Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, causing frequent urination, strong urgency to pee, leakage, bedwetting and accidents.

It’s estimated that more than half of all women will experience some form of urinary incontinence in their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health. Women are twice as likely as men to develop the problem, and the incidence increases dramatically with age.

“While it is common, it is not normal, and it is treatable,” says Tidelands Health urogynecologist Dr. Annaceci Peacher. “Patients often think that urinary incontinence is just a normal part of the aging process and that they have to live with it. I tell people, when the symptoms interfere with your daily activities and quality of life, it’s time to seek advice from your health care provider.”

There are multiple causes for urinary incontinence, and different depending on how long you’ve been having symptoms. 

Causes of short-term urinary incontinence:

• Bladder infection
• Pregnancy and postnatal recovery
• Caffeine overuse

Causes of long-term urinary incontinence

• Bladder nerve damage – often caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, back surgery or spinal cord injury
• Childbirth trauma – urethral or pelvic floor weakening, organ prolapse
• Post-menopausal hormonal changes

“Generally, we talk about two kinds of incontinence: urge incontinence and stress incontinence. Urge incontinence presents as a frequent need to go and an inability to control the urge. Stress incontinence happens when you leak urine during activity like coughing, laughing, sneezing or lifting,” Dr. Peacher says.

Treatment for incontinence varies depending on what’s causing the condition.

Urge incontinence treatments

• Lifestyle modifications
• Timed voiding – keeping the bladder emptier
• Medications to relax the bladder urges
• Botox injections
• Bladder implant to correct over-firing nerves affecting the bladder

Stress incontinence treatments

• Pelvic floor exercises and physical therapy
• Bulking injections
• Sling surgery to support the urethra

“I want women to know that they aren’t alone,” Dr. Peacher says. “They don’t have to restrict their lives and plan activities around the closest bathroom. My subspecialty training is focused solely on this issue, and my days are filled with helping women find significant improvements in their quality of life.”