I leak pee or dribble

People of all genders and ages can have issues with bladder control. Bladder control issues often lead to feelings of embarrassment and reluctance to seek help. Often help can be provided with easy ways to address the issue.

Many treatments and therapies for these conditions do not involve medication or surgery, and can include:

• Changes to your diet
• Exercises
• Bladder training
• Physical therapy
• Stress management

If you accidentally leak pee when coughing, sneezing, suddenly changing positions or while playing sports, you might have stress urinary incontinence.

The Pelvic Floor Project – Episode 46 - Bladder leaks with cough, sneeze or physical activity with Adrienne Sim

The Pelvic Floor Project – Episode 52 – Discussing bladder leaks, treatments and surgery with urologist, Dr. Jennifer Locke

How to gain confidence & control of your bladder & bowel function

If you accidently leak pee accompanied by or immediately after you feel urgency to pee you might have urgency incontinence or overactive bladder.

Overactive bladder

Also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH is more common as we age. Symptoms may include:

• Frequent urination (peeing)
• Waking up at night to pee
• Inability to delay urination
• Feeling unable to empty bladder
• Delay in starting to pee
• Straining to pee with a weak stream
• Peeing that stops and starts
• Loss of control (urinary incontinence)
• Painful to pee
• Blood in pee
• Inability to pee (acute urinary retention)

Learn more about enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)

Post-void dribble (PVD) is the involuntary loss of urine (pee) right after peeing, and usually after leaving the toilet. PVD is due to a weakness in the muscles of the pelvic floor and is much more common in men or those assigned male at birth.

Learn more about PVD causes and treatments

Although it might feel embarrassing, share your concerns with your current health-care provider: family doctor, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist and/or occupational therapist. They can discuss treatment options with you or refer you to another health-care provider. Your family doctor who may refer you to a specialist urologist, gynecologist or urogynecologist.

Physiotherapists
Physiotherapists can help assess and treat your bladder control issues. Find one that focuses on pelvic floor health.

To find a physiotherapist in your area:

• Go to Find a Physiotherapist in British Columbia on the Physiotherapy Association of BC website
• Under “By Areas of Practice” select any/all:
  • Incontinence (urinary/bowel)
  • Pelvic Floor
  • Women’s Health

Nurse continence advisors

Nurse continence advisors have training to help you with your bladder issue. There are also continence clinics in some parts of the province.

To find a nurse continence advisor in your area:

• Go to the Canadian Continence Foundation website
• Under Resources, click “Locate a Professional”
• Use the Filter feature to find a clinic in your location

Issues with Bladder Control?

Be Pelvic Health Aware