Urinary Incontinence: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

Urinary incontinence is a common major health and quality of life concern. Learn about types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of urinary incontinence.

Urinary
Incontinenc
e
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Topic Overview
Urinary incontinence is a common major health and
quality of life concern.
Urinary incontinence at unacceptable times also causes
social embarrassment which makes it a sensitive topic to
discuss.
Urinary incontinence is more common in females than in
males.
It significantly effects on a person’s family from an
economic, emotional, and interpersonal standpoint (Rizvi
& Ather, 2017).
Treatment depends on several factors, such as the type of
incontinence, the patient's age, general health, and their
mental state.
Source: What is Urinary Incontinence? Retrieve from
-
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/urinary-

Definition
Urinary incontinence is defined as
involuntary loss or leakage of urine
that cannot be controlled by the
bladder.
Control over the urinary sphincter
is either lost or weakened
Incontinence is not a disease. It is
inability to control the bladder due
to various reasons.
Source: Urinary Incontinence Treatment.
Retrieve from -
https://www.pushya.org/urinary-
incontinence-treatment-ahmedabad.php

Types of Urinary Incontinence
Stress incontinence (Milsom &
Gyhagen, 2018). Is the most
common type of inconsistency.
Urge Incontinence
Functional Incontinence
Overflow Incontinence
Mixed Incontinence
Source: Types of Urinary Incontinence retrieved
from https://www.lhsc.on.ca/women-s-health/types-
of-urinary-incontinence

Signs & Symptoms of
Urinary incontinence
Leakage of urine during any activity.
Strong or sudden urge to urinate. fee
Difficulty in holding urine.
Wet cloths during the day
Feeling of full bladder after toilet.
Burning sensation while urinating.
feeling of heaviness in the vagina.Source: Urinary Incontinence (Feb 5, 2018). Retrieve
from - https://www.drugs.com/health-guide/urinary-
incontinence.html Accessed on 25th January, 2019.

Causes of urinary
incontinence
Bladder Neck Mobility
Sphincter Deficiency
Overactive Bladder Disorders
Fistulas and Diverticula
Source: Pelvic Floor Muscles and Urinary Incontinence.
Retrieve from - https://hoool.com/pelvic-floor-muscles/

Tests Used to Diagnose.
 Medical history of the patient and urinary diary or
bladder record to help the doctor understand the
urinary incontinence of the patient.
 Dipstick test for diagnosing urinary infection for
urethritis or cystitis (Rachaneni & Latthe, 2015).
 Q-Tip is also performed along dipstick for
diagnosing the pelvic relaxations (National
Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's
Health (UK. 2013).
 Residual urine test is an ultrasound screening test
for evaluation of the inconsistency. Bladder
diverticulum or fistula are also detected (Syan &
Brucker, 2016).
Source: Q-Tip test. Vignoli, G. (2017).
Physical Examination and Laboratory
Tests. In Urodynamics

Tests Used to Diagnose.
Cont.
Urinalysis test of urine to detect wide range of
abnormalities, generally for identifying the germ
that causes the infection (Syan & Brucker, 2016).
Urodynamic tests for the diagnosis of the type of
the urinary incontinence for example an
overactive bladder or a sphincter deficiency or an
obstruction in the urinay tract (Rachaneni &
Latthe, 2015).
Cystoscopy is a confirmatory test for the
suspected diverticula or fistula or an overactive
bladder. (Propst, Kershen & Tunitsky-Bitton, 2015). Source: Urodynamic Testing. Retrieved from:
https://www.obgynecologistnyc.com/proced
ures/urodynamics/

Treatment or Management
Options/Medications for topic
Medication like intravesical botulinum
toxin and other anticholinergics are the
particular treatment for overactive
bladder as it is able to make 50 – 60%
improvement (Orasanu & Mahajan, 2013).
Neuromodulation for treatment of urinary
incontinence due to stress, which has
improvement rates of 60 -90% of the
pelvic floor (Yamanishi, Kamai & Yoshida,
2008). Source: Pharmatics role in Uninary retentions. Retrieved
from:
https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/pharmacists-role-
in-managing-male-urinary-incontinence

