MEDizzy - A 44-year-old mother of two reports leakage of a small

Feed Library Learning Discuss Leaderboard Journal

Acute Complaints

A 44-year-old mother of two reports leakage of a small amount of urine with sneezing. Recently, it began to occur with exercise. She denies recent life stressors. Which of the following best describes the type of incontinence she is experiencing?

ExplanationStress incontinence is much more commonly seen in women than in men, and is most often caused by urethral hypermobility resulting from weakness of the pelvic floor musculature. Patients complain of involuntary loss of urine associated with increase in intra-abdominal pressure (when sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising). Functional incontinence refers to a limitation that does not allow the patient to void in the bathroom (bed rest, paralysis, severe dementia) and does not generally relate to the urinary tract. Urge incontinence is the loss of urine following a strong urge to void, and overflow incontinence is due to overdistention of the bladder. Senile incontinence is a fictional term.