Types of incontinence
Stress incontinence
This is an involuntary loss of urine during exertion or physical activity. Tension in the muscles or a change in the position of the body leads to an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity and thus also to an increase in pressure in the bladder. If the sphincter muscle now also has limited functionality, there is a passive leakage of urine from the urethra.
Urge incontinence
This is understood as an involuntary loss of urine in combination with a simultaneous or preceding, uncontrollable feeling of urgency.
A distinction is made between a form with simultaneous contractions of the bladder muscle ("motor urge incontinence") and a form without these contractions ("sensory urge incontinence")
Hybrid forms
If a combination of stress incontinence and urge incontinence is present, it is called mixed incontinence.
Other types of incontinence
Incontinence with chronic urinary retention (overflow incontinence)
In the case of a chronically overfull bladder (e.g. in the case of a pronounced enlargement of the prostate), an increase in pressure above urethral pressure results in a constant discharge of small amounts of urine.
Extraurethral incontinence
This is a constant loss of urine outside the urethra due to fistulas or an untypical urethra opening (e.g. into the vagina).
Nocturnal wetting (Enuresis nocturna)
This refers to nocturnal bedwetting of the kind typical for children. It is considered to be a medical disorder if wetting has occurred at least once a month for a period of at least 3 months in people over the age of 5.
Neurogenic incontinence
The neurogenic forms of incontinence and bladder emptying disorder are the result of diseases or disorders of the nervous system.
Both the central nervous system (i.e. the brain or spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system may be affected. The disorders manifest themselves either in a disturbed function of the bladder or the sphincter muscle, or of both organs.
