What women need to know about stress vs. urge incontinence

Our Grapevine and Fort Worth obgyns believe it’s important for women to understand the differences between stress vs. urge incontinence. Each type of urinary incontinence has its causes, symptoms, and methods of diagnosis and treatment. Knowing the difference between the two types also helps women comprehend why they are experiencing urine leakage, or the sudden or even constant urge to urinate.

Stress vs. urge incontinence – What causes each type?

Many people are unaware of what causes stress vs. urge incontinence. Different conditions and circumstances are responsible for each type.

Weakened pelvic floor muscles are the ultimate cause of stress incontinence. Muscles become weak due to childbirth, age and menopause. There are circumstances that aggravate stress incontinence, including obesity, smoking, high-impact activities like running and aerobics, and conditions that cause a chronic cough.

On the other hand, conditions that affect the bladder’s normal function cause urge incontinence, which is an important distinction between stress vs. urge incontinence. Here are the conditions that cause urge incontinence.

• Bladder stones
• Bladder inflammation
• Bladder cancer
• A blockage in the bladder
• Conditions that affect the brain or nervous system such as multiple sclerosis
• Injuries that affect the spinal cord

Symptoms of stress incontinence

The symptoms of stress incontinence are the ones that people most often associate with urinary incontinence. The primary symptom is urine leakage, especially when a woman laughs, coughs, sneezes or performs high-impact exercises. Women also leak when standing, getting in and out of a vehicle, lifting heavy items and having sex.

Symptoms of urge incontinence

The differences between stress vs. urge incontinence are obvious when you contrast the symptoms. While women with stress incontinence leak urine, women with urge incontinence may experience a sudden, strong urge to urinate, loss of control over when urination occurs and frequent urination both day and night.

Our Grapevine and Fort Worth obgyns diagnose and treat both types of incontinence

Women can depend on our Grapevine and Fort Worth obgyns to determine whether they are suffering from stress vs. urge incontinence. They can also rely on our physicians to provide accurate diagnosis and surgical and nonsurgical treatments for incontinence. Women who are afflicted with the symptoms of incontinence should contact us for an appointment.

Gynecology