Do you suddenly have the urge to pee and can’t seem to control it? Does an unexpected sneeze or a cough, or sometimes the simple act of laughing cause a leak in your panties? How often do you experience urinary loss? Do you lose urine sometimes before you can make it to the bathroom?
Often considered more as a disease (but it actually isn’t), incontinence (inability to control urination) is common amongst male and female, old and young. Though experienced twice as more by women than men, ageing, stress and most often neurological diseases are some of the general causes of incontinence.
Dealing with Incontinence

The structure of the female urinary tract, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are the main reasons incontinence occurs more in women. It’s a condition of involuntary urination; an indication that something is wrong within the human body. Thus it’s medically regarded as a symptom and mostly temporal. There’re two main common types of temporary incontinence – stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Interestingly, over 200 million people around the world experience one of these two at a point in their lives.
Stress incontinence is usually experienced when there’s increased pressure on the bladder (while coughing, sneezing, laughing and even exercising). This occurs as the pelvic floor muscles become weakened especially as a result of childbirth (large babies and prolonged labour), lack of oestrogen or collagen deficiency. When pelvic floor muscles can’t support the bladder and urethra (urine outlet) as strongly as they should, any slight pressure causes a leak from the bladder. The increased weight of the uterus on the bladder walls during pregnancy can also cause stress incontinence.
Urge incontinence is experienced as a result of overactive bladder. Usually, when the bladder is filled to a certain level, there’s a network of signals within the nervous system (brain, spinal cord and bladder muscles) to cause an urge to pee. When this system acts abnormally, wrong signals are triggered, and there’s an overaction by the bladder causing it to release urine uncontrollably, sporadically or too frequently.
Everyday habits may also contribute to temporary incontinence. Certain foods, the amount of water/ drinks you consume, and some diuretic drugs stimulate the bladder unnecessarily. Also, sedatives and BP medications are muscle relaxants thereby relaxing the bladder and pelvic floor muscles to lose urine.
Do you know that almost 80% of incontinent cases can be treated? Incontinence can be treated or significantly improved. Lifestyle changes (minimal or no alcohol, quitting smoking, cutting down on caffeine), engaging in kegel exercises, staying fit by maintaining a healthy weight or considerably shedding some are suggested ways to deal with incontinence. Eating a well-balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fibre will see your system functioning adequately. Foods rich in magnesium and Vitamin D will also aid the apt functioning of your bladder. 
Sometimes, if severe, certain surgeries can be carried out.Unfortunately, without proper tests, the level of severity may never be known. Though frustrating, involuntary urinating is often seen as normal and for fear of embarrassment, many people are unwilling to discuss it even with medical practitioners. If experiencing such a situation, don’t get overwhelmed by anxiety or shame; seek medical assistance.