Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder contracts suddenly, so that the normal "urge" to urinate becomes a severe feeling of urgency. A person with urge incontinence will generally have a sudden urge to urinate, followed by urine leakage that can range from a few drops to soaking. The urgency and leakage may occur in response to a stimulus, such as unlocking the door when returning home, going out in the cold, turning on the faucet, or washing the hands.
There are many other names that are used to describe urge incontinence. These names include overactive bladder, detrusor instability or overactivity, and irritable or spastic bladder. These terms all describe the same condition.
Some people with overactive bladder have symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency during the daytime only, while other people also have to urinate frequently during the night (called nocturia). Frequency is defined as the need to urinate more often than other people (normal is considered to be eight times in 24 hours).
