According to the International Continence Society, incontinence of urine is termed the “involuntary loss of urine which constitutes a social or health problem”. The incontinence of urine even though is not accompanied by mortality, its morbidity is undeniably considerable.

According to epidemiologic data, depending from the country and socio-economic factors, the frequency of urinary incontinence ranges between from 5% to 53% of women, is that is to say a very frequent illness.  

Even though there are more forms of incontinence, the three most common types are:

a) Urge Urinary Incontinence

b) Stress Urinary Incontinence

c) Mixed Urinary Incontinence   

Below we will analyze separately this three forms:  

I. Urge Urinary Incontinence

In this form of incontinence patient feels an irresistible tendency “to run” to the toilet for urination, but most times when he/she reaches it is already wet. The cause here is usually what we call "Urinary bladder instability”, which in free translation is an arrhythmia of the urinary bladder. A safe diagnosis is placed with the urodynamic testing from an urologist experienced in the subject of incontinence.

Apart from the commonly used anticholinergic drugs, there are specific treatments witch are minimally invasive and can improve considerably  urinary incontinence:

Sacral Neuromodulation

Transdermal Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Electrostimulation of pelvic floor muscles

Behavioural Modification such as lowering caffeine consumption, smoking cessation, and weight loose are useful complementary strategies.

II. Stress Urinary Incontinence

When we say that one patient suffers from Stress Urinary Incontinence, we mean  that he/she loses urine during coughing, laughing, sneezing, weight lifting, dancing, or even when she is having sexual contact (only in women). It is the most frequent form of Urinary Incontinence and even though it affects mainly women, it can be also a serious post surgical problem in men after radical prostatectomy, and more rarely after transurethral prostatectomy.

This type of incontinence has great impact on patient's quality of life, mainly because it interferes with the daily activities of the patient, and because it is not usually reversible from behavioural modification methods.

As in the previous form, the diagnosis and categorization of incontinence type is made with the use of Urodynamics. The treatment is mainly surgical  but good results can also be achieved by physiotherapy of pelvic floor, with the guidance of an urologist and a physiotherapist. 

III. Mixed Urinary Incontinence

Many times one patient happens to has the two forms of incontinence simultaneously. Because of its complex nature, diagnosis and treatment is a task for the dedicated urologist.