Skip to main content
        
        U.S. flag
                An official website of the United States government
                    Here’s how you know
                Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
                        
                        A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                        
                        A **lock** (
                        Locked padlock icon
                        ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.Search
    Menu

        Search for Information from NIDDK
            
            Entire Site
                Research & Funding
                Health Information
                News
                About NIDDKSearch

Home
            Research & Funding
                                Expand Research & Funding
                                Current Funding Opportunities
                                                    Research Programs & Contacts
                                                    Human Subjects Research
                                                    Funding Process
                                            Research Training & Career Development
                                                    Funded Grants & Grant History
                                                    Research Resources
                                            Research at NIDDK
                                                    Technology Advancement & Transfer
                                                    Meetings & Workshops
                        Health Information
                                Expand Health Information
                                Health Topics
                                                                                                    Diabetes
                                                    Digestive Diseases
                                                    Kidney Disease
                                                    Weight Management
                                                    Liver Disease
                                                    Urologic Diseases
                                                    Endocrine Diseases
                                                    Diet & Nutrition
                                                    Blood Diseases
                                                    Diagnostic Tests
                                            La información de la salud en español
                                                    Health Statistics
                                                    Healthy Moments Radio Broadcast
                                                    Clinical Trials
                                            For Health Professionals
                                                    Diabetes Discoveries & Practice Blog
                                                    Community Health & Outreach
                        News
                                Expand News
                                News Archive
                                                    For Reporters
                                            Meetings & Workshops
                                                    Media Library
                                            Follow Us
                        About NIDDK
                                Expand About NIDDK
                                Meet the Director
                                                    Offices & Divisions
                                                    Staff Directory
                                                    Budget & Legislative Information
                                            Advisory & Coordinating Committees
                                                    Strategic Plans & Reports
                                                    Research Areas
                                                    FAQs
                                            Jobs at NIDDK
                                                    Visit Us
                                                    Contact Us Home
                    Health Information
                    Urologic Diseases
                    Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence)
                    Diagnosis

    Related Topics
    English
        English
                Español
        Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence)
        Definition & Facts
                Symptoms & Causes
                Diagnosis
                Treatment
                Prevention
                Clinical TrialsDiagnosis of Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence)
How do health care professionals find the cause of a bladder control problem?
A health care professional will ask about your family and medical history and give you a physical exam. The exam will look for medical problems that may lead to accidental urine loss, also called urinary incontinence (UI). You may be asked to cough while your bladder is full to see if you leak urine. This is called a stress test, and health care professionals use it to help diagnose stress incontinence.
A health care professional speaks with a patient.Even if you feel embarrassed, it’s important to talk with a health care professional if you’re having bladder control problems.
Additionally, you may be asked to keep a bladder diary, and your health care professional may order labs and other diagnostic tests.
Bladder diary
A bladder diary (PDF, 487.59 KB)  is a record of
what, when, and how much you drink
    when you urinate and the amount you urinate
    how often you leak
    whether you feel a strong urge to go before a urine leak
    what you were doing when the leaks happenedYou may want to keep a bladder diary for 2 to 3 days before seeing your health care professional. This helps your health care professional see patterns to narrow down the cause of your bladder control problems.
What tests do health care professionals use to help find the cause of a bladder control problem?
Your health care professional may order one or more tests to help find the cause of UI.
Urinalysis can test your urine for a bladder infection, a kidney problem, or diabetes.
    Blood tests can show problems with how well your kidneys work or a chemical imbalance in your body.
    Urodynamic testing, including electromyography, looks at how well parts of the urinary tract—the bladder, urethra, and sphincters—are storing and releasing urine.
    Cystoscopy is a procedure that uses a cystoscope—a long, thin instrument—to look inside the urethra and bladder.
    Imaging tests can be used to take pictures of the inside of the body, including the urinary tract and nervous system.        Last Reviewed July 2021
Sharethis page

Print
    Facebook
    X
    Email
    
    More Options
    
    WhatsApp
    LinkedIn
    Reddit
    Pinterest
    
    Copy Link
                *Previous:*
                Symptoms & Causes
            *Next:*
                Treatment

                This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts. Contact Us
**Hours:** 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday**Email:** healthinfo@niddk.nih.gov**Phone:** +1-800-860-8747**TTY:** +711
Chat
Live Chat Available8:30 a.m - 5 p.m. ETMonday - Friday
Follow Us
LinkedIn
X
Facebook
YouTube
InstagramNIH... Turning Discovery Into Health ®
Privacy Policy
    Freedom of Information Act
    Accessibility
    Disclaimers
    Copyright
    Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Site Map
    For Staff Only
    Get Email Updates
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    National Institutes of Health