Urge urinary incontinence is urinary leakage that comes with a strong, uncontrollable urge. Many people with urge urinary incontinence also experience urinary urgency and frequent bathroom trips. If you experience urgency or frequency without urine leakage, read our guide to urinary urgency & frequency. Studies estimate that 5-20% of people with female anatomy experience urge urinary incontinence. It’s common, normal, and treatable!
Urge incontinence is often something that only happens in certain situations. Examples include: when you put your key in the door, when you hear running water, or when you’re going to the toilet with a full bladder.
Why urge urinary incontinence happens:
Being able to control your bladder depends on both involuntary and voluntary processes. Essentially, urge urinary incontinence occurs when the bladder is triggered to contract and it’s too strong for you to stop yourself from leaking!
Treatment strategies for urge urinary incontinence:
- Bladder training
- Pelvic floor muscle training (learn to do a Kegel here!)
- May be more or less helpful depending on the person
- Urge urinary incontinence is different from stress incontinence, which causes leakage during activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, or lifting rather than from a sudden urge to urinate.
- Avoid bladder irritants
- Improve stress/anxiety coping skills
- Many with urge incontinence and/or urinary urgency have more symptoms when they’re more stressed or anxious!
- Nearby structures can contribute to urge urinary incontinence. Some people have urinary urgency that is associated with hip muscle issues. A skilled pelvic PT can help you evaluate this!
- Medication
- Medication can be a good option for urge urinary incontinence, but may have significant side effects.
- We recommend consulting with an expert in bladder function, such as a urogynecologist, to weigh risks and benefits.
Leaking Before You Reach the Bathroom? We’re Here to Help.
Urge urinary incontinence can be frustrating and unpredictable, but it doesn’t have to control your daily life. A pelvic floor physical therapist can identify the factors contributing to your symptoms and develop a personalized treatment plan that may include bladder training, urge suppression techniques, pelvic floor muscle assessment, behavioral strategies, and exercises tailored to your needs.
At Agile Physical Therapy, our pelvic floor specialists provide individualized, one-on-one care to help you regain confidence and improve bladder control. We offer 60-minute pelvic floor physical therapy appointments at our San Mateo, Palo Alto, and Los Gatos clinics. If you don’t live near one of our locations, we also offer virtual pelvic floor physical therapy for residents of California and Massachusetts. Virtual visits are an excellent option for bladder retraining, education, behavioral strategies, and ongoing support.