Causes of Urinary Incontinence

What Causes Urinary Incontinence?

There are many causes of urinary incontinence, some of which your doctor can treat. Always discuss this problem with your doctor. Here are some of the causes. You will see that some you can control yourself.

Temporary causes of urinary incontinence include:^[12]

• Alcohol. Alcohol stimulates the bladder and acts as a diuretic (increases urination).

• Over hydration. Drinking a lot of fluids can increase the need to urinate.

• Dehydration. Not consuming enough liquid can cause urine to be very concentrated. This can irritate the bladder and make incontinence worse.

• Caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the bladder and acts as a diuretic.

• Bladder irritation. Carbonated drinks, tea and coffee (even decaffeinated coffee), artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, and a lot of spice, sugar and acid can irritate the bladder and increase the urge to urinate. Acidic foods include citrus and tomatoes.

• Certain medicines. Heart medications, blood pressure drugs, sedatives, muscle relaxants and some other medicines may increase bladder control problems.

Treatable conditions can contribute to urinary incontinence. They include:^[12]

• Urinary tract infections. Urinary infections can irritate your bladder and increase the urge to urinate. These infections are easily treated and resolved using antibiotics. Symptoms of urinary tract infections include a strong urge to urinate, burning sensation when urinating, frequently passing small amounts of urine, blood in urine, and cloudy or strong-smelling urine.^[13]

• Constipation. Constipation can irritate nerves that control the bladder and increase urinary frequency.

Physical conditions can cause urinary incontinence. These include:^[12]

• Pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnant women may experience stress incontinence due to hormonal changes and the weight of the enlarging uterus. Vaginal birth can weaken the muscles and nerves that control the bladder. Incontinence from childbirth can occur immediately after delivery or years later.

• Age-related changes. The strength of the bladder muscle can weaken with age. This leads to a decrease in the bladder's capacity to hold urine and overactive bladder or urge incontinence. Reduction of estrogen, which occurs during menopause, can aggravate incontinence. Estrogen helps maintain the health of the bladder and urethra. Blood vessel disease such as high blood pressure can increase the risk of overactive bladder. Therefore, it's important to treat high blood pressure, maintain appropriate weight and stay healthy.

• Hysterectomy. Surgery to remove the uterus can damage muscles important for control of the bladder and cause incontinence.

• Painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis). This is a rare, chronic condition also called painful bladder syndrome.^[14] It results in a persistent, urgent need to urinate; frequent urination throughout the day and night; pain in the pelvis or between the vagina and anus in women or between the scrotum and anus in men. It may also cause pain during sexual intercourse.

• Prostatitis. This is inflammation of the prostate gland, which is located just below the bladder in men. The condition can sometimes cause urinary incontinence.

• Enlarged prostate. Older men may have enlarged prostate glands. This can lead to urge incontinence.

• Prostate cancer. This can be associated with stress or urge incontinence in men. More frequently, though, the surgery or radiation to treat the cancer causes incontinence.

• Bladder cancer or bladder stones. Urinary urgency and burning when urinating can be symptoms of both bladder cancer and bladder stones.

• Neurologic disorders. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, brain tumors and spinal injury can interfere with signals to the bladder and cause incontinence.

• Obstruction. Tumors of the urinary tract can obstruct flow of urine and cause incontinence, usually overflow incontinence or the inability to empty the bladder.