Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Incontinence

This chapter focuses on urinary incontinence (the involuntary loss of urine) which can affect women of all ages although is more prevalent in women of older age. Urinary incontinence is defined into three categories: stress urinary incontinence, urgency urinary incontinence, and mixed urinary incontinence (a combination of both stress and urgency urinary incontinence). Each of these categories rely on a thorough history taking and physical exam in order to properly differentiate the diagnosis for the patient. In this chapter, we will discuss the physiology of stress and urgency urinary incontinence and treatments of each.