Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentDiagnosisWhen to See a ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Diagnosis
When to See a Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
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Symptoms of Urge Incontinence
In addition to these physical symptoms, urge incontinence can also affect your mental health and well-being.
Incontinence and DepressionA 2020 review of studies in theJournal of International Medical Researchconcluded that people with urinary incontinence are nearly twice as likely to experiencedepression and anxietythan those without.
Incontinence and Depression
A 2020 review of studies in theJournal of International Medical Researchconcluded that people with urinary incontinence are nearly twice as likely to experiencedepression and anxietythan those without.
Types of Urinary Incontinence and How to Find Relief
Causes of Urge Incontinence
To better understand the causes of urge incontinence, it helps to know how urination works.
Thebladderis a hollow organ that receives urine from thekidneys. As it begins to fill, the walls of the organ will gradually stretch. When it fills with around 1 cup (240 milliliters) of urine, nerve signals will be sent to the brain signaling the urge to urinate.
To prevent urine from leaking, a circular muscle called aurethral sphincterwill tighten around the neck of the bladder as the bladder itself relaxes to hold more urine. When it is time to urinate, the opposite occurs: The bladder will squeeze as the urethral sphincter relaxes.
Urge incontinence occurs because the bladder muscles either squeeze at the wrong time or squeeze convulsively (spasm). At the same time, the bladder sphincter is either unable or less able to hold the urine back.
Many conditions can interfere with bladder control and lead to urge incontinence. These include:
In many cases, the underlying cause of urge incontinence will never be found.
Who Is at Risk of Incontinence?Females are twice as likely as males to experience urinary incontinence. While urge incontinence is more common in older adults and those with obesity, younger people and those of healthy weight can also experience incontinence.
Who Is at Risk of Incontinence?
Females are twice as likely as males to experience urinary incontinence. While urge incontinence is more common in older adults and those with obesity, younger people and those of healthy weight can also experience incontinence.
What Medications Can Cause Urge Incontinence?
Because the underlying causes are complex, medications are not seen to “cause” urge incontinence per se but may contribute to it, especially in those already at risk.
Among the classes of drugs associated with urinary incontinence are:
What Is a Neurogenic Bladder?
How to Treat Urge Incontinence
Bladder Retraining
Bladder retraininginvolves relearning the skills needed to hold and release urine. It involves setting regularly scheduled pee breaks during the day and avoiding peeing outside of these breaks.
How Effective Is Bladder Retraining?A 2013 study published in theInternational Neurourology Journalreported that bladder training improved urge incontinence symptoms in 57% to 83% of people.
How Effective Is Bladder Retraining?
A 2013 study published in theInternational Neurourology Journalreported that bladder training improved urge incontinence symptoms in 57% to 83% of people.
Pelvic Floor Muscles Training
Pelvic floor musclescontribute to bladder control but can weaken with age or certain medical conditions. By training these muscles as you would any other muscle, you may be able to avoid bladder leakage.
Training options include:
Lifestyle Changes
The aim of lifestyle changes is to pay attention to how much water you drink and when you drink it. You may also need to avoid foods and beverages that either promote urination or cause bladder irritation.
Here are some tips to better manage urge incontinence:
Medications
Several prescriptionmedicationscan help ease or control bladder contractions that contribute to urge incontinence. Some of the more common are:
Surgery
Surgery may be explored if all other options fail to help treat urge incontinence. These are last-resort options that carry significant risks, including the risk ofurinary retention(the inability empty the bladder) and bowel obstruction.
Two surgeries sometimes used are:
How Urinary Incontinence Is Treated
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Urge Incontinence?
If you are struggling with urge incontinence, your primary care provider will likely refer you to a specialist called aurologist, who diagnoses and treats disorders involving theurinary system.
Lab Tests
As part of the diagnosis, the urologist will order urine and blood tests to check for conditions associated with urge incontinence. The tests may include:
Imaging Tests
Imaging studies, both direct and indirect, are commonly used to evaluate the structure and function of the bladder. These include:
Urination Studies
Certain in-office and at-home tests may be recommended to determine the characteristics and severity of your condition. These includeurodynamic studiesthat evaluate how well your bladder and urethra sphincter work.
These tests can help direct the appropriate treatment and help establish if the cause is muscular (related to the bladder or pelvic floor muscles), neurological (nerve-related), or functional (related to a person’s functional limitations).
Options for testing include:
Symptoms of Overactive Bladder
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Urge incontinence does not need to be severe for you to seek treatment. If it is affecting your quality of life, interfering with sleep, or causing social isolation, speak with a healthcare provider.
