Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI), or the unintentional loss of urine, is a problem for more than 13 million Americans—85 percent of them women. Although about half of the elderly have episodes of incontinence, bladder problems are not a natural consequence of aging, and they are not exclusively a problem of the elderly.

Incontinence has several causes. Women are most likely to develop incontinence either during pregnancy and childbirth, or after the hormonal changes of menopause, because of weakened pelvic muscles. Older men can become incontinent as the result of prostate surgery. Pelvic trauma, spinal cord damage, caffeine, or medications including cold or over-the-counter diet tablets also can cause episodes of incontinence.

But even though urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases, fewer than half of those with bladder problems ever discuss the condition with their health care professional. The condition often goes untreated.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is a common health condition that involves loss of bladder control and involuntary leakage of urine. It can vary in severity, from occasionally losing a few drops of urine to leaking a substantial amount several times each day.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis

Urinary Incontinence Treatments

Urinary Incontinence in Children

Urinary Incontinence in Men

Urinary Incontinence in Women

Types of Bladder Control Problems in Women

How is Urine Leakage Treated?

Obesity and Urinary Incontinence

Latest Urinary Incontinence News and Research

Focal high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation is an effective treatment for prostate cancer

For some prostate cancer patients, radical treatment (surgery or radiation) are treatment standards. However, these procedures may cause side effects including urinary incontinence or impotency.

8 Sep 2020

Common class of drugs may be associated with increased risk of cognitive decline

A team of scientists, led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, report that a class of drugs used for a broad array of conditions, from allergies and colds to hypertension and urinary incontinence, may be associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, particularly in older adults at greater risk for Alzheimer's disease.

5 Sep 2020

Study examines the side effects of Alzheimer's disease dementia drugs

In a first of its kind study, a University of Houston researcher is examining two common drugs used for dementia in patients with Alzheimer's disease to determine the extent to which they don't mix well together and cause a cascading event of side effects, prompting the need for even more medications.

3 Sep 2020

Painless magnetic stimulation dramatically reduces episodes of fecal incontinence

Painless magnetic stimulation of nerves that regulate muscles in the anus and rectum appears to improve their function and dramatically reduce episodes of fecal incontinence, a debilitating problem affecting about 10% of the population, investigators report.

25 Aug 2020

Benefits of PSA screening for prostate cancer may outweigh potential harms

The benefits of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to screen men for prostate cancer may be greater than the harm, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

22 Jun 2020

Magnetic stimulation of rectal nerves could help treat fecal incontinence

An ongoing study by the Medical College of Georgia on the role of magnetic stimulation of the rectal nerves to achieve better bowel control in patients with fecal incontinence is showing early promise. The technique is called translumbosacral neuromodulation therapy, or TNT.

2 Apr 2020

NCCN publishes recommendations for assessing quality improvements in cancer care

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has published a curated list of high-impact measures for assessing quality improvements in cancer care.

10 Mar 2020

Chronic cough could be eased with new drug

A pair of studies have shown that chronic cough and its distressing symptoms could be eased with the help of a new drug. Also, the drug does not have side effects that can restrict its use, explain the researchers. The results of the two studies are published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, and the European Respiratory Journal, respectively.

26 Feb 2020

Women who have more sex less likely to have early menopause

Women who have sex more are at a reduced risk of experiencing early menopause, a new study found. The new finding raises the possibility of lifestyle practices as a predictor of when menopause will occur.

15 Jan 2020

Individualized pelvic physical therapy decreases incontinence, pain in post-prostatectomy patients

For decades, therapy to strengthen pelvic muscles has been the standard treatment for men dealing with urinary incontinence after prostate surgery. But a new study from UT Southwestern's Departments of Urology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation suggests that may not be the best approach.

30 Dec 2019

National veteran dataset will help dissect the relationship between mental illness and prostate cancer

There appears to be an unhealthy synergy between mental illness and prostate cancer, and researchers are working to dissect the relationship by first assembling the largest dataset ever of veterans with either condition or both.

23 Dec 2019

FDA approves new drug to treat adults with advanced urothelial or bladder cancer

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the drug enfortumab vedotin (EV) to treat adult patients with advanced urothelial or bladder cancer.

19 Dec 2019

NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit closes gaps in perspective of value in cancer care

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) hosted an annual NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit: Delivering Value for Patients across the Oncology Ecosystem in Washington, DC, today.

11 Dec 2019

Embarrassing symptoms prevent women from seeking treatment for pelvic floor disorders

Nearly 25% of women live with treatable conditions known as pelvic floor disorders, but there is one main reason why the vast majority of them will not seek treatment: they are too embarrassed to talk about it.

20 Nov 2019

Study: Many patients treated for iNPH also develop Alzheimer’s disease

Up to one in five patients treated for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, iNPH, also develop Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital.

15 Nov 2019

Effective non-surgical treatment options for urinary incontinence

A common myth about urinary incontinence (the loss of bladder control or urinary leakage) in women is that surgery is your only option.

10 Nov 2019

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can relieve symptoms and side-effects of radiotherapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can relieve self-reported symptoms and side-effects of radiotherapy against cancer in the pelvic region, a study shows. After 30-40 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber, many patients experienced reductions in bleeding, urinary incontinence, and pain alike.

16 Oct 2019