Is it normal to have bladder control problems as I get older?

Is it normal to have bladder control problems as I get older?

Jennifer Anger, M.D, M.P.H. (Assistant Professor) gives expert video advice on: What can I do if I can't make it to the bathroom in time to urinate?; What can I do if I lose control of my bladder when I sneeze, cough or laugh?; What can I do if I lose control of my bladder when I lift weights? and more...

Although incontinence is definitely more common with aging and it progresses in frequency and severity with age, we don't consider it to be a normal part of aging because we have treatment options. There are, depending on the type of leakage a patient has, there are a lot of treatment options, many of which involve the patient; restricting fluids, not letting their bladder get too full, learning pelvic floor exercises. When that doesn't work then there's treatment options that we can do. For urge incontinence we often treat medically with medication. And with stress incontinence there are surgical treatment measures. Some are very minimally invasive and some are more invasive.