Despite over 25 million American adults experiencing urinary incontinence during their life, very few know about the condition beyond the basics.

Moreover, a lot of the information about urinary incontinence floating about is primarily based on myths—due to unawareness. This is mainly because people find topics such as bladder leakage and urinary incontinence embarrassing to talk about.

But the more you know about a condition, the easier it’ll be to manage it.

So, we’ve answered some FAQs to get the learning process started.

FAQ No. 1: What Exactly Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is basically a condition in which a person experiences accidental loss of urine. The condition and symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the cause and type of urinary incontinence one has.

There are generally five types of incontinence; overflow, stress, urge, functional and mixed incontinence. Each type is defined by its own symptoms and can happen to both young and old and across genders. However, urinary incontinence is more common amongst women over 40.

FAQ No. 2: How Do I Know If I Have Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence can look very different for each patient, but there are some common symptoms that most people experience.

These common symptoms can be frequent visits to the bathroom, or an intense, often uncontrollable urge to urinate. Some people may even experience painful urination or bladder leaks—sometimes, the leaks may be caused by simply laughing or coughing.

FAQ No. 3: What Causes Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence can have a range of different causes. For instance, it may be caused by a simple UTI, which can be treated by taking antibiotics. Or it can be caused because of some of your diuretic medications.

For some people, urinary incontinence is caused by lifestyle choices and habits like drinking too much caffeine or alcohol or eating spicy and acidic foods.

For a lot of people, though, urinary incontinence is a direct result of weak pelvic floor muscles.

FAQ No. 4: Is Urinary Incontinence Treatable?

One significant misconception about urinary incontinence is that it’s an untreatable condition. But that’s usually not the case.

Depending on the type of incontinence you have, there could be a whole range of different treatment options available.

If you’re struggling with urinary incontinence, let us help you navigate through the treatment options.

At The Pelvic Coach, we offer everything from guidance on the best treatments for urine leakage to exercises to improve bladder control.

Get in touch with us to discuss this further.