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Do you cross your legs when you feel a sneeze coming on? Do sudden urges to go cause you to panic? Do leaks just happen randomly, without notice?
It’s estimated that about half of adult women experience urinary incontinence (UI). Yet of those who live with the symptoms, less than half seek care. Common reasons for delaying treatment for UI vary from embarrassment to fear of surgery to lack of awareness about nonsurgical treatment options.
Below, you’ll find a brief overview of the types of UI in women and their symptoms. You’ll also learn how primary care doctors and women’s health specialists diagnose UI.
The four types of urinary incontinence
There are four different types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence and overflow incontinence. Each form of UI comes with its own distinct symptoms. Let’s talk about the different kinds of UI and the symptoms they’re known for:
1. Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence refers to any physical stress on the abdomen or bladder that forces urine to escape. This could be from laughing, sneezing, lifting heavy things or performing certain physical activities. Stress incontinence tends to be more common in younger women.
2. Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence happens when you feel a strong, persistent urge to urinate. This type of UI is caused by bladder contractions that expel urine and is commonly referred to as having an overactive bladder. Urge incontinence tends to be more common in women’s later years although it can occur in younger women, too.
3. Mixed incontinence
Mixed urinary incontinence refers to the presence of stress and urge incontinence. Most women who have urinary incontinence have a component of both stress and urge.
4. Overflow incontinence
Overflow incontinence results from bladder overflow. When your bladder becomes too full, urine will leak out. This can be either from the inability to fully empty your bladder during urination, or just not realizing you need to go. With this kind of UI, your bladder leak may be continuous.
Symptoms of urinary incontinence in women
The symptoms of UI in women can vary from person to person. If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with urinary incontinence, pay attention to the following symptoms:
Leaking urine when you sneeze, laugh or cough
Feeling like your bladder is never completely empty
Constantly feeling like you need to pee
Often waking up in the middle of the night to pee
Feeling like you have to pee right after you pee
Avoiding certain activities because you’re afraid of leaking
Rushing to the restroom because you’ll leak if you don’t make it in time
Suddenly noticing that you need to pee all the time
How urinary incontinence is diagnosed
Typically, your doctor or clinician will talk with you and perform a pelvic exam, so they can check the health of your pelvic organs such as your vagina, uterus and rectum. There are a number of methods your doctor may recommend to diagnose your condition and determine the potential causes behind incontinence.
Keeping a bathroom journal
You may be asked to keep a bathroom journal before or after your appointment. In your journal, you’ll log all your bathroom trips and bladder leakage or issues. It can also be helpful to record what you eat and drink in your bladder journal. This record will help your doctor get a more accurate idea of your symptoms and how often they occur. Keeping a journal can also determine what triggers your need to pee or any accidents.
Urine testing
For a urine test, you’ll provide a small sample. The lab will then analyze for different factors such as acidity, appearance, concentration and presence of infection.
Bladder ultrasound
During a bladder ultrasound, the nurse will move a handheld device across your abdomen to measure the amount of urine left inside your bladder after urinating.
Urodynamic testing
Your doctor may recommend additional assessments that measure bladder function. Urodynamic testing measures how well your bladder, urethra and sphincter muscles work together to store and release urine.
Cystoscopy
This procedure allows your doctor to examine your urethra and bladder with the use of a small camera.
Don’t ignore symptoms of incontinence
Feeling unsure about your first step? Remember, incontinence doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying daily life on your terms. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can be a life changer.
If you think that you might have urinary incontinence, reach out to a primary care doctor or women’s health specialist. They’ll answer any questions you may have and guide you toward treatment that will work for you. If more advanced care is needed, your doctor can also refer you to a urogynecology specialist.
