Types of incontinence

There are different types of urinary incontinence, depending on how and when you lose urine.

Stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) means that you lose urine during certain activities, like:

Coughing, sneezing, or laughing
Exercise like running or jumping
Lifting heavy things such as groceries

This happens because during these kinds of activities, the pressure on your bladder increases. If your urethra or urinary sphincter is weak, it cannot resist the pressure of a full bladder and will leak urine.

Urgency urinary incontinence

Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) happens when you suddenly need to urinate, which you cannot postpone. The bladder muscle involuntarily contracts, and you urinate when you do not want to.

Mixed incontinence

Your doctor may diagnose you with mixed urinary incontinence if you suffer from both SUI and UUI symptoms.

References:

EAU Patient Information | UI Page | July 2020. UROWEB