What is Stress Incontinence:

Stress incontinence occurs when pressure is exerted on the bladder during activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, or lifting heavy objects.

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What is Urge Incontinence:

With urge incontinence, individuals experience a sudden and intense urge to urinate, often followed by an involuntary loss of urine. This condition may lead to frequent urination, even disrupting sleep patterns. Normally, your bladder muscle contracts when it's full, signaling the urge to urinate. However, in urge incontinence, the bladder muscle contracts too soon, before the bladder is full. This can be due to abnormal nerve activity, muscle spasms, or other causes, whether known or unknown.

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Related post: Complete guide to understanding and treating urinary incontinence

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How to identify the difference between stress and urge incontinence:

If you're dealing with incontinence, there are several common tests to check and understand your condition. Here are some tests your provider might use:

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• Urinalysis
• Bladder stress tests
• Ultrasound
• Cystoscopy
• Urodynamics

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You also might be asked to keep a pee diary. This means noting how often you leak urine, how often you go to the restroom to urinate, and how much you drink. This diary helps identify any patterns in your symptoms and habits.

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Did you know there are 5 types of urinary incontinence? Related post: What are the different types of urinary incontinence?

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Understanding the diverse manifestations of urinary incontinence is crucial for tailoring effective management and treatment strategies. If you or someone you know identifies with any of these scenarios, we would love for you to schedule an office visit at Epiphany Women’s Health. We have a fantastic team of nurse practitioners ready to address and treat your lifestyle-cramping urinary incontinence.

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If you’re ready to take the first step toward treating urinary incontinence, please book an appointment with one of our female nurse practitioners.