Urinary incontinence is a common condition affecting men and women for various reasons. While there are many different types of incontinence, stress and urge incontinence tend to be the most common, particularly among women. If you’d like to know more about stress incontinence vs. urge incontinence, this article will take you through everything you need to know, including causes, risk factors, and possible solutions.
Stress vs. Urge Incontinence: What You Need to Know
Urinary incontinence is characterized by limited bladder control, resulting in involuntary or accidental urine leakages. There are several different types of incontinence that vary in causes and treatment possibilities. Stress incontinence vs. urge incontinence are two common types that people often get mixed up. So, what is the difference between stress incontinence and urge incontinence? What is female stress incontinence?
Risk Factors
A risk factor is a characteristic that makes someone more susceptible to developing a particular condition, in this case, incontinence. Both stress and urge incontinence carry many of the same risk factors, although the symptoms differ.
Risk factors for stress or urge incontinence include:
Sex–women are more likely to develop these types of incontinence.
Age–Menopause may cause both stress and urge incontinence.
Injuries to the nervous system
Obesity–More pressure and weight can weaken your pelvic floor.
Pelvic surgery–a hysterectomy for women or prostate surgery for men can cause incontinence.
Chronic coughing
Diabetes
Symptoms
Both stress and urge incontinence cause accidental urine leakages; however, the circumstances surrounding these events may differ.
With stress incontinence, you will experience urine leakages during specific physical movements or activities. These leaks can range from small drops to a full urine stream. The most common movements that cause this type of incontinence include coughing, sneezing, laughing, and exercising. Simple actions like bending over can cause a leak in more extreme cases. Electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence may be beneficial if you’re struggling with this condition, no matter how severe.
Unlike stress incontinence, where leakages can strike without warning, urge incontinence will cause a sudden, intense need to urinate, sometimes followed by a leak. You may also experience a frequent need to urinate, which may lead to constant bathroom trips.
Causes
When you compare stress incontinence vs. urge incontinence, you’ll notice that they carry many of the same symptoms and risk factors. However, the causes are entirely different.
As the name suggests, stress incontinence is caused by excess pressure, or stress, on the bladder, resulting in leakages. Leaks can happen when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. It is very common for women to experience stress incontinence during and after pregnancy due to additional weight and pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. The tremendous physical strain of childbirth may also contribute to stress incontinence. A pelvic floor trainer may help mitigate this frustrating condition.
People who have urge incontinence have an overactive bladder. An overactive bladder contracts its muscles more often, even when not full, causing frequent trips to the bathroom. The squeezed bladder sometimes causes the sphincter muscle in the urethra to relax, resulting in obnoxious leaks. A minor infection, diabetes, neurological disorder, pregnancy, and childbirth can cause urge incontinence.
Mixed Incontinence
Hopefully, we’ve answered your question, “what is the difference between stress incontinence and urge incontinence?” While there is a difference, it is not uncommon to experience both types simultaneously. This is called mixed incontinence, where an individual is burdened by stress and urge incontinence. Treatment such as a pelvic floor trainer can treat both types of incontinence simultaneously.
Treatments
If you’re struggling with stress or urge incontinence, there are treatments available to help you regain control of your body, including:
Diet adjustment
Weight management
Bladder training
Exercises, such as Kegels
Our pelvic floor trainer, Dr. Jane’s Incontinence Treatment Stimulator (ITS), utilizes the latest technology to treat your symptoms with ease. Electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence is highly effective, as it requires little effort and can be done safely and affordably from the comfort of your home.
How Does Dr. Jane’s Incontinence Treatment Stimulator Work?
Dr. Jane’s ITS is inserted vaginally, using electrical stimulation to automatically contract your pelvic floor muscles. The Vagi-Comfort adaptor is designed with comfort in mind, making it easy and safe to use. We recommend using your ITS nearly daily for about three months for optimal results, although you may see changes in your symptoms within just a few weeks. Most users can stop after the three-month program, while some may need to continue. Our ITS effectively treats stress vs. urge incontinence and mixed incontinence in women.
How to Use Dr. Jane’s Incontinence Treatment Stimulator
First, we recommend finding a comfortable place to relax, sitting or lying down. Turn on your favorite TV show, grab your favorite book, or enjoy another form of entertainment. You may even enjoy some basic meditation. Make sure you have time to relax for the entirety of your 30-minute session.
Next, carefully insert the Vagi-Comfort adaptor. You shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort. We also offer an external alternative for those who prefer a less invasive option. Turn on your ITS and choose the program designed for your specific kind of incontinence. Adjust the intensity until your vaginal muscles contract without any physical effort. Now, you can sit back and relax as you use this time to care for and heal your body.
Find Hope For Healing Your Incontinence
If you’ve been wondering, “what is female stress incontinence?” Hopefully, we’ve answered your question. Incontinence is common, but that doesn’t mean you have to struggle with it. Say goodbye to late-night bathroom trips and embarrassing moments by taking ownership of your body. Dr. Jane’s Incontinence Treatment Stimulator can help you regain control and strengthen your body. Whether you need to manage stress or urge incontinence, we are here to help.