Overflow incontinence professional#

To diagnose an incontinence condition, your health professional should ask about your symptoms and medical history. The detrusor muscles may not fully contract if there is damage to the nerves (for example as a result of surgery to the bowel or other conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis) or a spinal cord injury, or as a side-effect of certain medications (including some anticonvulsants and antidepressants). This means that the bladder does not completely empty when you go to the toilet and this may result in the bladder becoming stretched. Overflow incontinence may also be caused by the bladder (detrusor) muscles not fully contracting. As these are all treatable and also symptoms of other conditions it is important you consult a doctor or health professional if you experience overflow incontinence. The main reasons that the bladder can become obstructed, causing overflow incontinence are an enlarged prostate (this is very common for men), constipation or bladder stones. At the same time, pressure from the urine that is still in the bladder builds up behind the obstruction, causing frequent leaks. The bladder will fill up as usual, but as it is obstructed it will not be possible to empty it completely. Overflow incontinence, sometimes called chronic urinary retention, is usually caused by a blockage or obstruction to the bladder. Overflow incontinence is less common than other types of incontinence however, it is more common in men than women as it is often linked to an enlarged prostrate. This can lead to repeated urinary tract infections. Urine left in the bladder is a breeding ground for bacteria. The leakage, which can cause embarrassment and discomfort, is not the only problem.

You may or may not sense that your bladder is full. Overflow incontinence occurs when you are unable to completely empty your bladder this leads to overflow, which leaks out unexpectedly.