Nurse Teaching on Overflow Incontinence and Risk Factors for Overflow Incontinence

Nurse educated the patient and caregiver on overflow incontinence as follows:

  1. Overflow incontinence occurs when the individual is unable to empty the bladder completely.
  2. When the bladder is incompletely emptied, a portion of urine is retained in the bladder.
  3. Gradually more volume of urine is accumulated in the bladder, thus resulting in overflow and sudden leaking of a portion of the accumulated urine.
  4. Backup of urine in the bladder can also lead to repeated bladder infections.
  5. Overflow incontinence is more common in males than females.

Risk Factors for Overflow Incontinence

Nurse educated the patient and caregiver that the risk factors for overflow incontinence can include any conditions obstructing urine flow out of the bladder. Most common conditions include:

  1. Enlarged prostate: Prostate is a small gland in males, located between the bladder and penis. The urethra draining the urine out from the bladder passes through the center of the prostate into the penis and drains the urine out. Any enlargement of prostate will press onto the urethra draining the urine from bladder and results in backup of urine in the bladder.
  2. Poorly managed diabetes with diabetic neuropathy and other nervous system disorders, such as, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease can result in effective bladder contractions, thus leading to urine retention in the bladder.
  3. Any conditions of low back injuries and low back surgeries can damage the nerve supply to the bladder and consequently result in weak bladder muscles and ineffective bladder contractions resulting in urine retention in the bladder.
  4. Any tumors of the urethra or urinary stones obstructing the passage of urine can also lead to retention of urine in bladder.
  5. All the factors causing urinary retention in the bladder can contribute towards overflow incontinence.

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