How do doctors diagnose different types of incontinence?
Your GP is likely to ask you to keep a diary of any urinary leakage and what you are doing when they happen to help diagnose your incontinence. If you find the leaks occur when you move suddenly or cough, it is likely you have ‘stress incontinence’ whereas if you find yourself very suddenly needing to go to the toilet when you are relaxed you may have ‘urge incontinence’. What should the first step be if women suspect they have incontinence? Many women are able to manage the problem by doing pelvic floor exercises and using a specialist product – speak to your GP about it or contact your local continence clinic. There are over 360 NHS continence clinics across the UK with specialist teams providing support and medical advice. You can contact many of these clinics directly for a consultation. Take a look at www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org/continence-clinic-directory to find your local clinic. You don’t need to live with it. After all, if you woke up every day with a headache which sto
