About UI

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common yet largely unreported, undiagnosed, and untreated disease that affects quality of life and daily living. Studies suggest that 20% to 60% of women between 20 and 80 years of age are afflicted with UI. Although UI is treatable, manageable, and sometimes even curable, many women with the disease do not seek help.

Some factors associated with UI include weak or overactive bladder, damage to nerves or muscles that support the bladder or urethra, childbearing, pelvic surgery, spinal cord injury, and medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke. Important risk factors include age, diabetes, race, smoking, obesity, and hormone replacement therapy.

Despite the high prevalence of UI, more active screening for the disease by healthcare providers is needed. UI can be unidentified and untreated for a variety of reasons, including patients’ reluctance to report urine leakage and clinicians’ lack of education about causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, and physician assistants can help patients manage UI by identifying those at risk, recommending behavioral interventions, and educating patients about pelvic floor muscle disorders and muscle strengthening exercises. Other interventions available for the treatment of UI include bladder training, mechanical devices, medication, and surgery (after other treatments have failed).

Several types of UI have been identified: stress, urge (often referred to as overactive bladder with or without urgency), and mixed. The ability to differentiate between each is of paramount importance. New research in the fields of neurourology, tissue engineering, and gene therapy is expanding clinicians’ ability to treat all types of UI effectively.