it's because of childbirth.I've been having numbing in my fingers and toes constatly...my doc is running blood test on me just wainting on the results. This just started happening to me,and it only happens after sex. Has this happened to anyone else?

Posted by Optional on 07/03/2012 at 03:00

i have this strange problem, when i'm at home or a place that i know and i can go to the toilet when i want, i can hold my pee for a very long time, even if my bladder is very full, but when i'm in a public place or at work i have to go to the toilet every 2 hours or else i make small amount of pee on myself every few minutes, even if i'm not full, also about 6 months ago i woke up while i was actually making pee on myself but i managed to stop it and go quickly to the toilet, but i did it again this week, first time i woke up and i had made a very large amount on myself before i could stop it and run to the toilets again and the other time i hadn't done it in my bed but i woke up and i didn't even think, i made a very big amount of pee like i can't even control my legs or musles and it did not stop till it was all out not like the first time i don't know why, i always make pee in the toilet before i sleep and it doesnot hurt or anything, i only get some tickling a day or two before my period, i have IBS but when i was still in school i made poo on myself a few times but not much, and i never did it again, and the only time i made pee on myself after school was when i was 19, it never happened again until 6 months ago.

Posted by blonzoid on 23/12/2011 at 07:45

The article is good but very skewed towards womens incontinence. A bit more about men would encourage males who sometimes have to cope with society accepting women will quite often need protection but don't understand that some men do too. Isn't it sexist that you have to buy "unisex" pull up pants from a supermarket aisle la labelled Feminine Hygeine?

Posted by Apartment Incontinence's Best Friend on 23/11/2011 at 06:03

Apartment incontinence! Oh my god I have the same issue! But it's not just when I get to my front door, it's also on my way home or walking to the bathroom inside my house, or when I'm on the train and can't get to a bathroom. I especially get the uncontrollable urge to pee when the bathroom is unavailable. Once I peed myself in a train station. It was terrible. I don't know if this is a psychological induced issue or if I actually have a weak bladder. All I know is that I need this to stop!

Posted by Apartment incontinence on 30/10/2011 at 11:24

I have a problem where I leak urine, usually just a little bit. The thing is, it ONLY happens when I'm trying to enter my apartment! My key usually sticks and then I HAVE TO GO and by the time I can open my door and make it to my bathroom, the urge is mostly gone and I only go a little bit. I don't know why I get these uncontrollable urges only at my front door! Has anyone else experienced something similar?

Posted by JuddHoly on 27/10/2011 at 09:05

I would always hold my come in order to please my gf and after a couple of months I developed incontinence. I went to all sorts of doctors, herbal and all that to find no difference, I had all labs done, all clear. I would urinate frequently at first, then it moved on to dribbling after urination and then I started seeing a wet patch on my boxers like a few drops of urine every morning followed by a spell of dehydration. I got checked for chlamydia with my gf and we were tested negative and then I went to see a sexologist who send me back without any medication saying part of it was my anxiety and a large part of it had to do with holding semen in my balls in order to defer the gratification of cumming. I was asked to relax, go for a holiday and get more sentimental about the act of sex and not be so pressurised to please on the bed which I always am cuz my gf is too hot and it makes me nervous. It has been two months now, we gave break to sex for a month and invested time in doing leisurely activities and yes I feel it was largely psychological cuz I am almost cured now. Also add in the fact that I was trippin on LSD many times and well I was a chronic hash smoker. P.S: I am drug abuse free and anyone who has experienced this should take it from me to RELAX! thats what worked for me.

Posted by Optional on 07/09/2011 at 02:55

having urinary incontinence ie urin dripsw while sneezing .lifting etc.what to wear while going out to avoid the clothes getting urine drips and smell

Posted by Zoe on 17/03/2011 at 09:09

I'm not sure what I have, I wet my bed till I was about 15, and then sometimes even now I have the odd slight accident never huge but tiny, I have also had dreams where I think I'm on the toilet which I think subsequently resulted in me having accidents, It's embarrassing and horrible because when i'm bursting to go I feel I have no control and feel my bladder just won't hold on for a long period of time. Is there anything that can be done? When I was young I tried different things like- alarms so it would go if I had an accident in bed but never worked. Thanks

Posted by PATSY on 28/09/2010 at 01:05

Hello the doctor said it was shingle,at one side of my body my ribs,it's not itchy at all it's lots painful,can i by wiping myself to my genital area,afect myself there..if so how can I prevent to spread to my vagina..Thanks in advance..im so afraid also of this shingle..he's it normal to be afraid like this,,help!!!!!

