The person with urinary distress is subject to much discomfort, sometimes pain and embarrassment. Urinary incontinence or uncontrolled voiding is a condition that requires constant attention, if the skin involved is to be kept intact and the individual comfortable.
Urinary incontinence is caused by the failure of the urethral sphincters to remain closed.
For some reason, the sphincter muscle loses its tone and is unable to hold back the urine until the person is ready to release it. Very often an indwelling catheter is ordered to control this problem. Urinary retention means the holding back of urine in the bladder because of the inability to urinate. The cause of this inability may be trauma, swelling, injury to spinal nerves, infection, obstruction, tension, or anything that prevents the bladder from releasing the stored urine. Retention with overflow means that the individual voids frequently in small amounts.