Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence is the loss of urine when exerting pressure — stress — on the bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy. Some people experience occasional, minor leaks — or dribbles — of urine. Others wet their clothes frequently. Pelvic floor muscles and connective tissue support the bladder. If these muscles and connective tissue weaken, the bladder can move downward, pushing slightly out of the bottom of the pelvis toward the vagina. As a result, urine can leak during moments of physical stress. Stress incontinence also occurs if the urethra itself is weak.
Testing often times includes urodynamics. During urodynamics, a tiny catheter is used to fill your bladder slowly with warm water. Pressure in the urethra and bladder is measured continuously during urodynamics. The muscle strength of the pelvic floor is also measure continuously. As the bladder fills and empties, these measurements are used to identify the cause of incontinence and aid in deciding what treatment is optimal.
Treatment for incontinence can range from bladder training and pelvic floor strengthening exercises, to surgery.