Stress Incontinence:  A small amount of urine (less than a few tablespoonfuls) leaks from the bladder when the person laughs, coughs, lifts objects or runs.

Urge Incontinence:  Immediate loss of a moderate amount of urine caused by involuntary bladder contractions. Overactive Bladder (OAB) may lead to Urge Incontinence.

Mixed Incontinence: Small to moderate amounts of urine are lost with this combination of stress and urge incontinence.

Overflow Incontinence: Leakage of a moderate amount of urine when the amount of urine produced is larger than the storage capacity of the bladder.

Functional/Environmental Incontinence: Incontinence is caused by factors other than the bladder.  Factors might include difficulty walking or inadequate vision to get to the toilet.

What about Bedwetting?
Experts do not know what causes nighttime incontinence (nocturnal enuresis). Young people who experience nighttime wetting are typically physically and emotionally normal. It is thought that most cases probably result from a mix of factors including slower physical development, an overproduction of urine at night, a lack of ability to recognize bladder filling, difficulty in waking from a deep sleep and in some cases anxiety. Research has shown there is a correlation between a family history of bedwetting and an individual’s bedwetting suggesting that nocturnal enuresis may be inherited.

Information Resources:
National Association for Continence:  www.nafc.org
Simon Foundation for Continence: www.simonfoundation.org
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: www.niddk.nih.gov