Urological Health Bladder Health What Is Transient Incontinence? Defining This Temporary Form of Urinary Incontinence By Tracee Cornforth Tracee Cornforth LinkedIn Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women's health issues. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 17, 2022 Medically reviewed by Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD Medically reviewed by Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD Facebook LinkedIn Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, is a board-certified urologist and Chief of Surgery at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Have you ever had a cold and leaked urine when you coughed or sneezed? If you have, then you have experienced transient incontinence, a temporary type of urinary incontinence caused by an illness or a specific medical condition that is short-lived and quickly remedied by appropriate treatment of the condition and a disappearance of symptoms. The various causes of transient incontinence include some medications, urinary tract infections, and sometimes pregnancy, when, as the fetus grows larger and larger, it begins pressing on the bladder. The good news about transient incontinence is, again, that it is temporary. When your cold is better, or when your urinary tract infection goes away, the urine leakage stops. If you think your medication may be causing transient urinary incontinence, talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of switching to a different drug. PeopleImages / Getty Images What Else You Should Know About Urinary Incontinence Incontinence. Incontinence is the loss of voluntary control of bowel movements or urination. It is a symptom or a condition, rather than a disease, and can be caused by a variety of different processes, including damage to the sphincter muscles, anal surgery, certain medications, systemic diseases, chemotherapy, or conditions that affect the functioning of the nervous system. Understanding the Causes of Urinary Incontinence. Urinary incontinence can involve urgency incontinence (the need to get to bathroom quickly to urinate) or stress incontinence (worsened by coughing, laughing or other pressure on the pelvis). Which one it is depends upon the underlying cause. What Type Of Doctors Diagnose And Treat Urinary Incontinence? Several types of doctors can diagnose and provide treatment for urinary incontinence, including urologists, urogynecologists, OB/GYNs, family care physicians, and internal medicine practitioners. Urinary incontinence is a fairly common problem for men and women, especially over the age of 60. Nearly half of women have a bladder control problem during their lives, while one in three older men may develop this condition, especially related to prostate problems. 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & causes of bladder control problems (urinary incontinence). Buckley BS, Lapitan MCM. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in men, women, and children—current evidence: findings of the Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence. Urology. 2010;76(2):265–270. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2009.11.078 Additional Reading National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Definitions & Facts for Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence). By Tracee Cornforth Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women's health issues. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit