Common Causes - Adults

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. This means that you can't always control when you urinate. Thousands of people suffer from incontinence and in later years it is normally more prevalent in women than in men. It is a common ailment and one that should be discussed with your doctor. In most cases it is treatable and at the very least it can be made manageable.
Causes of urinary incontinence
• For women, thinning and drying of the skin in the vagina or urethra, especially after menopause.
• Weakened and stretched pelvic muscles after childbirth.
• For men, enlarged prostate gland or prostate surgery.
• Certain medicines.
• Build-up of stool in the bowels.
• Overweight and obesity, which increases pressure on the bladder and muscles that control the bladder.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Vascular disease.
• Diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis

Types of Incontinence.
Stress Incontinence
This is the most common result of weak bladder/sphincter muscles. It's not a heavy flow, but a small release of urine when you lift something heavy, sneeze, cough, laugh, or even kneel down to work in the garden.
Urge Incontinence
Did you ever experience coming home after being out all day, and as soon as you put the key in the door, you have to go immediately? This occurrence is an urge incontinence situation. If you have "urge," I'm sure you can think of many instances when you wished the distance to the toilet was shorter.
Overflow Incontinence
This happens when the bladder cannot be completely emptied. The result can be a dribble or continued leakage. A man with prostate problems can often experience "overflow."
Functional or Reflex Incontinence
This means complete loss of bladder control. It is often the result of spinal cord injury, stroke, or nerve damage. This situation is most definitely a call for medical assistance. There are techniques, devices and methods available to manage even the most severe occurrences of bladder loss.
Mixed Incontinence
This type involves more than one of the types of incontinence listed above.
Enuresis
This is bedwetting. It has many causes. There are many ways to solve or manage enuresis. See your doctor to get the proper help. Bedwetting is often the result of not being able to get to the bathroom. You may know you have to go but, due to a lack of mobility, you can't get out of bed and get there on time. Help is available.

Treatment
Treatment depends on what's causing the problem and what type of incontinence you have. If your urinary incontinence is caused by a medical problem, the incontinence will go away when the problem is treated. Kegel exercises / pelvic muscle strengthening exercises and bladder training help some types of incontinence.
Medicine and surgery are other options. Be sure to inform your doctor what other medications you are taking s these may have an effect on your condition. Some drugs that are beneficial for one thing may be causing another, i.e. a loss of bladder control. There are many surgical innovations being developed that can control bladder functioning for both men and women and are usually used when all other options have failed.