Take this Urinary Incontinence Quiz to See How Long You Can Hold It

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

First, lets start with a quick overview of what urinary incontinence is:

• Urinary incontinence is when you accidentally leak or lose control of your bladder.
• It affects over 30% of older women and 15% of older men.
• Types of incontinence include stress, urge, overflow, functional and mixed.
• Common causes are pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, enlarged prostate, UTIs, constipation, obesity, diabetes, dementia and more.
• Treatments include Kegel exercises, medications, physical therapy, vaginal weights and surgery in severe cases.

Now that you have an understanding of urinary incontinence, lets take the following quiz to determine your risks.

Urinary Incontinence Quiz

Answer each question honestly about your bladder control and frequency of accidents:

1. How often do you leak urine?

• A) Less than once a week
• B) 1-2 times per week
• C) Several times per week
• D) Every day
• E) Multiple times per day

2. When does urine leakage tend to occur?

• A) When I sneeze, cough or laugh
• B) When exercising or lifting heavy objects
• C) When I feel a sudden urge to urinate but cant get to the bathroom in time
• D) When Im asleep at night
• E) Without any warning or particular cause

3. How much urine do you typically leak?

• A) Just a few drops
• B) Wets my underwear
• C) Wets outer clothing
• D) Wets the floor

4. Do you use pads or adult diapers as a precaution?

• A) Yes
• B) No

5. How much does leaking urine impact your daily life?

• A) No real impact, minimal annoyance
• B) Some impact, makes me self-conscious
• C) Significant impact, limits my activities
• D) Severe impact, prevents enjoyment of life

6. Have you ever leaked on the way to the bathroom or just after urinating?

• A) Yes
• B) No

7. How often do you urinate during the daytime on average?

• A) Under 6 times
• B) 6-8 times
• C) 9-10 times
• D) Over 10 times

8. Do you have a sudden, strong urge to urinate thats difficult to control?

• A) No, urination is easy to control
• B) Occasionally
• C) Frequently
• D) Nearly every time I have to urinate

9. Have you ever leaked urine while sleeping?

• A) No
• B) Yes, less than once per month
• C) Yes, once per week or more

10. Do you ever feel unable to fully empty your bladder?

• A) No, I empty completely
• B) Occasionally
• C) Frequently
• D) Always feels like some urine is still left

Scoring the Urinary Incontinence Quiz

Now lets score your urinary incontinence quiz to determine the severity of your bladder issues:

Give yourself the following points for each answer:

• Question 1: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3, E=4
• Question 2: A=1, B=1, C=2, D=2, E=3
• Question 3: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3
• Question 4: A=2, B=0
• Question 5: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3
• Question 6: A=2, B=0
• Question 7: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3
• Question 8: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3
• Question 9: A=0, B=1, C=2
• Question 10: A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3

Total Score Analysis:

• 0-5: Minimal urinary incontinence - You have reasonable control of your bladder. Leaking episodes are rare. Make lifestyle changes as needed.
• 6-12: Mild urinary incontinence - Leaking is occasional but impacts daily life. See a doctor to explore treatment options.
• 13-20: Moderate urinary incontinence - Frequent leaking interrupts your work, activities and sleep. Seek medical advice as soon as possible.
• 21-30: Severe urinary incontinence - Extreme leaking makes normal life difficult. Immediate medical treatment is highly recommended.

Recommendations Based on Your Quiz Score

Now that you have your urinary incontinence quiz score, here are some recommendations for next steps:

Score 0-5 (Minimal Urinary Incontinence)

You have relatively minor bladder control issues at this stage. Leaking accidents are infrequent and urine loss is minimal. Take the following precautions to help avoid progression:

• Do Kegel exercises daily to strengthen pelvic floor muscles
• Watch for triggers like caffeine, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners
• Maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise
• Practice delayed voiding to gradually extend time between bathroom trips
• Treat any constipation with diet, fluids or fiber supplements

Score 6-12 (Mild Urinary Incontinence)

You are starting to experience more bothersome bladder leakage on a weekly basis. It's impacting your daily life. See your doctor for evaluation and possible treatment such as:

• Bladder training techniques
• Pelvic floor physical therapy
• Medications to relax or strengthen the bladder
• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS)
• A pessary device to support weakened pelvic floor muscles

Score 13-20 (Moderate Urinary Incontinence)

Your urinary incontinence is frequent enough to disrupt work, sleep, exercise and enjoyment of life. Make an appointment with your doctor right away for urgent treatment such as:

