Bladder Control - Common Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control the release of urine from your bladder. The problem has varying degrees of severity where some people experience only occasional, minor leaks, or dribbles of urine and others wet their clothes frequently. For some, incontinence means both urinary and fecal incontinence - the uncontrollable loss of stools.

This is a common and often embarrassing problem. Approximately 12 million adults in the United States have urinary incontinence. It is most common in women over 50 years old, but it can also affect younger people, especially women who have just given birth. This isn't a normal part of aging or, in women, an inevitable consequence of childbirth or changes after menopause. It's a medical condition with many possible causes, some relatively simple and others more complex.

Urinary incontinence is caused by a weakened sphincter muscle at the bladder often resulting from physical changes such as from pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause. Following are common causes of urinary incontinence:

• Thinning and drying of the skin in the vagina or urethra, especially after menopause
• Enlarged prostate gland or prostate surgery
• Weakened pelvic muscles
• Certain medications
• Build-up of stool in the bowels
• Inability to move around
• Urinary tract infection
• Vascular and other diseases, such as kidney disease or diabetes

If you are having trouble with bladder control to the point that it affects your day-to-day activities, contact your doctor. In many situations, urinary incontinence can be stopped. Even if the condition can't be completely eliminated, there are ways to manage urinary incontinence to ease your discomfort and inconvenience.

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