Urinary incontinence in adults

Urinary incontinence is both a common and sometimes debilitating condition in adults. The reversible and chronic causes of urinary incontinence can be elicited from a good history and targeted examination. Voiding diaries and questionnaires can be helpful to quantify symptoms. The type of incontinence needs to be defined as well as the degree of bother that it causes the patient. In mixed types of urinary incontinence the most bothersome aspect is managed first. Once established, the management starts with conservative strategies such as caffeine avoidance and fluid management or pelvic floor exercise. Medical therapy can help for urgency incontinence and both urgency and stress urinary incontinence can be managed with surgery for refractory cases.