• Specialized physical therapy to improve pelvic floor and bladder control
• Botox injections to relax bladder muscles
• Sacral neuromodulation device implants
• Bulking agent injections to tighten the urethra
• Surgery such as a sling or mesh procedure

Score 21-30 (Severe Urinary Incontinence)

You are experiencing complete loss of bladder control. Severe leaking is making normal daily life extremely difficult. Seek medical help immediately. Treatment options may include:

• Indwelling catheterization
• Electrical stimulation
• Botulinum toxin injections
• Surgery such as bladder neck suspension or bladder removal

Coping strategies include wearing high-absorbency pads or adult diapers when leaving the house. Maintaining skin health is also important.

When to See a Doctor

Based on your urinary incontinence quiz score, you may need to consult a urologist, urogynecologist or continence specialist. Seek medical advice if:

• You leak urine involuntarily on a regular basis
• Overactive bladder causes a sudden, uncontrollable need to urinate
• You experience pain or blood in urine
• Incontinence is accompanied by spinal injury or neurological disease
• Kegel exercises and lifestyle changes have not improved leakage

Catching and treating incontinence early is key to regaining control and improving quality of life. Be open with your doctor about all symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment planning.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Now that you understand your current severity level, lets examine some potential causes of bladder leakage:

Childbirth

Vaginal delivery can weaken pelvic floor muscles and damage bladder nerves, leading to stress incontinence.

Menopause

Declining estrogen levels cause atrophy of the urethra and pelvic floor, resulting in leakage.

Enlarged Prostate

When the prostate enlarges it can block urine flow, causing overflow incontinence.

Excess Weight

Extra weight puts pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor, straining the muscles.

Medications

Diuretics, sedatives, muscle relaxants and antidepressants can cause or worsen leakage.

Urinary Tract Infection

UTIs can create a strong, sudden urge to urinate and lead to incontinence.

Overactive Bladder

Bladder muscles contract involuntarily, creating a sense of urinary urgency.

Neurological Disorders

Conditions like dementia, Parkinsons, stroke, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury increase risk.

Obstruction

UTI stones, tumors, kidney disease, bladder prolapse and urethral strictures can block urine flow.

Caffeine & Alcohol

Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages can stimulate the bladder and contribute to urgency.

Types of Incontinence

Now that you know some potential causes, lets examine the types of urinary incontinence:

Stress Incontinence

Urine leaks when pressure is exerted, like when sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting heavy objects.

Urge Incontinence

Sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by bladder contractions and urine leakage.

Overflow Incontinence

The bladder fails to empty completely, leading to frequent dribbling.

Functional Incontinence

A physical or mental impairment prevents getting to the bathroom in time.

Mixed Incontinence

A combination of more than one type of incontinence.

Prevention of Urinary Incontinence

While some causes like childbirth cant be prevented, you can take proactive steps to reduce your overall risk:

• Do Kegel exercises regularly to strengthen the pelvic floor.
• Follow a healthy diet and exercise program to avoid obesity.
• Avoid bladder irritants like caffeine, carbonation, citrus and artificial sweeteners.
• Urinate on a scheduled timed interval to avoid urgency build up.
• Don't hold urine for prolonged periods.
• Treat causes like UTIs, constipation and atrophic vaginitis.
• Stop smoking, as coughing can induce stress leakage.

Treatment Options for Incontinence

If you already suffer from bothersome urine leakage, here are some treatment options to consider:

Kegel Exercises

Pelvic floor muscle training can strengthen bladder control.

Bladder Training

Techniques like timed voiding, controlled voiding and distraction help retrain the bladder.

Devices

A urethral insert like a pessary provides mechanical support. Neuromodulation devices alter nerve signals.

Medications

Drugs like oxybutynin, tolterodine, solifenacin and mirabegron relax bladder muscles.

Injections

Botox injections temporarily paralyze bladder muscles while bulking agents plump the urethra.

Surgery

Sling procedures, urethral lifts, and Burch colposuspension surgeries provide anatomical support.

Absorbent Products

While you work to regain bladder control, absorbent pads and adult diapers can help manage accidents:

• Pads for Light Leakage Thin, discreet and highly absorbent.
• Maximum Absorbency Pads Lock away large volumes of urine.
• Protective Underwear Reusable pull-ups with wetness indicators.
• Adult Diapers Urine resistant tabs and high capacity absorption.

Change pads and diapers frequently and use barrier creams to protect skin.

Coping with Incontinence

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.