Medical Problems: Urinary Incontinence In Females

OVERVIEW

This page is designed to organize content that is relevant to the topic of urinary incontinence in females. This term is used often in medicine, and it is important that we become as familiar as possible with it.

WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?

Before going any farther, let us make sure we clearly define the “medical problem”. Urinary incontience in females is self descriptive. It refers to the involuntary loss of urine experienced by a female patient. There are a few types of urinary incontinence:

  1. Stress urinary incontinence: this refers to the loss of urine as the result of increased intra-abodminal pressure (coughing sneezing laughing, lifting).
  2. Urge incontinence: this is a sudden overwhelming urge to empty the bladder (can occur frequently)
  3. Overflow incontinence: this refers to incontinence that results from the bladder being overfilled. It is characterized by constant involuntarily dribbling of urine, and the incomplete emptying of the bladder. This can be similar to urge incontinence (with regards to mechanism) however this label is more used for patients who don’t feel the urge to urinate.
  4. Mixed urinary incontinence: this describes the loss of urine associated with urgency AND with physical exertion, sneezing, or coughing
  5. Functional incontinence: patients are unable to make it to the bathroom in time to use the restroom.
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?

The inability to control the bladder is not only inconvenient, but can also be the sign of a dangerous disease process.

ORGANIZING THE DIFFERENTIAL

The differential diagnosis for urinary incontinence in females can be organized in a few different ways:

  • Can’t miss diagnosis
  • Organ systen
  • Disease category
  • Diagnostic modality
  • Most common diagnosis
CLINICAL “WORKUP”

Now that the possible causes of urinary incontinence in females have been established, the focus can shift to how one would actually “work-up” a female patient who has urinary incontinence.

 

 

Page Updated: 10.15.2016