How to Test for Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an embarrassing and frustrating problem that affects a variety of children, adults, and elderly people. Urinary incontinence is a condition where the person has trouble controlling their bladder, and can range from slight leakage problems to completely voiding without a toilet. Sometimes urinary incontinence presents itself during sleep, with bed-wetting, and other times it will happen at various times during the day. There are several causes for urinary incontinence, ranging from over-hydration to excessive alcohol consumption and certain medications. Testing for urinary incontinence can be helpful not only in detection, but in determining severity and finding cures to eliminate or control the symptoms.

Things You'll Need

• Physician or healthcare provider
• Pad of paper or journal
• Pen or pencil
• Container for measuring urinary output

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Instructions

• 1

  Make an appointment to consult with your physician regarding your concern about urinary incontinence. Bring specific examples of times you have experienced urinary incontinence so that your healthcare provider can examine possible patterns for your condition.

• 2

  Your physician will likely ask you to record your episodes of urination in a bladder diary for several days before the next appointment. Keep a journal of your intake of fluids, when you urinate, how much urine you void, your level of urgency to urinate, and the number of times you experience urinary incontinence.

• 3

  Return to your physician with your bladder diary. Your physician will then be able to determine whether you likely have a urinary incontinence problem, and what further testing needs to be completed.

• 4

  Educate yourself and make decisions about what tests you are willing to undergo to further diagnose your urinary incontinence condition. Ask your healthcare provider to provide you with a list of tests they wish to do, and decide what your next step will be.

• 5

  Prepare for the tests that you and your healthcare provider have decided upon. Because testing for urinary incontinence can include a battery of tests, there may be things you need to alter prior to testing, including fluid input or urine output.

• 6

  Discuss the best course of treatment with your doctor following the conclusion of your test results. Determine with your physician what the most effective course of treatment is; medication, surgery, or a combination of the two.