The bladder consists of a muscle that allows it to expand to hold urine produced in the kidneys and contract to expel urine from the body. The bladder wall contains nerves that send signals to and from the brain when the bladder becomes full. A sphincter muscle between the bladder and urethra controls the flow of urine. Urine leakage, a common problem among women, affects about half of all adult women at some point, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Several types of bladder control issues exist, some due to nerve damage while others involve weak muscles.
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence describes a condition in which the bladder leaks small amounts of urine due to weak muscles. Stress incontinence can occur during physical activity, sneezing, coughing or lifting heavy objects as these actions can apply pressure to the bladder.
A set of muscles, known as the pelvic floor muscles, support the bladder. When these muscles weaken, due to childbirth or prostate surgery for men, pressure can move the bladder downward forcing the sphincter muscles to open slightly. Weak sphincter muscles that fail to close tightly can also cause stress incontinence.
Although stress incontinence does not cause urine leakage every time the bladder feels pressure, it can cause embarrassment leading the patient to isolate themselves.
Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence describes the sudden strong need to urinate that often results in urine leakage, as described by the University of Maryland Medical Center. Urge incontinence occurs due to inappropriate bladder contractions that can result from nerve damage or muscle damage.
Urge incontinence commonly occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis, a condition that affects the ability of nerves to effectively signal the brain. Other conditions associated with urge incontinence include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and stroke.
Overactive Bladder
Normal bladder function involves a complex interaction between the muscles and nerves surrounding the bladder. As the bladder muscle expands to accommodate urine, nerves signal the brain that sends signals back to the bladder to relax the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles while the bladder muscle contracts in order to void the urine.
A breakdown in this communication can cause an overactive bladder in which abnormal bladder contractions cause the sudden urge to urinate. The urge can be so strong it causes urine leakage. Patients suffering from an overactive bladder experience urinary urgency, urinary frequency, urge incontinence and nocturia---awakening at night in order to urinate, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
References
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I need To Know About Bladder Control
- MayoClinic.com: Stress Incontinence
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urge Incontinence
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Incontinence in Women
- MayoClinic.com: Overactive Bladder
