Types of Incontinence

There are several types of incontinence that can be caused by a variety of health issues, such as infection, severe constipation, or weak pelvic muscles. It's important to get the right diagnosis to determine what treatment options are best for you.

Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder (OAB) is a bladder that contracts more often than it should, so you feel the need to urinate more frequently and/or urgently than usual. Some people with OAB also experience incontinence (known as "OAB wet"), but many do not (known as "OAB dry").

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary and uncontrollable loss of urine that can range from mild leaking to more serious accidents. It's often temporary and is almost always due to an underlying medical condition. There are several types of incontinence. The most common are:

• Stress incontinence -- Urine leaks when you laugh, cough, sneeze, exercise, or exert yourself in any way that puts pressure on your bladder. This is the most common type of incontinence and can almost always be successfully treated.
• Urge incontinence -- You experience sudden and powerful urges to urinate that often result in an accident. An overactive bladder -- one that contracts when you don't want it to -- is usually the cause and may be due to anything from an infection to damaged nerves. In men, this type of urgency may be a sign of an enlarged prostate. It can also be an early sign of bladder cancer.
• Mixed incontinence -- You experience both stress and urge incontinence.
• Overflow incontinence -- You frequently leak small amounts of urine but are unable to completely empty your bladder when you try. This is usually caused by a blockage of some sort, such as an enlarged prostate in men, but may also be caused by weak bladder muscles.
• Functional incontinence -- You have relatively normal urine control but can't get to the bathroom in time because of a physical limitation or the inability to recognize the need to go. It usually affects older people who have a hard time getting around, people with dementia, and people with disabilities.