Posted by Mike on 27/09/2010 at 11:12

i m also victim urinary incontinence. i also wets the bed while sleeping as if were in bathroom.. i noticed i usually do this at 6 Am morning.So i sets alarms for 5 am morning and gets fresh.. Try this for few days..my it work 4 u..

Posted by Phumlile on 03/09/2010 at 05:56

I didn't get what i was expecting,iam looking for answers base to me,to what i asked .if how do i get rid of peeing or weting my bed during the night?

Posted by xy on 09/06/2010 at 10:30

I've a problem with urinary incontinence for past 2 to 3 years. so, i would like to know how could I overcome with this problem.Can you please advice or is there any medication to cure it then kindly suggest me. thanx

Posted by Optional on 01/06/2010 at 04:12

63 year old diabetic starting to wet bed at night

Posted by Optional on 16/04/2010 at 08:03

I was involved in the habit of mastubating since about 2 years ago...i would go for many weeks without doing it and sometimes i would mastubate a few times a day. However ive realised that i might have a urine dripping problem because after a pass urine and squeeze my penis a few drops of urine come out...This had never happened about two or three years ago. I would like to know 'Is it possible that my masturbation and looking at porn has caused this urine problem?' Secondly i would like to know how can i resolve the problem...

Posted by emma on 12/04/2010 at 12:01

hi i am the young girl with oab and ic taking part in the show,after the show i went to see the consultant for the sacrel nerve implant but due to the state off my bladder and scarring i was told my only option would be to have my bladder removed and end up with a urostomy bag but also may havto have an hysterectomy depending what happens during surgery,so i could never have that chance to being a mommy,i always says there are always people worse off, i appeared on the show beacause people alway think incontinance effects older people or people that have had children,and that isnt always the case, so if ur worried please go and get it looked at dnt be embarrised there are people that will help, and if ive helped just one person by telling my story threw my suffering then im happy,thanku for listining to my story emmm

Posted by Sarah on 10/04/2010 at 02:39

I have had uninary incontinence since having my first baby 7 years ago. Despite physio, and enough pelvic floor exercises to supply electricity to a whole town I still have it. I had an operation in Dec to insert a 'band' which hasn't worked. I've just been told I may have an overactive bladder but unlike the girl in this article I don't have cistitus. What's betting they have it wrong...again!

Posted by Optional on 15/03/2010 at 05:49

i wet my bed most nights & im ashamed as my kids know but what can i do

Posted by Optional on 11/03/2010 at 02:08

would ms cause bladder incontenece

Posted by Anonymous on 04/12/2009 at 02:04

i have to rinse after passing urine as if i dont i get extreme discomfort but not sore.i have recurinr vaginal discomfort as well and when really bad icannot shut legs or sit comfotably.Any help please

Posted by Paul on 11/10/2009 at 10:50

Yet another article that ignores male incontinence.

Posted by Elizabeth S. on 28/08/2009 at 06:33

Sometimes when my body goes through some sort of spasm, like if I sneeze too hard or if I am hit with something, my sphincters seem to be forced open momentarily and I end up wetting my underwear. This used to be easy to conceal, but recently a huge, heavy gym mat fell on top of me in Gym class and it happened then too and I was really lucky that my shorts were black, but what if it happens again? I can't tell my mom about this, I'd die of embarrassment. Will it go away?

Posted by Anonymous on 28/07/2009 at 11:53

I have a red/ itchy penis, I can't stop weeing and my wee is clear?what could this be

Posted by simone on 02/04/2009 at 10:56

I used to get cystitis when i used to be in school and not had it in years. I woke up a week ago with it and still have it, I went to my doctors on monday and he tested my urine and said it was fine! So why have I still got it? Please help

Posted by Seaside on 29/12/2008 at 10:19

I am about to give up and just try to live with urinary incontinence. I suddenly developed this problem after having abdominal surgery to open a blocked abdominal aorta. It has been two years now and I have been under the care of a urologist for the past year. I have had every test, scan, etc. known to man. Nothing. None of the prescription medications have been effective. Now my urogogist wants me to see a Dr. in another town about the possibility of having electrical stimulation of the nerves that control the bladder. Has anyone tried this?? Did it work??