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Condition

Urinary Incontinence

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Experiencing a sudden, urgent need to urinate and struggling to make it to the toilet in time? Experiencing excessive urination at night? Leaking urine? Incontinence is more common than you might think.

Living with urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence, also known as bladder leakage, is defined as any sort of involuntary leaking of urine. We understand that it can get in the way of your everyday life and may cause you to feel self-conscious or even embarrassed. Fortunately, there are treatment options that could help you regain control of your bladder and your life.

Types of incontinence and their symptoms

Most people diagnosed with urinary incontinence have either one or a combination of different types of incontinence.

  • Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) happens when movement or physical activity – such as coughing, laughing, sneezing or heavy lifting – puts pressure on your bladder. 
  • “Stress” refers to physical pressure on the bladder, not emotional stress.
  • The most common cause of SUI in men is a prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate gland to treat prostate cancer.
  • In women, SUI may occur due to weakened pelvic floor muscles, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, or previous pelvic surgery.

  • Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder (OAB), is when you have an overwhelming need to urinate.
  • This may prevent you reaching the toilet in time. 
  • Causes of OAB include damage to the bladder’s nerves, damage to other parts of the nervous system and damage to the muscles. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and stroke can also affect nerves and lead to urge incontinence.

  • Mixed urinary incontinence is when you have symptoms of both stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge incontinence. 
  • Includes leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh, exercise or lift something heavy, and leaking urine after a sudden urge to urinate, while you sleep, after drinking water, or hearing or touching water. 
  • Mixed incontinence shares the causes of both SUI and urge incontinence.

  • When you are unable to fully empty your bladder, causing leaking.
  • You may feel like your bladder is still full after urinating.
  • This is often caused by something blocking the urine from leaving the bladder.
  • Most common cause in men is an enlarged prostate.

Have you been diagnosed with urinary incontinence?

Common causes of urinary incontinence

Pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy and vaginal childbirth can weaken pelvic floor muscles and tissues that support bladder control. These changes may increase the likelihood of urinary leakage.

Menopause

After menopause, the body produces less oestrogen. These hormonal changes can affect the bladder and surrounding tissues, which may contribute to urinary leakage.

Pelvic floor weakness

The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and urethra. When these muscles become weakened over time due to ageing, pregnancy or repeated pressure on the pelvic floor, bladder leakage can occur.

Additional causes of female incontinence

  • Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.
  • Certain medicines.
  • Too much caffeine or alcohol.
  • Excess weight or obesity.
  • Previous pelvic surgery.

Benign prostate enlargement

Benign prostate enlargement (BPE) happens when the prostate becomes larger with age. This can place pressure on the bladder or urethra, which may lead to urinary retention (difficulty emptying the bladder) or bladder leakage.

Prostate surgery

Prostate surgery is a common treatment for prostate cancer. In some instances, this surgery can cause damage to the bladder or nearby area that results in urinary problems like male incontinence.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy for prostate cancer can cause urinary incontinence, bowel (faecal) incontinence or erectile dysfunction. Radiation can penetrate the healthy tissues and cause side effects including needing to go to the toilet more often, sometimes with little to no notice.

Additional causes of male incontinence

  • Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.
  • Certain medicines such as some ACE inhibitors and antidepressants.
  • Too much caffeine or alcohol.
  • Pelvic trauma from a car crash, fall or straddle injuries (injuries to the area between the legs).

Treatment options for incontinence

Find the right treatment for you

We know that incontinence issues can be embarrassing, but there are a range of treatments that may help you to regain control of your bladder and your day-to-day life.

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Find a specialist for incontinence near you

Your doctor can help you understand the cause of your incontinence and recommend the best treatment option for you.

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Frequently asked questions about incontinence

Your symptoms can help your doctor determine the type of urinary incontinence you may have. For example, leaking during movement or exercise may suggest stress urinary incontinence, while sudden urges to urinate may suggest overactive bladder (OAB).

Your doctor may also recommend tests to confirm the cause of your symptoms.

Your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms and may perform a physical examination to help diagnose your urinary incontinence. They will usually ask you to provide a urine sample for analysis, and you may need additional tests such as blood tests, imaging scans or bladder function tests.  

Yes. Urinary incontinence becomes more common with age. Changes in the muscles, nerves and bladder over time can increase the likelihood of experiencing bladder control problems. Certain health conditions, hormonal changes and medical treatments that become more common with age – such as menopause, BPE and prostate cancer – may also contribute to urinary incontinence symptoms.

Several factors may increase the likelihood of urinary incontinence, including pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, ageing, obesity and certain medical conditions or treatments. Lower urinary tract symptoms – which affect the bladder and urethra – may also increase the likelihood of experiencing bladder control problems.

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