Urinary incontinence: symptoms and diagnosis

Stress urinary incontinence is the loss of urine during any movement that puts pressure on the bladder, such as laughing, sneezing, jumping, or lifting heavy objects. Some potential causes include age and menopause, pregnancy, injuries to the pelvic region, family history, obesity/high BMI, and diet.

Hypermobility occurs when the bladder, bladder neck, and urethra are no longer adequately supported. Pressure caused by coughing or sneezing can push the bladder neck and urethra downward, causing leaks.

Intrinsic sphincter deficiency is the inability of the sphincter muscle to close completely, which causes urine leakage. This can happen as a result of damage to the nerves connected to the sphincter and sphincter muscle.

Urge urinary incontinence is often described by patients as needing to go even if they just went. Some common symptoms include urinating more than eight times a day or a strong and sudden desire to urinate that results in involuntary leakage of urine. Results in involuntary leakage of urine vary for all patients. 

Mixed incontinence is involuntary bladder leakage associated with a combination of both urge and stress urinary incontinence.