Sorry to hear about your incontinence problem. Urinary incontinence is a socially embarrassing problem, with many patients not seeking help for it.
There are many different types of urinary incontinence. Here are 3 types that I learnt as a medical student
1. Stress incontinence - Stress incontinence is the leakage of urine when you cough or sneeze or laugh. This is due to decrease muscle control over the bladder neck (which in turn is due to various reasons) resulting in urine leaking whenever the abdominal pressure increases.
2. Urge incontinence - Urge incontinence is the sensation of a great urge to go to the toilet, usually an uncontrollable desire, followed by running towards the toilet. Sometimes, the patient do not make it to the toilet, and wet their pants on the way. Urge incontinence is due to an over active bladder muscle, which in turn is due to many other factors.
3. Overflow incontinence - Overflow incontinance is due to either a very strong bladder neck muscle or bladder outlet obstruction, or due to weak bladder wall muscles. This results in the patient constantly leaking urine slowly all the time. Once again, there are many factors, and may require different treatment.
Sometimes the incontinence is due to more than one type, so diagnosis will require a doctor to see you and check your pelvic organs. Sometimes a urodynamics study will be necessary to see the behaviour of the bladder muscles.
Treatment will depends on what is the underlying cause. Some may be treated medically, while some may require surgical treatment.
What I suggest is for you to see your family doctor, or a Urogynecologist, for an assessment and treatment. This problem may be properly treated and your life can go back to normal once treated. So do consult your doctor about the incotinence.
Cheers!
Heap Yong
