Types of Incontinence
There are five basic types of incontinence. In many cases, individuals experience symptoms of more than one type of incontinence. Proper diagnosis of the type of incontinence is an important factor in successful treatment.
Incontinence affects different individuals in different ways.
Common forms of urinary incontinence include:
- Stress: People with stress incontinence may experience leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, lifting and performing other kinds of strenuous activity. Stress incontinence is usually caused by having a weak sphincter mechanism. The muscles of the pelvic floor and the sphincter muscle are unable to keep the bladder outlet tube (urethra) closed during straining activities that increase pressure inside the abdomen. Occurs in men when they are putting pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, usually from excess weight.
- Urge: Occurs when you have an overwhelming need to urinate and are not able to hold urine long enough to reach a toilet. Urge incontinence is usually caused by having an ‘overactive bladder’, one that contracts before you give it permission to.
Constipation can also cause urge incontinence through the loss of muscle control. A stroke, spinal cord injury, dementia or diseases that affect the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis can bring it on. Is this also valid for men?
- Mixed: People that experience both stress and urge incontinence at different times or under different circumstances. The causes of the two forms may or may not be related, and should be evaluated separately.
Less common forms of incontinence include:
- Overflow: It might be that you do not get the urge to urinate or have a blockage in the tube that passes from the bladder out of the body (urethra). In both of these instances, the bladder never completely empties, and when it overfills, excess urine is forced out. Nervous system disorders and spinal cord injuries are frequent causes of overflow incontinence.
- Functional: People who are unable or do not recognise/unable to interpret the need to use a toilet are functionally incontinent. Examples include severe arthritis or confusion brought on by other illnesses that prevents a person from using a toilet without assistance.
- Total: Total incontinence is rare and is a result of one or more of the 5 types of incontinence. A birth defect or injury may cause urine to leak from the body uncontrollably. Some people with dementia may lose bladder control only during the night. Dementia is the result of any number of illnesses that cause mental deterioration, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
- Reflex: Can occur for those that have any type of spinal injury. Whether it be full paralysis or damage to the spinal column from poor manual handling or lifting techniques that results in back injuries.