Incontinence is the inability to control urination (passage of urine). Urinary incontinence can range from an occasional leakage of urine to a complete inability to hold any urine. (loss of bladder control, uncontrollable urination)
* Incontinence is seen more frequently among the elderly. Women are more likely than men to be affected by urinary incontinence.
* Incontinence is not a hopeless situation. Although incontinence is usually not an emergency, problems with incontinence should be reported to the doctor. The gynecologist and the urologist are the specialists who are most familiar with incontinence and can evaluate the causes of incontinence and recommend several treatment approaches.
* NORMAL URINATION: The ability to hold urine and maintain continence is dependent on normal anatomy and function of the lower urinary tract and the nervous system. Additionally, the person must possess the physical and psychological ability to recognize and appropriately respond to the urge to urinate.
* The process of urination involves two phases: 1) the filling and storage phase, and 2) the emptying phase. Normally during the filling and storage phase, the bladder begins to fill with urine from the kidneys. The bladder stretches to accommodate the increasing amounts of urine. The first sensation of the urge to urinate occurs when approximately 200 ml of urine is stored. The healthy nervous system will respond to this stretching sensation by alerting you to the urge to urinate while also allowing the bladder to continue to fill. The average person can hold approximately 350 to 550 ml of urine. The ability to fill and store urine properly requires a functional sphincter (the circular muscles around the opening of the bladder) and a stable bladder wall muscle (detrusor).
* The emptying phase requires the ability of the detrusor muscle to appropriately contract to force urine out of the bladder. Additionally, the body must also be able to simultaneously relax the sphincter to allow the urine to pass out of the body.
