Urge incontinence

Urge incontinence, a type of urinary incontinence, causes a sudden, strong urge to pee that’s hard to delay. When this happens, the bladder muscle tightens on its own, and urine may leak before you can reach a bathroom. Some people also notice they need to go often during the day or wake up at night to urinate. You may also feel the urgency to urinate when you hear running water.

At Penn Medicine, bladder dysfunction and incontinence care is provided by a team of urology experts, pelvic floor therapy specialists, and nurses who work together to create a plan that fits your needs. You’ll have access to both nonsurgical options and minimally invasive treatments, with a focus on improving bladder control and daily comfort.

Common symptoms of urge incontinence may include:

• A strong, sudden urge to pee that’s hard to delay
• Leaking urine before reaching the bathroom
• Urinating more than eight times during the day
• Waking up more than once at night to urinate
• Feeling urgency to urinate even when the bladder isn’t full

Overactive bladder (OAB) and urge incontinence are closely related, but they’re not the same condition. OAB causes a sudden urge to pee and often frequent urination, with or without leakage. If that urge leads to urine leakage, it’s called urge incontinence.

The most common cause of urge incontinence is an overactive bladder. The bladder muscle contracts at the wrong time, even when it isn’t full. These unexpected contractions create a sudden urge to pee, leading to leakage. In other cases, a clear cause isn’t found. While anyone can develop this issue, it’s more common as people get older.

Several factors can affect how the bladder, nerves, and muscles work together, including: 

• Bladder irritation from a urinary tract infection (UTI) or inflammation
• Nerve or brain conditions, like stroke or multiple sclerosis (MS) 
• Blockages that affect urine flow, like bladder stones 
• Changes in the prostate that affect urination
• Nerve injury involving the spinal cord
• Some medications or bladder irritants like caffeine or acidic foods
• Bladder cancer

You may not be able to prevent urge incontinence completely, but healthy habits can help reduce symptoms. Staying hydrated, limiting bladder irritants, and keeping pelvic floor muscles strong can all support better bladder control. Managing chronic conditions and avoiding smoking can also make a difference.

Urge incontinence doesn’t have to take over your routine. With expert bladder dysfunction and incontinence care, pelvic floor therapy, and access to the latest treatments, Penn Medicine specialists help you regain control and feel more confident in your daily life.