Treatment or Management
Options/Medications for topic
Periurethral injections therapy has the high
percentage (80 to 90%) of curing of stress
incontinence after repeated injection
(Billault et al., 2015).
Burch Procedure is also helpful in
successful treatment of the stress
incontinence by restoring the bladder neck.
Sling procedure is modern surgical practice
for urgency incontinence and mixed
incontinence (Welk & Baverstock, 2017).
Source: Vaginal sling procedure operation details.
Retrieved from:
https://www.healthbase.com/hb/cm/vaginal-sling-
procedure-stress-urinary-incontinence-pubo-vaginal-
transobdurator-TVT-cost-abroad-best-urologist-
affordable-medical-tourism.html

Prognosis/Lifestyle Changes
for people having topic.
Active recuperation and exercise comprise of
pelvic muscle activities, for example, Kegels,
pelvic floor muscle training, electrical
stimulation, and bladder preparing drills,
improves 30-40% of stress incontinence and
overactive bladder (Welk & Baverstock, 2017).
Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS)
it is the most cost effective and simple
invasive treatment of the urinary
incontinence, relax bladder pain and helps in
urinary retention (Thin et al., 2015).
Source: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation
(PTNS) Retrived from:
http://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-
conditions/overactive-bladder-(oab)/
treatment/medical-and-surgical-treatments

Prognosis/Lifestyle Changes
for people having topic.
Use of disposable continence devices to
support the bladder in improving urinary
incontinence by holding the urine. For
example, pessary.
Balancing and regulating the fluid intact,
while emptying the bladder regularly.
Alcohol, caffeine and smoking is required
to be given up.
Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce
the pressure from the abdominal muscles.
Source: Pessaries for Treating
Stress Incontinence (Rogers, 2008).

Conclusion
Urinary incontinence is common issue which become
devastating to those who suffer from it. A huge number of
women are facing this problem. The proportion of women is
increasing continuously and it becomes essential in order to
seek out the reliable and effective treatment procedures for
urinary incontinence. If it reaches on high level, this problem
needs to be improve with accurately diagnose.

 Billault, C., Chartier-Kastler, E., Rouprêt, M., Robain, G., & Phé, V. (2015). Functional outcomes of adjustable continence therapy (ACT™)
balloons in women aged> 80 years and suffering from stress urinary incontinence caused by intrinsic sphincter deficiency. World journal of
urology, 33(11), 1897-1903.
 Milsom, I., & Gyhagen, M. (2018). The prevalence of urinary incontinence. Climacteric, 1-6.
 National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health (UK. (2013). Urinary incontinence in women: the management of urinary
incontinence in women.
 Orasanu, B., & Mahajan, S. T. (2013). The use of botulinum toxin for the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome. Indian journal of
urology: IJU: journal of the Urological Society of India, 29(1), 2.
 Propst, K., Kershen, R., & Tunitsky-Bitton, E. (2015). Bladder septum: an unexpected finding on cystoscopy in a patient with mixed urinary
incontinence. International urogynecology journal, 26(7), 1075.
 Rachaneni, S., & Latthe, P. (2015). Does preoperative urodynamics improve outcomes for women undergoing surgery for stress urinary
incontinence? A systematic review and meta analysis. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 122(1), 8-16.‐
 Rizvi, R. M., & Ather, M. H. (2017). Assessment of Urinary Incontinence (UI) in Adult Patients. In Synopsis in the Management of Urinary
Incontinence. InTech.
 Rogers, R. G. (2008). Urinary stress incontinence in women. New England Journal of Medicine, 358(10), 1029-1036.
 Syan, R., & Brucker, B. M. (2016). Guideline of guidelines: urinary incontinence. BJU international, 117(1), 20-33.
 Thin, N., Taylor, S. J. C., Bremner, S. A., Emmanuel, A. V., Hounsome, N., Williams, N. S., ... & Scott, S. M. (2015). Randomized clinical trial of
sacral versus percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in patients with faecal incontinence. British Journal of Surgery, 102(4), 349-358.
 Welk, B., & Baverstock, R. J. (2017). The management of mixed urinary incontinence in women. Canadian Urological Association Journal,
11(6Suppl2), S121.
 Yamanishi, T., Kamai, T., & Yoshida, K. I. (2008). Neuromodulation for the treatment of urinary incontinence. International journal of Urology,
15(8), 665-672.
References