Studies show that urinary incontinence can increase your risk of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.These conditions tend to get worse the longer or more severe your urinary symptoms are.
There are also times in which urge incontinence is a sign of a serious medical condition, such as bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). While symptoms alone cannot diagnose BOO, certain signs warrant immediate medical investigation, including:
When to Call 911
Summary
Urge incontinence can often be diagnosed with a physical exam, urine and blood tests, imaging tests, and urodynamic studies. Treatments include bladder retraining, pelvic floor muscle training, lifestyle changes, medications, and, in rare cases, surgery.
A Word From Verywell
Urge incontinence is a condition that some people regard as “just one of those things” that happens as you get older. While it is true that older adults have a higher incidence of this condition, urge incontinence is not a facet of aging.
There are many people of any sex over 60 and even 70 who have completely normal urinary function. By dismissing urinary incontinence as a fact of life, you may miss the opportunity to start treatments that can ease or even fully resolve symptoms. More importantly, you may discover an underlying medical condition in need of immediate treatment.
If in doubt, call a healthcare provider or schedule atelehealthappointment with your primary care provider or a certified urologist.
What to Know About Telehealth With a Urologist
Urinary incontinence is a common problem affecting females more than males and older people more than younger people. According to a 2020 study in theJournal of International Medical Research, anywhere from 35% to 65% of the world’s population has urinary incontinence to some degree.
Learn MoreHow Overactive Bladder Differs in Males
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Urge incontinence.Cheng S, Lin D, Hu T, et al.Association of urinary incontinence and depression or anxiety: a meta-analysis.J Int Med Res.2020;48(6):0300060520931348. doi:10.1177/0300060520931348Hickling DR, Sun TT, Wu SR.Anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract: relation to host defense and microbial infection.Microbiol Spectr. 2015;3(4):10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012Sharma N, Chakrabarti S.Clinical evaluation of urinary incontinence.J Midlife Health.2018;9(2):55–64. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_122_17Aoki Y, Brown HW, Brubaker L.Urinary incontinence in women.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17042. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.42Patel M, Vellanki K, Leehey DJ.Urinary incontinence and diuretic avoidance among adults with chronic kidney disease.Int Urol Nephrol. 2016;48(8):1321-6. doi:10.1007/s11255-016-1304-1Izci F, Koc MI, Blici R, Yalcin M, Bestepe EE.Urinary incontinence during sleep associated with extended release form of bupropion HCI.Case Rep Psychiatry. 2015;2015:906294. doi:10.1155/2015/906294Hall SA, Chiu GR, Kaufman DW, Wittert GA, Link CL, McKinlay JB.Commonly-used antihypertensives and lower urinary tract symptoms: results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.BJU Int.2012;109(11):1676–84. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10593.xFunada S, Yoshioka T, Luo Y, Sato A, Akamatsu S, Watanabe N.Bladder training for treating overactive bladder in adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;2020(4):CD013571. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013571Lee HE, Cho SY, Lee S, Kim M, Oh SJ.Short-term effects of a systematized bladder training program for idiopathic overactive bladder: a prospective study.Int Neurourol J.2013;17(1):11–7. doi:10.5213/inj.2013.17.1.11DeMaagd GA, Davenport TC.Management of urinary incontinence.P T.2012;37(6):345-61,361B-361H.Nightingale G.Management of urinary incontinence.Post Reprod Health. 2020;26(2):63-70. doi:10.1177/2053369120927112Meeratterapillay R, Thorpe AC, Harding C.Augmentation cystoplasty: contemporary indications, techniques and complications.Indian J Urol.2013;29(4):322–7. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.120114O’Connor E, Nic an Riogh A, Karavitakis M, Monagas S, Nambiar A.Diagnosis and non-surgical management of urinary incontinence – a literature review with recommendations for practice.Int J Gen Med.2021;14:4555–65. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S289314Siddiqui NY. Wiseman JB, Cella D, et al.Mental health, sleep, and physical function in treatment-seeking women with urinary incontinence.J Urol. 2018;200(4):848–55. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2018.04.076Sussman RD, Drain A, Brucker BM.Primary bladder neck obstruction.Rev Urol.2019;21(2-3):53-62.Leron E, Weintraub AY, Mastrolia SA, Schwarzman P.Overactive bladder syndrome: evaluation and management.Curr Urol.2018;11(3):117–25. doi:10.1159/000447205
