Several body systems must work together to control the bladder.

Pelvic floor muscles hold the bladder in place.
Sphincter muscles keep the urethra closed.
The bladder muscle relaxes when it fills with urine and squeezes when it's time to urinate.
Nerves carry signals from the bladder to let the brain know when the bladder is full.
Nerves also carry signals from the brain to tell the bladder when it's time to urinate.
Hormones help keep the lining of the bladder and urethra healthy.

Bladder control problems can start when any one of these features is not working properly.

What are the different types of bladder control problems?
Not all bladder control problems are alike. Some are caused by weak muscles; others by damaged nerves. Sometimes, the cause may be a medicine that dulls the nerves.

To help solve your problem, your doctor or nurse will try to identify the type of bladder control problem you have. It may be one or more of the following six types.

Temporary incontinence. As the name suggests, temporary incontinence doesn't last. You may have an illness, like a urinary tract infection, that causes frequent and sudden urination that you can't control. Or you may find that a new medicine has the unexpected side effect of increasing your urination. These problems go away as soon as the cause is found and corrected.

Stress incontinence. If you leak urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze or exercise, you have stress incontinence. Mental stress does not cause stress incontinence. The "stress" is pressure on the bladder. When your pelvic and sphincter muscles are strong, they can handle the extra pressure from a cough, sneeze, exercise or laugh. But when those muscles are weak, that sudden pressure can push urine out of the bladder.

In stress incontinence, weak pelvic muscles can let urine escape when a cough or other action puts pressure on the bladder.

Urge incontinence. If you leak urine after a strong, sudden urge to urinate, you have urge incontinence. This bladder control problem may be caused by nerve damage from diabetes, a stroke, an infection or another medical condition.

Mixed incontinence. This is a mix of stress and urge incontinence. You may leak urine with a laugh or sneeze at one time. At another time, you may have a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate just before you leak.