Types of Urinary Incontinence
There are four types of urinary incontinence, including:
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
Any physical activity, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing, or bending, puts pressure on the bladder and causes involuntary urine leakage. This happens when the pelvic floor tissues are stretched and become weak, and this enables the bladder to exert pressure on the sphincter muscles that control the flow of urine through the urethra. It is usually seen among women who have experienced vaginal childbirth. The symptoms of SUI can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Overactive bladder (OAB) or urgency incontinence
It refers to a sudden urge to urinate, leading to leakage of urine. This occurs when, due to abnormal nerve signals, the bladder muscles become overactive and contract resulting in urine leakage.
Overflow incontinence
When the body produces more urine than the bladder can hold, or the bladder is full but cannot be emptied due to blockage or malfunctioning of the bladder muscle, it results in a urine leak.
Mixed incontinence
Women who experience symptoms of both SUI and OAB suffer from mixed incontinence. They cannot control urination while performing an activity, and they have urgent and frequent urges to urinate that they are unable to control.
