Urinary Incontinence

Sections

Diagnosis & Tests

To find out the type of urinary incontinence a person has, the healthcare provider will ask questions about:

Symptom Patterns

  • when the person feels the urge to urinate
  • whether coughing, laughing, or sneezing causes leaking
  • how incontinence affects daily life

Problems Urinating

  • blood in the urine
  • pain or burning when urinating

Diet or Medications

  • use of alcohol, caffeine, or tobacco
  • how much fluid is consumed and when
  • medicines and supplements
  • medical conditions

Physical Exam

The healthcare provider will do a physical exam. This may include a pelvic exam for women and a prostate exam for men. The healthcare provider may also order:

  • Urinalysis. The provider tests urine for infection, blood, or other problems.
  • Bladder diary. The person writes down when they urinate, their symptoms, and what they eat and drink.
  • Cough stress test. The provider asks the person to cough or push down and watches for any urine leakage.
  • Bladder ultrasound. This test measures how much urine is left in the bladder after urinating.
  • other special tests to check bladder strength or find problems

 

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers 

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