Urinary incontinence in women Unintentional loss of urine in women

Urinary incontinence is an involuntary loss of urine that can have serious consequences on women's quality of life, socially, professionally and sexually. 10 to 20% of women between the ages of 15 and 64 and 40% over 60 years of age may be affected by this condition.

Despite reaching women so often, only a minority (about 30%) seek medical advice. Erroneously, urinary incontinence is considered to be age-appropriate, and treatment is ineffective or complicated, when almost all situations have a cure today.

There are two main types, which may be associated: stress urinary incontinence and urge incontinence (overactive bladder syndrome).

In stress urinary incontinence, the loss of urine is simultaneous with coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, lifting weights. This type of incontinence, which occurs due to hypermobility of the urethra, is due to pregnancy and childbirth, hormonal changes and age.

With the Overactive bladder syndrome, there is a sudden urge to urinate, often associated with urine leakage and increased urinary frequency. The cause is unknown in most patients.

There is a diverse range of treatment options, which are selected specifically for each clinical case. These options include  conservative therapies (behavior modifications, pelvic exercises, electrostimulation and biofeedback) or drugs that decrease bladder contractions, as well as simple surgical procedures.