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What is Urinary Incontinence?

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Urinary incontinence is any involuntary urine leakage. It is a condition that can be more or less severe and it affects one in three women of all ages, which is more than 56 million people in Europe and more than 350 million people in the world. It is not a normal part of ageing and has a negative impact on the quality of life of the women who suffer from it.

Urinary incontinence | PortalCLÍNIC

Urinary incontinence cannot be solved by using a sanitary towel. Consult the specialist because the majority of patients can be treated and can be cured or, in any case, their quality of life can be improved significantly.

Montserrat Espuña Gynecologist

Urinary Incontinence explained in f...

The most important thing to do is to tell your doctor to receive treatment. So far it has been working for me and I am very happy.

Meravelles Patient

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. Losses of urine do not form part of the normal ageing process; anyone experiencing them should ask a professional for advice. In the majority of cases urinary incontinence can be resolved and does not necessarily have to affect the individual’s daily or social life.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

There are different types of Urinary Incontinence associated with different causes and so the correct diagnosis is vital for indicating an appropriate treatment.

The most frequent types of Urinary Incontinence in women are:

Stress urinary incontinence. Occur during activities such as laughing, sneezing, exercising, lifting heavy objects or simply upon standing up.

This type of incontinence originates in the urethra (the tube through which urine is expelled), due to weakened support or a defective sphincter. Therefore, when pressure in the abdomen and bladder increases during straining, the urethra does not “close” tightly enough, leading to involuntary urine loss. Depending on the defect in the urethra, the frequency and severity of leaks varies greatly from woman to woman: from a few drops with a full bladder during impact, to a large volume with a relatively empty bladder, simply upon standing.

Urge Incontinence. Urine loss occurs after a sudden, compelling sensation to urinate (urinary urgency). This type of incontinence originates in the walls of the urinary bladder, due to inadequate signals that occur during bladder filling. These signals lead a sudden, strong urge to urinate. This urgency is often accompanied by an increase in urination frequency, both day and night (nocturia), and constitutes what is known as overactive bladder syndrome. People suffering from this condition are often unable to hold their urine until they reach the bathroom (urge urinary incontinence).

Mixed Incontinence
Mixed incontinence is the combination of symptoms from two other types of incontinence, stress and urge.

How common is Urinary Incontinence?

It is estimated that 30–40% of women experience involuntary losses of urine, even if only occasionally. However, some women have a greater likelihood of suffering urinary incontinence than others.

Prevalence increases with age: it approaches 10% in women between 25 and 64 years of age, and is over 50% in people over 65.

Substantiated information by:

Amelia Pérez González Nurse Gynecology Department

Montserrat Espuña Pons Gynaecologist Gynecology Department

Sònia Anglès Acedo Gynaecologist Gynecology Department

Published: 20 February 2018
Updated: 20 February 2018

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