How to Assess Urinary Incontinence: Basic Evaluation

HISTORY

• Includes assessment of risk factors and bladder record.
• Can you tell me about the problems you are having with your bladder?
• Most bothersome symptoms?
• Frequency, timing, and amount of continent voids and incontinent voids (bladder record).

Click here and review a sample Bladder Training Record

• Precipitants of incontinence.
• Other symptoms such as nocturia, dysuria, hesitancy, straining, poor stream, or pain.
• Previous treatments and effect on incontinence.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

• Cognition
• Motivation
• Functional assessment
• General examination
• Abdominal examination
• Rectal examination
• Genital examination in men
• Pelvic examination in women
• Direct observation of urine loss

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Measurement of post-voided residual
• Urinalysis
• Additional testing for selected patients
  • BUN, creatinine
  • Urine cystology
• Evaluation of environment factors

Review Assessment and Management of UI in Primary Care with this flow diagram.

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It can be helpful for patients to keep a written record of continent and incontinent voids.

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