Urinary urge incontinence by Dr. Hailey Jackson

Urge incontinence is when you feel a sudden and very intense need to pass urine and you’re unable to delay going to the toilet.  

Urgency can be provoked with other activities like putting your key in the door when you get home, walking to the bathroom, hearing running water, or pulling into your driveway/garage.

 Approximately 40% of females and 30% of males experience urge incontinence at some point in their life. 

 Kegel aren’t the solution. Consider these things instead: constipation – a full rectum puts pressure on the bladder. Try not to go “just in case” as this can exacerbate the cycle. Consider the muscles around the pelvis too, like adductors (inner thigh) and lower abdomen. 

Pelvic floor muscles are usually more hypertonic (tight) than weak with urge incontinence. Kegel performed regularly can make this problem worse. 

To summarize, urge incontinence can present due to a tight pelvic floor, symptomatic muscles around the pelvis, behavioral factors, and consuming fluids that are irritating to the lining of the bladder.