Definitions of Incontinence

There are so many terms used in conjunction with the word incontinence that it can be hard to keep them all straight. First of all, it is helpful to have a working definition of the word incontinence. Incontinence refers to the sudden, involuntary release of urine or stool. Incontinence can have many different underlying causes, and it is always a good idea to discuss the problem with your doctor when searching for a solution for this problem.

Urinary Incontinence – the sudden involuntary release of urine

Faecal (or Fecal) Incontinence – the sudden involuntary loss of gas (flatulence) or stool; bowel incontinence is often used in place of faecal incontinence.

Stress Incontinence – urinary incontinence that results from some form of physical activity or stress on the bladder, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting a heavy object

Urge Incontinence – leakage of urine following involuntary spasms of bladder muscles or inappropriate contraction of bladder muscles; sometimes called overactive bladder

Overflow Incontinence – in overflow incontinence, the bladder does not empty completely and may become overly full, resulting in leakage of urine; often attributable to nerve damage or bladder muscle dysfunction

Mixed Incontinence – occurs when symptoms of both urge and stress incontinence are present at the same time in the same individual

Functional Incontinence – occurs as a result of a person’s inability to get to a washroom in time to void; incontinence as a result of a physical or mental condition (e.g. arthritis impeding someone’s ability to walk to the washroom quickly enough; dementia causing a person to forget where the washroom is)

Male Incontinence – any incontinence in men, often attributed to prostate disease

Female Incontinence – any incontinence in women, often a result of pregnancy and childbirth Incontinence Pads – absorbent pads that are worn alone or with incontinence pants to absorb urine or stool in incontinence

Incontinence Pants – may be worn alone or with incontinence pads; may be washable or disposable

This list is not exhaustive by any means, but it will hopefully provide you with a working vocabulary when discussing incontinence.