Urethral pressure profile is used to investigate urethral blockage. A probe is placed in the urethra to determine pressure at different points along this pathway during urination and the exact location of any obstruction in the urethra. Incontinence is rarely life threatening, and, in most cases, complications are no more serious than external skin irritation or an occasional infection in the urinary tract. If treated promptly, such conditions are not serious. Because little public attention has been paid to this problem until recently, the incontinent person may feel alone.
Many people experience a sense of personal failure, a child-like shame.
More than half, in fact, do not seek medical advice for the problem. Urinary incontinence, however, can have serious emotional effects. Many people feel embarrassed, helpless, or angry. In a recent survey of physicians, nearly all of them reported that a patient's embarrassment and reluctance to discuss bladder problems is a major barrier to successful treatment. Incontinence caused by an illness, such as stroke, or treatments, such as those for prostate cancer, is a major cause of depression.