What causes Urinary Leakage in Women

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Urinary leakage is a significant problem faced by many women. It can be difficult to find the culprit since a variety of issues can cause this symptom. Doctors may consider the following factors when making their diagnosis.
Stress incontinence
According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse of the National Institutes of Health, stress incontinence occurs due to the physical changes that happen from events like pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. This type of leakage may occur when you do something that puts pressure on your bladder such as sneeze, laugh or cough.
The bladder is supported by the muscles of the pelvic floor, the ligaments and the vagina. When these structures lose strength, the bladder may move downward, and the urethra may not be able to shut as fully as possible. This can allow for urinary leakage.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence is caused by abnormal nerve signals that cause the bladder to spasm. You may feel like you have to go, and then suddenly you do. There are different conditions that can cause urge incontinence. These include hyperthyroidism, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or other conditions that affect the nerves. According to WebMD, other conditions that can cause it are kidney or bladder stones, age-related changes, and tumors.
Overactive bladder
Many women experience an overactive bladder. The symptoms of this include urinary frequency, urge incontinence, nocturia, and urinary urgency. Abnormal nerves may take the blame as they send the wrong signals to the bladder. As the bladder squeezes its muscles, urine can escape.
Functional incontinence
A woman may leak not because of a direct problem with the bladder or underlying structures, but because she has difficulty getting to a bathroom in the right amount of time. For instance, a woman with Alzheimer’s disease may not realize that she needs to go to the bathroom and would leak. Someone with arthritis or other physical or mental problems may not find an appropriate place to use the restroom.
Other factors
There are many other factors that can cause urinary leakage in women. Sometimes a factor will combine with one of the above causes to exacerbate the urinary leakage. For instance, stress is a common exacerbating factor. Also, some women get transient incontinence, which is temporary, from a specific condition or situation. A woman may be on a medication that causes it or have a urinary tract infection, for instance.
Urinary leakage can be uncomfortable, embarrassing and mentally distressing for women. The conditions listed above are some of the most common causes. If you are experiencing such a symptom, visit your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment options.