Urinary Incontinence In Women: Symptoms

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Symptoms

The main symptom of urinary incontinence is a problem controlling urination. The circumstances and type of problem affecting urination vary with the cause.

Symptoms of stress incontinence involve the involuntary release of urine, especially when coughing, sneezing, or laughing. It is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women. It usually results in a small to moderate amount of urine leaked.

Symptoms of urge incontinence include the need to urinate frequently and a sudden, urgent, and uncontrollable need to urinate. It can result in a moderate to large amount of urine leaked, although it often occurs when the bladder contains only a small amount of urine.

It is common for a woman to have mixed incontinence, usually a combination of stress and urge incontinence.

To find out what type of incontinence you may have, ask yourself the following questions.

**Stress incontinence**
Do you sometimes leak urine during exercise or lifting?	Yes	No
Do you sometimes leak urine when you cough, laugh, or sneeze?	Yes	No
Do you usually leak a small to moderate amount of urine?	Yes	No

**Urge incontinence**
Do you have frequent, strong, sudden urges to urinate?	Yes	No
Do you sometimes leak urine before you can get to the toilet?	Yes	No
Do you sometimes feel the urge to urinate when you hear water or put your hands in water?	Yes	No
Do you usually leak a moderate to large amount of urine (enough so that it runs down your legs)?	Yes	No

If you answered "Yes" to one or more questions in the top table, you may have stress incontinence. If you answered "Yes" to one or more questions in the bottom table, you may have urge incontinence. You may have mixed incontinence if you answered "Yes" to one or more questions in each section.

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Last updated:	September 22, 2006
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine, Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Terrina Vail

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