This may happen in men with an enlarged prostate, or in women with a narrowing of the urethra, the small channel that leads from the bladder to the outside. The bladder is constantly filled with some urine, and the bladder needs to build up considerable pressure before it can expel its contents through a tight and narrowed passage. There are many other factors that may cause urinary incontinence. Persons with certain neurologic disorders may lose awareness of the fullness in their bladder. Persons with dementia or following a stroke may lose voluntary control.
Some older people move too slowly, or are too stiff to make it to the bathroom in time.
Pressure on the bladder from a fecal impaction of the bowel can cause incontinence. Rarely, there may be more serious causes, such as a pelvic, bowel or a bladder tumor. There is no way to tell simply from symptoms which of these problems is the cause of the incontinence in a particular person. As a result, new onset or persistent incontinence should be evaluated by a health care professional knowledgeable in this area, to make the correct diagnosis, and to plan management. Evaluation often consists of questions about the pattern of the problem, urine test, pelvic or prostate examination, and occasionally an ultrasound test or scope test of the bladder or bowel.