A condition wherein a person leaks urine involuntarily. This can happen if a woman sneezes, coughs, laughs or performs any activity that can put pressure on the bladder.

Types of Incontinence

• Stress Urinary Incontinence: This happens when there is leakage caused by an increase in abdominal pressure. Activities that lead to this are coughing, sneezing, heavy lifting etc.
• Urge Incontinence: Also called an “overactive bladder”, this is the uncontrolled loss of urine accompanied by the strong desire to pass urine. Most of the time the cause of this condition is unknown; however, sometimes it can happen when the bladder gets irritated due to an infection or when the detrusor muscle should be relaxed but it contracts instead
• Mixed Incontinence: The combination of Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urge Incontinence
• Overflow Incontinence: This happens when the bladder becomes overfull due to incomplete emptying

Treatment

• Lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, smoking cessation, avoiding getting constipated and drinking enough water or other fluids during the day
• Pelvic floor exercises
• Surgical treatment