If you sometimes leak pee (urine) when you laugh or sneeze, or you often need to pee suddenly or urgently and don’t always make it to the toilet in time, you may have urinary incontinence – the medical term for what some people call a weak bladder.
If you sometimes leak pee (urine) when you laugh or sneeze, or you often need to pee suddenly or urgently and don’t always make it to the toilet in time, you may have urinary incontinence – the medical term for what some people call a weak bladder.
Whatever your symptoms, you may find this distressing or embarrassing, and it can have a big impact on your quality of life. Many women find it affects their work, social and love life, because of worries about leaks, smells or needing to be near a toilet. And if it goes untreated, it can knock your mood, confidence or self-esteem.
But the good news is that there are lots of steps you can take to help with female incontinence. It may take time to figure out what works for you, but there’s no need to put up with it. Here’s what you need to know about the different types of urinary incontinence, how they’re diagnosed, and how to deal with them.
Urine leakage in women is very common. Exactly how many people it affects isn’t known, as women often don’t report it or seek help. But 1 study suggested it may affect 40% of women over the age of 21. So if you’re noticing it, you’re not alone.
It’s also estimated to happen to twice as many women as men. This is thought to be due to things such as pregnancy, childbirth and the
affecting your bladder and the muscles that support it, as well as differences in the female body.It can happen at any age, but it becomes more likely as you get older, particularly in middle age, and again when you’re over 70. You may only get small leaks from time to time, or they may be larger or happen very often. How and when you’re affected depends on the type of urinary incontinence you have.
Find useful information on areas of female incontinence with our .
Different kinds of urinary incontinence have different causes, symptoms and treatment options. Stress incontinence and urge incontinence are the most common types in women.
Stress incontinence is thought to affect about 1 in 3 women at some stage of their life. It’s when you leak pee when your bladder and the tube that carries pee out of your body (urethra) are put under extra pressure – for example, when you exercise, laugh, cough or lift something heavy.
The leaks can vary from very small to larger amounts – especially if your bladder is full at the time.
It happens because your urethra can’t stay closed under pressure. This can be due to weak or damaged muscles around your bladder, bottom and vagina (pelvic floor muscles), or damage to the ring of muscle that holds your urethra shut (urethral sphincter).
These muscles can be weakened or damaged by various things, including:
FInd out more about stress incontinence.
With urge incontinence, you get a sudden and very urgent need to pee, meaning you sometimes pee before you can get to a toilet.
It’s a symptom of an overactive bladder, which is when the muscles in the walls of your bladder – called the detrusor muscles – squeeze (contract) too often.
The sudden urge to pee can be triggered by things you might do in a typical day, such as washing your hands, or unlocking your front door when you arrive home. It can also happen if the nerves that help stimulate your bladder are damaged, which can be caused by conditions such as
or Parkinson's disease.It’s isn’t always clear what causes your detrusor muscles to be overactive, but it may be caused by:
FInd out more about urge incontinence.
Research suggests that more than 30% of women with urinary incontinence have both stress and urge incontinence, which is known as mixed incontinence. This means you can have a combination of symptoms and many potential triggers throughout the day and night, which can have a big effect on your wellbeing and quality of life.
Mixed incontinence is usually caused by some combination of the things that cause stress and urge incontinence.
You can use our
to get more information about your symptoms. But you should see a doctor about urinary incontinence if it’s affecting your quality of life or mental health, it doesn’t improve with self-care measures (see below), or it’s getting worse.It’s a common problem that doctors deal with all the time, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed – they’ll want to help you treat and manage your condition in a way that works for you.
You should see a doctor as soon as possible if:
Fortunately, urinary incontinence is rarely a sign of a more serious problem. But you should get emergency medical help if:
Your doctor will start by asking questions. You might find it useful to keep a ‘bladder diary’ for at least a few days, so you can give them detailed information. You can keep a note of:
Your doctor may also examine your pelvis and vagina to see what could be causing your incontinence, and take a
to check for bacteria, blood or protein.Often, your doctor will be able to diagnose what type of urinary incontinence you have based on your symptoms, and will suggest you start treatment at this stage.
If they’re not sure what’s causing your incontinence, or treatment doesn’t help, you might need other tests at a hospital, or be referred to a specialist called a urologist.
Further tests may include:
Whatever kind of incontinence you have, your doctor will usually suggest some lifestyle changes as the first step in managing and treating it. These include:
Depending on the type of incontinence you have, your doctor will usually suggest at least 1 of these exercises to help. They can take a bit of time and effort to get right and start working, but they can be very effective:
Depending on your symptoms, you may also be offered other
. These can include electrical stimulation to work your pelvic floor muscles, and pessaries you insert into your vagina. In some cases, if other treatment doesn’t help, you may be prescribed medication.Read more about
.If other treatments aren’t effective or are unsuitable for you, there are several types of surgery and other procedures your doctor may recommend.
For stress incontinence, this can include surgery to raise the neck of your bladder or support it with a sling to stop leaks.
If you have urge incontinence, you may be offered a procedure to stimulate the nerves connected to your bladder.
For overflow incontinence, treatment may involve using a device called a
to help drain your bladder.Read more about surgical treatments and procedures for urinary incontinence.
It’s not always possible to prevent urinary incontinence, but these simple steps can help:
“Very rarely, urinary incontinence can be a symptom of some forms of cancer, including cancer of the bladder, bowel or womb. However, you’re more likely to get other symptoms with these types of cancer. It’s important to remember that urinary incontinence is very common, and other causes are much more likely. Although cancer isn’t a common cause, it’s a good idea to see a doctor about leaks, so they can rule out anything serious.”
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.