Is Frequent Urination a Type of Incontinence?

Having to urinate more than eight times in a 24-hour period is considered ‘frequent’, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re incontinent.

When frequent urination is accompanied by a sudden and urgent need to go, and you don’t always make it to the toilet without some involuntary loss, then that is incontinence. Find out more about urge incontinence here.

If you can control the urge and comfortably make it every time then, strictly speaking, you’re not incontinent. However, like incontinence, frequent urination is usually a symptom of an underlying issue and should be investigated.

What are the causes of frequent urination?

Here are some typical causes; click on them for further information.

• A urinary tract infection (UTI) – the most common reason
• A bladder prolapse – where your bladder has ‘dropped’ or slipped out of place
• An obstruction or blockage – from stones in your urethra or for men, an enlarged prostate

Some chronic diseases, particularly diabetes, produce excessive urine which requires frequent voiding, and neurologic conditions or injuries that have damaged the nerves and impaired messages getting between the brain and bladder can also have an impact on how often you need to urinate.

Anxiety about not getting to a toilet in time can lead to poor bladder habits like going to the toilet ‘just in case’. This behaviour can, in fact, lead to an overactive bladder. The good news is, if this is the cause, you can retrain your bladder over time and reduce the number of times you need to go.

Aside from being disruptive to your day, in rare cases, frequent urination can be a sign of ovarian or other cancer, so if you are consistently going more than eight times within each 24-hour period and don’t have an infection, you must make an appointment to see your doctor.

Asaleo Care Pty Ltd makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional, medical or other health professional advice.