If the muscles that keep your bladder closed are weak, you may have accidents when you sneeze, laugh, or lift a heavy object. This is called stress incontinence. It is the most common type of bladder control problem.
Stress incontinence often occurs when women are pregnant or after childbirth. The pelvic floor muscles stretch and weaken in pregnancy or childbirth.
The same muscles become weak after a woman stops having periods (menopause). They weaken because they no longer get female hormones.
Sometimes, the bladder muscles become too active. Then you have a different problem. You may feel strong, sudden urges to go to the bathroom, even if your bladder has little urine. This kind of bladder problem is called urge incontinence.
Several things can cause your bladder to be too active:
- a bladder infection
- nerve damage (sometimes from childbirth)
- drinking alcohol (beer, wine, etc.)
- some medicines.
Getting Help | Seeing the Doctor | Tests | Your Bladder Control System | Causes | Treatments | Glossary
Reprinted from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
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