How is Incontinence Evaluated?

To treat urinary incontinence, a proper evaluation is necessary. Often, it is initiated by your primary physician with an examination consisting of a careful history and physical examination. Simple lab tests are performed to evaluate abnormalities in the urine and of the urinary system. If the problem is not easily identified, a specialist in incontinence such as a urologist may better diagnose the problem with additional tests that study the urinary tract and its functions.

For example, a urodynamic test which studies the functioning capabilities of the bladder provides information such as how much the bladder can hold, whether there are spastic contractions, whether the urinary sphincter is injured and cannot close, and whether the bladder muscle contracts properly to empty urine. Often the treatment of incontinence can become complex because there can be more than one type of incontinence affecting the urinary system.