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Urge incontinence.Cheng S, Lin D, Hu T, et al.Association of urinary incontinence and depression or anxiety: a meta-analysis.J Int Med Res.2020;48(6):0300060520931348. doi:10.1177/0300060520931348Hickling DR, Sun TT, Wu SR.Anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract: relation to host defense and microbial infection.Microbiol Spectr. 2015;3(4):10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012Sharma N, Chakrabarti S.Clinical evaluation of urinary incontinence.J Midlife Health.2018;9(2):55–64. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_122_17Aoki Y, Brown HW, Brubaker L.Urinary incontinence in women.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17042. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.42Patel M, Vellanki K, Leehey DJ.Urinary incontinence and diuretic avoidance among adults with chronic kidney disease.Int Urol Nephrol. 2016;48(8):1321-6. doi:10.1007/s11255-016-1304-1Izci F, Koc MI, Blici R, Yalcin M, Bestepe EE.Urinary incontinence during sleep associated with extended release form of bupropion HCI.Case Rep Psychiatry. 2015;2015:906294. doi:10.1155/2015/906294Hall SA, Chiu GR, Kaufman DW, Wittert GA, Link CL, McKinlay JB.Commonly-used antihypertensives and lower urinary tract symptoms: results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.BJU Int.2012;109(11):1676–84. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10593.xFunada S, Yoshioka T, Luo Y, Sato A, Akamatsu S, Watanabe N.Bladder training for treating overactive bladder in adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;2020(4):CD013571. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013571Lee HE, Cho SY, Lee S, Kim M, Oh SJ.Short-term effects of a systematized bladder training program for idiopathic overactive bladder: a prospective study.Int Neurourol J.2013;17(1):11–7. doi:10.5213/inj.2013.17.1.11DeMaagd GA, Davenport TC.Management of urinary incontinence.P T.2012;37(6):345-61,361B-361H.Nightingale G.Management of urinary incontinence.Post Reprod Health. 2020;26(2):63-70. doi:10.1177/2053369120927112Meeratterapillay R, Thorpe AC, Harding C.Augmentation cystoplasty: contemporary indications, techniques and complications.Indian J Urol.2013;29(4):322–7. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.120114O’Connor E, Nic an Riogh A, Karavitakis M, Monagas S, Nambiar A.Diagnosis and non-surgical management of urinary incontinence – a literature review with recommendations for practice.Int J Gen Med.2021;14:4555–65. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S289314Siddiqui NY. Wiseman JB, Cella D, et al.Mental health, sleep, and physical function in treatment-seeking women with urinary incontinence.J Urol. 2018;200(4):848–55. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2018.04.076Sussman RD, Drain A, Brucker BM.Primary bladder neck obstruction.Rev Urol.2019;21(2-3):53-62.Leron E, Weintraub AY, Mastrolia SA, Schwarzman P.Overactive bladder syndrome: evaluation and management.Curr Urol.2018;11(3):117–25. doi:10.1159/000447205
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Urge incontinence.Cheng S, Lin D, Hu T, et al.Association of urinary incontinence and depression or anxiety: a meta-analysis.J Int Med Res.2020;48(6):0300060520931348. doi:10.1177/0300060520931348Hickling DR, Sun TT, Wu SR.Anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract: relation to host defense and microbial infection.Microbiol Spectr. 2015;3(4):10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012Sharma N, Chakrabarti S.Clinical evaluation of urinary incontinence.J Midlife Health.2018;9(2):55–64. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_122_17Aoki Y, Brown HW, Brubaker L.Urinary incontinence in women.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17042. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.42Patel M, Vellanki K, Leehey DJ.Urinary incontinence and diuretic avoidance among adults with chronic kidney disease.Int Urol Nephrol. 2016;48(8):1321-6. doi:10.1007/s11255-016-1304-1Izci F, Koc MI, Blici R, Yalcin M, Bestepe EE.Urinary incontinence during sleep associated with extended release form of bupropion HCI.Case Rep Psychiatry. 2015;2015:906294. doi:10.1155/2015/906294Hall SA, Chiu GR, Kaufman DW, Wittert GA, Link CL, McKinlay JB.Commonly-used antihypertensives and lower urinary tract symptoms: results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.BJU Int.2012;109(11):1676–84. