The 6 types of Incontinence according to Harvard Health Publishing

1. 6 types of urinairy
incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27

2. Stress incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• Damages to the brain, spine or the nerves
• Menopause
• Giving birth (naturally)
• Infections of the urinary tract, bladder or
prostate urgency
• Partial blockage of the urinary tract by a
bladder stone or enlarged prostate
• Neurological diseases
• Stroke
• Ageing
If urine leaks out when you jump, cough,
or laugh, you may have stress inconti-
nence. Stress incontinence occurs du-
ring any physical effort that increases
abdominal pressure which puts pressu-
re also on the bladder.

3. Overactive bladder
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• Damage to the brain, the spine, or the
nerves
• Diabetes or neurological disease
• Irritating substances within the bladder
• Aging
• Infections of the urinary tract, bladder
or prostate
• Partial blockage of the urinary tract by a
bladder stone or an enlarged prostate
• Neurological diseases or stroke
Known also as urge incontinence, over-
active bladder occurs when you feel a
strong urge to urinate even when your
bladder isn't full.
This condition occurs in both men and
women and involves an irresistible urge
to urinate immediately, frequently ac-
companied by loss of urine before you
can reach a bathroom.

4. Mixed incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• For men, prostate removal or surgery for an
enlarged prostate
• Frail older people of either gender
Mixed incontinence is the combination
of symptoms of both overactive bladder
and stress incontinence.
Most women with incontinence have
both stress and urge symptoms - a
challenging situation.

5. Overflow incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• Diabetes or cardiovascular disease
• Enlarged prostate, tumors, bladder stones,
or scar tissue
• Nerve damage
• Aging
• Medications that prevent bladder muscle
contraction or that make you unaware of the
urge to urinate
Overflow incontinence occurs when
something blocks urine from flowing,
like an enlarged prostate. That’s the
reason men are more often diagonised
with this type of incontinence.
But can also occur in women if the blad-
der muscle becomes underactive so
you don't feel an urge to urinate.

6. Functional incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• Medication (such as a diuretic used to treat
high blood pressure or heart failure) can
cause the body to produce abnormally large
amounts of urine.
• Dementia or other mental illness can decrease
awareness about the need to find a toilet.
• Any condition that makes it excessively diffi-
cult to go to the toilet in time, such as having
arthritis, being hospitalized or restrained, or
having a toilet located too far away.
People can suffer from incontinence
even when their urinary tract is func-
tioning properly. This occurs when
other illnesses or disabilities are preven-
ting them from staying dry.

7. Reflex incontinence
DAY
2/5
#continenceweek June 21-27
CAUSES
• Nerves damage can cause malfunctioning
between the nerves and the brain. Normally
they notify the brain that the bladder is filling,
but this might no longer happen if the nerves
were damaged.
• Serious neurological impairment from
multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury or other
injuries
• Damage from surgery or radiation treatment
Reflex incontinence occurs when urine
leaks (often in large amounts) because
of the contraction of the bladder muscle
without any warning or urge.
Nerves damage can cause malfunctio-
ning between the nerves and the brain.
Normally they notify the brain that the
bladder is filling, but this might no lon-
ger happen if the nerves were damaged.
Source: Harvard Health Publishin, Harvard Medical School