Urinary Incontinence

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is a loss of bladder control that causes urine leakage and affects up to 50 percent of women at some point in their lives. Although the risk for urinary incontinence increases with age, many young women also suffer from these symptoms. If you find yourself avoiding exercising or socializing because you’re worried about “leaks” or accidents, our experts can help.

Even though urinary incontinence is common, it is not normal at any age. Yet there’s no need to be ashamed to talk to a specialist about your symptoms. The urogynecologists at the University of Chicago Medicine are experts in treating urinary incontinence and have helped others like you put an end to their distressing symptoms. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you can find relief.

Depending on the type of urinary incontinence you experience, your symptoms can be successfully treated using non-surgical therapies (such as physical therapy, medication or pessaries) or simple outpatient non-invasive procedures (slings, pacemakers or urethral bulking) to restore your quality of life.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise is a symptom of stress urinary incontinence, the most common type of urinary incontinence. It occurs in nearly one-third of young women after delivering a baby, and it is even more common as we get older and after menopause. Stress incontinence is a result of damage to nerves and muscles that are meant to keep the urethra closed during activities that increase abdominal pressure. When the urethra stays open, this allows urine to leak out with increases in abdominal pressure.

Treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence

Urgency Urinary Incontinence (Overactive Bladder)

This type of urinary leakage is often associated with frequent urination (more than eight voids in a day) and urinary urgency or a strong sensation of the need to urinate. Women often report waking up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and/or rushing to go to the bathroom but not making it in time. In urgency urinary incontinence, the bladder squeezes or contracts before it is full because it is “overactive” or the nerve signals between your brain and bladder don’t work properly.

Treatment for Urgency Urinary Incontinence

Mixed Urinary Incontinence

This type of incontinence is common and is a combination of stress and urgency urinary incontinence.

Functional Urinary Incontinence

This type of urinary leakage occurs in patients whose bladder and urethra (the tube that allows urine to exit your body) work normally, but they have a physical or medical condition that limits their ability to get to the restroom in time.

Overflow Urinary Incontinence

This type of urinary leakage occurs in patients who do not completely empty their bladder, so it stores excess urine and some “leaks” out.