Incontinence

From ADISC Answers Wiki

Incontinence is defined as being "unable to restrain natural discharges or evacuations of urine or feces" [1]. For some, being incontinent is something enjoyable, and is yearned for; these people want to experience full or partial incontinence as a part of Infantilism. Others are incontinent naturally; they would most likely have been so since birth, or from a young age. Others yet have been involved in an accident that caused them to become incontinent. Incontinence can appear for many different reasons, and the end-user acceptance is based on personal preference.

Types of Incontinence

One can be either fully or partially incontinent; that is one could only be incontinent when it come to urine, or feces, or could be incontinent in both departments.

There are several different types of incontinence, each with different causes and effects. This is a partial list of several of the different types of urinary incontinence that exist.

Urge Incontinence

Urge Incontinence is when you know you want to urinate but you cannot hold it long enough to make it to the restroom in time. Urine can leak the instant you feel the urge to pass it. Even the sound of running water can provide the stimulus.

This is the most common form of incontinence in men and is often caused by an overactive bladder (OAB). This occurs when, for some reason, the bladder is hypersensitive and the urge to empty occurs before the bladder is full and often happens without warning.

Stress Incontinence

Stress Incontinence is the most common type of incontinence and one a lot of women who have had children may experience this form of incontinence. Urine leaks during coughing, sneezing and laughing, when lifting heavy objects or in any sort of exercise that puts pressure on the bladder.

Stress incontinence is often caused by a weakness or injury to the pelvic floor muscles, which is a group of muscles in the pelvis comprising the levator ani muscles and the coccygeus muscle. It is often possible to alleviate the symptoms of this type of incontinence by strengthening these muscles by doing so-called 'pelvic floor exercises'.

Overflow Incontinence

Overflow Incontinence is when the amount of urine is greater than the capacity of the bladder and leakage of urine occurs. One may feel as if the bladder is never fully empty and some people with overflow incontinence can spend a lot of time in the bathroom because of this unpleasant feeling. Other people do not feel as though their bladder is full but dribble and pass urine with little control. This type can be due to a physical obstruction, a common example of this is prostate problems in men.

Functional Incontinence

Functional Incontinence is essentially a case of a person knowing that they need to go but are unable to do so because physical or communication issues prevent them from accessing the rest-room in time.

Neurological Incontinence

Neurological Incontinence is caused by a failure of the nervous system to correctly analyze the need to release waste causing unintentional voiding

Multiple Symptom Incontinence

Multiple Symptom Incontinence is a type that would exist when there are a variety of different factors causing incontinence or the actual cause cannot be determined.

Incontinence can also be a result of surgical procedures such as prostate or rectal surgery and caesarean surgery.

See Also

• Why would I want incontinence?
• Catheters