Urinary Symptoms & Bladder Disorders

Bladder symptoms can show up in many ways—frequent urination, sudden urgency, leakage, difficulty fully emptying, or ongoing discomfort. What many don’t realize is that these issues often overlap with underlying gynecologic conditions, making a thoughtful, comprehensive evaluation essential to finding the right solution.

WHAT IS URINARY INCONTINENCE?

Urinary incontinence, also known as bladder leakage, is the loss of bladder control or the involuntary loss of urine. This can turn a laughing fit or fun workout into a stressful and potentially uncomfortable situation. Here are the three common types of urinary incontinence:

Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine during physical activities like laughing, jumping, sneezing, or lifting heavy objects. It occurs when the muscles that support the urethra are weakened or damaged. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Childbirth

  • Trauma

  • Hormone changes

Urge Urinary Incontinence
Urge urinary incontinence is the unintended loss of urine due to an involuntary bladder contraction. Patients often describe it as needing to go even if they just went. It’s often associated with an overactive bladder.

Mixed Urinary Incontinence
Mixed urinary incontinence is involuntary bladder leakage associated with a combination of both urge and stress urinary incontinence.

WHO SUFFERS FROM URINARY INCONTINENCE?

Urinary incontinence affects more people than you might think. It affects twice as many women as men. The important thing to remember is you’re not alone. There are millions of women who experience some form of bladder leakage. But you don’t have to live with it. Talk to your doctor today.

  • 1 in 2 adult women have urinary incontinence.
  • On average, women wait 6.5 years after having symptoms to see a doctor.
  • Less than 50% of women with bladder leakage discuss their symptoms with their doctor.

DO YOU HAVE URINARY INCONTINENCE?

Have you experienced any of the most common symptoms of urinary incontinence?

  • Unexpected leakage
  • Difficulty holding your urine
  • Sudden urge to urinate
  • Urinating more than 8 times a day

Many women develop their own ways to manage these symptoms, like wearing liners or pads, going before leaving the house, always locating a restroom, limiting fluids, or crossing their legs to prevent leaks. If you’re thinking, “That sounds familiar,” it may be time to explore your options for relief.

1. Markland AD, Richter HE, Fwu C-W, et al. Prevalence and trends of urinary incontinence in adults in the United States, 2001 to 2008. J Urol. 2011 Aug;186(2):589-93.

2. International Continence Society. Continence Promotion: Prevention, Education and Organisation. https://www.ics.org/Publications/ICI_3/v1.pdf/chap1.pdf. Accessed December 13, 2021.

3. Kinchen KS, Burgio K, Diokno AC, et al. Factors associated with women’s decisions to seek treatment for urinary incontinence.