What is urinary incontinence?

What their different forms look like and what possible causes are

In Germany alone, around 10 million people suffer from urinary incontinence. That means one in eight people is affected! At least – because the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher.

Despite this, the topic remains taboo . Less than half of those affected seek medical help – and even fewer actually receive treatment. Yet there are many ways to address involuntary urine loss.

This article explains exactly what incontinence is, what symptoms can occur, and what its causes are.

What does incontinence mean?

Incontinence means that you cannot reliably control your urine (or stool) and involuntarily lose it between normal trips to the toilet. The risk of becoming incontinent increases with age . However, it doesn't only affect older people. It can also be a problem for younger people , for example, women after pregnancy.

Urinary incontinence is also known as "bladder weakness." There are various forms. The most common are:

• Stress incontinence (also called stress incontinence)
• Urge incontinence
• Mixed incontinence
• Overflow incontinence
  
  

1. Stress incontinence: When exercise becomes a problem

This form of incontinence occurs during physical exertion : Urine is lost when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or even during exercise. Women are particularly affected after childbirth or during menopause .

Typical symptoms:

• Urine loss during physical activity
• no strong urge to urinate
• Frequency depends on the workload.

Possible causes:

• Weak pelvic floor muscles
• Hormonal changes
• Pelvic surgery

2. Urge incontinence – When you suddenly need to go quickly

As the name suggests, with this form of incontinence, those affected experience a sudden, strong urge to urinate – sometimes without warning. This often leads to involuntary urine loss because they cannot reach the toilet in time.

Typical symptoms:

• frequent, sudden urge to urinate
• Urine leakage before reaching the toilet
• feeling of a constantly full bladder

Possible causes:

• Overactive bladder (involuntary bladder contractions)
• Urinary tract infections (cystitis)
• Neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or stroke
  
  

3. Mixed incontinence – When stress and urge come together

Mixed incontinence involves the simultaneous occurrence of both urge and stress incontinence. It can significantly impair the quality of life of the affected person.

Typical symptoms:

• Urinary incontinence during physical exertion
• sudden urge to urinate that is almost impossible to control
• Frequent urination, even when drinking little.

Possible causes:

• Weak pelvic floor
• Overactive bladder (e.g., due to infections, neurological diseases, or hormonal changes)
• Overweight
• Smoke
• Diseases such as diabetes or nerve damage
  
  

4. Overflow incontinence:

In this form of incontinence, the bladder does not empty completely during urination. This leads to constant pressure and sudden urine loss. It occurs more frequently in men than in women.

Possible causes:

• Prostate enlargement
• Nerve damage
• Medications that inhibit urine flow

Other forms of incontinence

Functional incontinence:

The affected person can control their bladder, but cannot get to the toilet in time – for example, because they have limited mobility or suffer from dementia .

Unconscious incontinence:

The affected person loses urine without noticing it . They also feel no pressure on their bladder. Causes are often neurological disorders or age-related pelvic floor weakness.

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In our next blog post: What to do about incontinence?

You now know how the different forms of incontinence manifest and what their causes can be. But what happens next? In our next blog post, you'll learn how incontinence can be treated.

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