Urinary Incontinence in Older Women

Abstract

Urinary incontinence (involuntary loss of urine) is twice as common in women as in men and affects at least 1 in 3 older women. Urinary incontinence is not a normal result of aging; it is a medical problem that is often curable and should be treated. Urine is stored in the bladder and emptied via a tube called the urethra. During urination, muscles of the bladder wall contract, forcing urine from the bladder into the urethra. Sphincter muscles surrounding the urethra relax, releasing urine from the body. Incontinence occurs if bladder muscles suddenly contract or sphincter muscles are not strong enough to contain urine. The June 2, 2010, issue of JAMA includes an article about incontinence in older women.