Incontinence Types

“Incontinence” is a broad term that’s used to describe any involuntary release of waste matter. It can happen to men and to women and includes urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence.

However, the most common form of incontinence is urinary incontinence (UI). According to the Urology Care Foundation, “a quarter to a third of men and women in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence.” And while both genders can experience urinary incontinence, women tend to suffer slightly more than men. 

There are two things that exacerbate the problem for women: 

1. The female urethra is shorter, which means there’s less distance for urine to travel between the bladder and leaking outside the body
2. For women who have been through pregnancy and childbirth, these events also put added stress on the pelvic muscles, which can impact a woman’s ability to “hold” her bladder, either while pregnant or later in life

What Is Urinary Incontinence (UI)

Urinary incontinence (UI) is any unwanted leakage of urine. That’s a pretty broad definition and can cover everything from:

• Temporary incontinence caused, for example, by a terrible scare or not having access to a bathroom

To:

• Persistent incontinence caused by a medical concern

Temporary incontinence is often not something to worry about. Some of us experience it when we eat too much spicy food or drink too much. It can also be a response to certain medications — your doctor or pharmacist should warn you if this is a likely side effect. If you accidentally leak urine but understand it has a temporary cause, you probably don't need to worry about an underlying medical problem.

But temporary incontinence can also be caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI), and then you should see your doctor. Other symptoms of urinary tract infections include a burning sensation when peeing and blood in your pee (though that might not always happen).

Mostly, though, it’s persistent incontinence that you’ll want to see your doctor about. Because the bladder and the brain work together to control urinary function, there are different types of incontinence, with different causes and treatments.

While, to you, the result may be the same (unwanted leakage), to your doctor, these differences will be important in helping you find the right course of treatment.

Let’s look at the 5 main types of incontinence.

What Are the Different Types of Urinary Incontinence?

It is generally considered that there are 5 types of urinary incontinence. Each type of incontinence has a different set of causes (though some overlap) and of treatments.

1. Stress Incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs during physical exertion. This can be the obvious physical exertion of doing exercise. But it can also include bodily functions and involuntary reactions like coughing, sneezing, and even laughing. The cause of stress incontinence is generally weakened muscles that become weaker when the body is experiencing the ‘stress’ of those exertions, so it fails to hold in your pee.

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2. Urge Incontinence

Urge incontinence causes a sudden and urgent need to use the washroom. This intense urge can happen even if you’ve peed recently and or felt completely normal just a minute ago. And if they can’t get to a bathroom in time,  urine leakage may happen. This is urge incontinence.

Urge incontinence can be caused by a miscommunication between your brain and your bladder. There can be false messages that the bladder is full and needs emptying. Or “too late” nerve signals that you need to urinate.

3. Mixed Incontinence

Mixed incontinence is when a person experiences both urge and stress incontinence. It’s not uncommon to experience both issues with bladder control - and indeed, mixed incontinence is the second most common form of incontinence in women. Bladder training and other treatments can help better control urination and manage urinary frequency.

4. Overflow Incontinence

If you pee frequently, but it has an unsteady, dribble-like flow of urine, this could point to overflow incontinence. With this type of incontinence, the bladder cannot empty when you pee, and the amount of urine you eliminate may be small. And because your kidneys continually produce urine, this can lead your bladder to overflow later, without warning, which is when overflow incontinence occurs.

5. Functional Incontinence

Functional incontinence is probably the easiest form of incontinence to understand because it isn’t caused by any damage to the urinary system but usually by another medical condition, like a physical or mental impairment.

This kind of incontinence can have neurological or psychological causes (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). But it can also be caused by physical impairments, which prevent a person from acting on their need to urinate (e.g., spinal cord injury.) These can include physical obstacles, such as spinal cord injuries and mobility issues.

Key Stats About Incontinence

According to  Ian Milsom, Gothenburg Continence Research Center, the data and research around incontinence points to the following facts and trends:

• If people with UI formed a country, it would be the third-largest in the world!
• In women with UI, stress incontinence is the most common form of incontinence (50%)
• Mixed incontinence comes in at 17% and UI at 10%
• Risk factors for incontinence include:
• Age
• Weight (not maintaining a healthy weight)
• Gender
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Hysterectomy
• Diabetes
• Dementia
• 50% of people who suffer from urinary incontinence do not seek help

While it may shock you to learn that so many people live with urinary incontinence without seeking help, it’s actually not surprising:

• Many ‘accept’ incontinence as a reality of aging and don’t think there’s anything to be done about the problem.
• Some are embarrassed or ashamed to speak to a doctor about their problems with incontinence.
• Some believe there are no real treatment options for urine leaks. While this is untrue, it is also true that it’s not usually a ‘silver bullet’ solution. Treating incontinence may involve a combination of treatments and exercises to improve bladder muscle strength and to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to see an effect.
• People find they manage incontinence with changes to their lifestyle and non-medical products, like leakproof underwear. 

Making positive changes to your lifestyle and trying products aimed at managing incontinence (like incontinence underwear) are great steps to give you back a sense of confidence and control.

However, it's still a good idea to talk to your doctor about the problem, whether it’s at a regular checkup or a special visit. In general, your doctor should know everything going on with your body, and they’ll want to judge the cause of your incontinence based on your medical records and their own examination.

Urinary incontinence can also occasionally be a symptom of some larger concerns, so your healthcare advisor may want to check to rule some things out. They’ll also help you understand the type of incontinence you’re experiencing and discuss lifestyle changes and treatment options.

How to Talk to Your Doctor About Urinary Incontinence

We get it: Talking about your most intimate bodily functions isn’t always easy. But trust us, doctors are not fazed by these things, including urinary incontinence.

If it helps you prepare for seeking medical advice, write down your questions and make some notes to anticipate the questions they may ask (we listed some questions in this article).

While experiencing urinary incontinence can cause stress and embarrassment, talking about it with your healthcare professional should not!

Written by Jane Flanagan — Updated on April 5, 2022.

We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.