Medical Health Encyclopedia

Urge incontinence

Undesired bladder muscle contraction may occur as the result of a break in the neurological pathway from the brain to the bladder. It can also occur if the bladder is irritated and the normal neurological impulses to inhibit urination are insufficient to keep the bladder relaxed as it fills.

URGE INCONTINENCE

Urge incontinence is basically a storage problem in which the bladder muscle contracts inappropriately. Often these contractions occur regardless of the amount of urine that is in the bladder. Urge incontinence may result from neurological injuries (such as spinal cord injury or stroke), neurological diseases (such as multiple sclerosis), infection, bladder cancer, bladder stones, bladder inflammation, or bladder outlet obstruction.

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The majority of cases are classified as idiopathic -- a specific cause cannot be identified.

Although urge incontinence may occur in anyone at any age, it is more common in women and the elderly. It is second only to stress incontinence as the most common cause of urinary incontinence (involuntary loss of urine). Approximately 1% to 2% of adult females are affected by urge incontinence.

In men, urge incontinence may be due to secondary bladder injuries caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or bladder outlet obstruction from an enlarged prostate.

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