When patients suffer from urge incontinence they develop a strong, immediate need to urinate. This triggers the bladder muscle to react by contracting or spasm, and in turn push out urine. Urge incontinence is a very disruptive and embarrassing urinary problem that can be associated with symptomatic BPH. Sufferers tend to engage in fewer social activities because of the concern that they may leak or have to excuse themselves to run to the bathroom. Night time urination, known as nocturia, is also a concern and shares many of the same causes and symptoms of urge incontinence. Few patients are willing to wear protective underwear, making effective treatment and diagnosis all the more important.
The bladder is a muscle and just like the other muscles in our bodies, it is sensitive to changes in our health situation. However, there is no one cause of urge incontinence. A complete medical evaluation can shed light on the possible reasons for the condition. Some of the most common, generally accepted causes of urge incontinence include:
BPH – Urge incontinence is a significant problem for men suffering from BPH and its related complications. Since prostatic enlargement reduces the amount of urine that can flow freely from the bladder, the bladder muscle tends to malfunction.
Other causes of urge incontinence include:
Treatments for urge incontinence vary between patients and are based on the underlying cause of the problem. These treatments may include:
The effectiveness of treatment for urge incontinence largely rests on the root cause of the problem. While urge incontinence in and of itself rarely causes significant follow-on disorders, underlying conditions such as BPH, bladder cancer, infections and inflammation can. It is important to see a urologist when urge incontinence becomes bothersome.