What is urinary incontinence?

When you leak urine in your underwear while coughing, laughing, sneezing, running, or simply standing in line at the grocery store–you’re experiencing urinary incontinence.

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Dealing with urinary incontinence, the challenge of bladder control is common amongst women. The spectrum of severity varies from occasional leakage during a cough or sneeze to the urgency of needing to urinate so suddenly and intensely that reaching a toilet becomes a race against time.

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As mentioned in the intro, you don’t have to feel alone in this struggle. More than 50% of women report urinary incontinence (and that’s only including the women talking about it).

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Main Types of Urinary Incontinence:

• Stress incontinence: You leak urine when you put pressure on your bladder, like when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or lift something heavy.
• Urge incontinence: You suddenly feel a strong need to pee and can't control it, leading to an unintentional loss of urine. You might need to pee frequently, even during the night. This could be due to a minor issue like an infection or a more serious condition like a nerve problem or diabetes.
• Overflow incontinence: You constantly dribble urine because your bladder doesn't completely empty.
• Functional incontinence: Physical or mental challenges prevent you from reaching the toilet in time. For instance, if you have severe arthritis, you might struggle to unbutton your pants quickly.
• Mixed incontinence: You experience more than one type of urinary incontinence, often a combination of stress and urge incontinence.

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If you find it uncomfortable to talk about incontinence, remember that more than 50% of women are struggling with urinary incontinence. You’re not alone. When you’re at Epiphany Women’s Health, you’re in a judgment-free zone. We are here to get you back on top of your game and living your best life. No more peeing your pants!

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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.