Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a condition that describes any involuntary leakage of urine. The condition is categorized according to its underlying cause. Urinary incontinence results from complications in either filling, storing, or emptying the bladder and some may suffer from a combination of these issues.¹

Definition

The three major types of urinary incontinence are defined as:

• Stress incontinence- occurring when there is an increase in abdominal pressure, such as when coughing or sneezing.²
• Urge incontinence- occurring just after one senses the 'urge' to urinate.³
• Overflow incontinence- occurring in conjunction with an inability to fully empty one's bladder.⁴

Other types of UI include:

• Reflex incontinence- resulting from neurological abnormality, trauma or disease.

Functional incontinence- an inability to remain continent due to mental incapacitation or physical immobility.⁵

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