From the Guidelines
Urinary incontinence is characterized by three main types: urgency, stress, and mixed, as defined by the most recent and highest quality study 1. The types of urinary incontinence can be broken down into:
- Stress incontinence: occurs when physical activities like coughing, sneezing, or exercising put pressure on the bladder, causing urine leakage due to weakened pelvic floor muscles or urethral sphincter
- Urge incontinence (overactive bladder): involves sudden, intense urges to urinate followed by involuntary leakage, often caused by bladder muscle overactivity or neurological conditions
- Mixed incontinence: combines symptoms of both stress and urge types Other types of incontinence include:
- Overflow incontinence: happens when the bladder doesn't empty completely, leading to frequent dribbling as it overfills, typically due to blockages or nerve damage affecting bladder sensation
- Functional incontinence: occurs when physical or cognitive limitations prevent reaching the toilet in time despite normal bladder function According to the latest guidelines 1, treatment depends on the specific type and may include pelvic floor exercises, bladder training, medications like anticholinergics for overactive bladder, or surgical interventions for structural issues. Lifestyle modifications such as scheduled voiding, fluid management, and avoiding bladder irritants (caffeine, alcohol) can help manage symptoms across all types. The American Urological Association (AUA) and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) provide guidelines for the diagnosis, counseling, and treatment of female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) 1.
From the Research
Types of Urinary Incontinence
- Stress incontinence: characterized by urine leakage during physical exertion 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Urge incontinence: characterized by urine leakage due to a sudden compelling desire to void 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Mixed incontinence: a combination of stress and urge incontinence 3, 4, 5, 6
- Overflow incontinence: characterized by a full bladder that cannot be fully emptied, leading to urine leakage 2, 3, 4
- Functional incontinence: characterized by urine leakage due to factors outside the urinary tract, such as cognitive or physical impairments 2, 3
- Neurogenic incontinence: characterized by urine leakage due to nerve damage or neurological disorders 4
- Manufactured incontinence: not clearly defined in the provided studies, but mentioned as a type of incontinence 2