Causes of Overflow Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is defined as the inability to control the bladder. It can be temporary incontinence or it can be persistent incontinence. There are different types of urinary incontinence as well as a variety of causes. 13 million people in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence. This condition affects 50 percent of nursing home residents, and 70 percent of them are women..

Types

There are 5 basic types of urinary incontinence based on the symptoms they manifest:
Urge incontinence
Stress incontinence
Overflow incontinence
Functional incontinence
Mixed incontinence

Definition of Overflow Incontinence

In overflow incontinence the bladder does not empty properly, resulting in the uncontrollable leakage of small amounts of urine. The urge to urinate is lost. Some times when you try to urinate the urine does not flow. Sometimes soon after you urinate there is uncontrollable dribble of urine. Overflow incontinence is common in elderly men with enlarged prostate and is rare in women.

Blockage

Blockage may be due to narrowing of the bladder neck or of the urethra, called urethral stricture. Sometimes the muscles in the bladder wall become weakened, and are unable to make strong enough contractions to expel the urine. The urine accumulates, the bladder enlarges and becomes too full, and small amounts of urine trickle out. In men, blockage commonly occurs after prostate surgery and radiation treatment for cancer of the prostate.

Medications

Some medications such as anti-cholinergic, anti-histamine, anti-depressants and some anti-psychotics and opiods can affect the brain, the spinal cord and the transfer of nerve messages. This results in poor bladder contractions, causing overflow incontinence. Talk with your doctor if you are taking one of these medications and are experiencing overflow incontinence. A change in medication might help resolve the issue.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage may be caused by uncontrolled blood sugar levels in diabetics, resulting in poor muscle contractions of the bladder. Other conditions such as spinal cord injuries, polio, multiple sclerosis, brain or spinal cord injuries and strokes can result in overflow incontinence.

Seek Help

If you are suffering from overflow incontinence or any other type of incontinence, seek medical advice to help in coping with the condition. There are many new treatments and approaches in dealing with incontinence that your doctor can discuss with you.