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10593.xFunada S, Yoshioka T, Luo Y, Sato A, Akamatsu S, Watanabe N.Bladder training for treating overactive bladder in adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;2020(4):CD013571. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013571Lee HE, Cho SY, Lee S, Kim M, Oh SJ.Short-term effects of a systematized bladder training program for idiopathic overactive bladder: a prospective study.Int Neurourol J.2013;17(1):11–7. doi:10.5213/inj.2013.17.1.11DeMaagd GA, Davenport TC.Management of urinary incontinence.P T.2012;37(6):345-61,361B-361H.Nightingale G.Management of urinary incontinence.Post Reprod Health. 2020;26(2):63-70. doi:10.1177/2053369120927112Meeratterapillay R, Thorpe AC, Harding C.Augmentation cystoplasty: contemporary indications, techniques and complications.Indian J Urol.2013;29(4):322–7. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.120114O’Connor E, Nic an Riogh A, Karavitakis M, Monagas S, Nambiar A.Diagnosis and non-surgical management of urinary incontinence – a literature review with recommendations for practice.Int J Gen Med.2021;14:4555–65. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S289314Siddiqui NY. Wiseman JB, Cella D, et al.Mental health, sleep, and physical function in treatment-seeking women with urinary incontinence.J Urol. 2018;200(4):848–55. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2018.04.076Sussman RD, Drain A, Brucker BM.Primary bladder neck obstruction.Rev Urol.2019;21(2-3):53-62.Leron E, Weintraub AY, Mastrolia SA, Schwarzman P.Overactive bladder syndrome: evaluation and management.Curr Urol.2018;11(3):117–25. doi:10.1159/000447205
MedlinePlus.Urge incontinence.
Cheng S, Lin D, Hu T, et al.Association of urinary incontinence and depression or anxiety: a meta-analysis.J Int Med Res.2020;48(6):0300060520931348. doi:10.1177/0300060520931348
Hickling DR, Sun TT, Wu SR.Anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract: relation to host defense and microbial infection.Microbiol Spectr. 2015;3(4):10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0016-2012
Sharma N, Chakrabarti S.Clinical evaluation of urinary incontinence.J Midlife Health.2018;9(2):55–64. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_122_17
Aoki Y, Brown HW, Brubaker L.Urinary incontinence in women.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17042. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.42
Patel M, Vellanki K, Leehey DJ.Urinary incontinence and diuretic avoidance among adults with chronic kidney disease.Int Urol Nephrol. 2016;48(8):1321-6. doi:10.1007/s11255-016-1304-1
Izci F, Koc MI, Blici R, Yalcin M, Bestepe EE.Urinary incontinence during sleep associated with extended release form of bupropion HCI.Case Rep Psychiatry. 2015;2015:906294. doi:10.1155/2015/906294
Hall SA, Chiu GR, Kaufman DW, Wittert GA, Link CL, McKinlay JB.Commonly-used antihypertensives and lower urinary tract symptoms: results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.BJU Int.2012;109(11):1676–84. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10593.x
Funada S, Yoshioka T, Luo Y, Sato A, Akamatsu S, Watanabe N.Bladder training for treating overactive bladder in adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;2020(4):CD013571. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013571
Lee HE, Cho SY, Lee S, Kim M, Oh SJ.Short-term effects of a systematized bladder training program for idiopathic overactive bladder: a prospective study.Int Neurourol J.2013;17(1):11–7. doi:10.5213/inj.2013.17.1.11
DeMaagd GA, Davenport TC.Management of urinary incontinence.P T.2012;37(6):345-61,361B-361H.
Nightingale G.Management of urinary incontinence.Post Reprod Health. 2020;26(2):63-70. doi:10.1177/2053369120927112
Meeratterapillay R, Thorpe AC, Harding C.Augmentation cystoplasty: contemporary indications, techniques and complications.Indian J Urol.2013;29(4):322–7. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.120114
O’Connor E, Nic an Riogh A, Karavitakis M, Monagas S, Nambiar A.Diagnosis and non-surgical management of urinary incontinence – a literature review with recommendations for practice.Int J Gen Med.2021;14:4555–65. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S289314
Siddiqui NY. Wiseman JB, Cella D, et al.Mental health, sleep, and physical function in treatment-seeking women with urinary incontinence.J Urol. 2018;200(4):848–55. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2018.04.076
Sussman RD, Drain A, Brucker BM.Primary bladder neck obstruction.Rev Urol.2019;21(2-3):53-62.
Leron E, Weintraub AY, Mastrolia SA, Schwarzman P.Overactive bladder syndrome: evaluation and management.Curr Urol.2018;11(3):117–25. doi:10.1159/000447205
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