Incontinence is classified as “uncontrolled leakage” from the bladder or bowel. Incontinence affects all age groups from children to adults, not just older people. There are two main types of incontinence, stress incontinence, and urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence occurs mainly in women due to the relaxation of the pelvic area from either childbirth or the aging process. Stress incontinence usually occurs when a woman sneezes or coughs. Stress incontinence is quite rare in men, and usually only occurs from some type of trauma or surgery. People with this condition should avoid such things as artificial sweeteners, nicotine, and coffee.
Urge incontinence is very common in children and the elderly. When the urge to go to the bathroom happens, a person needs to get to a restroom immediately to avoid leaking urine onto their clothing. Some older people wear incontinence pants just in case an accident was to happen.