Can Constipation Cause Urinary Incontinence?

Most people associate constipation with digestive discomfort, but it can also affect other areas of the body. One surprising link is between constipation and urinary incontinence.

If you’ve ever struggled with bladder control and found yourself dealing with infrequent bowel movements at the same time, you’re not alone. These two issues are connected.

Keep reading to understand how your bowel habits can influence your bladder, and what you can do to manage both conditions effectively.

How the bladder and bowel are connected

Your bladder and bowel sit close to each other in the lower abdomen and share many of the same nerves and muscles. These organs rely on the pelvic floor muscles to function properly. When one is under strain, it can impact the other.

If you’re constipated, your bowel becomes swollen and hard due to the build-up of waste. This can press against the bladder, reducing its capacity or interfering with its ability to empty properly. It may also cause the bladder to become overactive, leading to urgency, leakage, or incomplete emptying.

Children, older adults, and people with reduced mobility are especially vulnerable to these overlapping symptoms.

What are the causes of constipation?

There are many reasons why you might experience constipation. These include:

A diet low in fibre or fluids
Ignoring the urge to go to the toilet
Reduced physical activity
Medication side effects (including some painkillers and antidepressants)
Hormonal changes
Neurological conditions like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis

Constipation isn’t always about frequency. It can also mean difficulty passing stools, or a sense that your bowel hasn’t emptied properly. When this becomes chronic, the chances of developing urinary incontinence can increase.

How constipation leads to urinary incontinence

When your rectum fills with hardened stool, it puts pressure on nearby organs. The bladder, being right next to the bowel, is directly affected. This pressure can confuse the bladder’s signals to the brain, causing the urge to urinate more often than usual.

In some cases, the pressure makes it harder for the bladder to hold urine for long periods. This can lead to urge incontinence, where you feel a sudden, intense need to urinate and sometimes don’t make it to the toilet in time.

Constipation can also contribute to overflow incontinence. This is when the bladder doesn’t empty completely and ends up leaking small amounts of urine later on. The added bowel pressure can make it harder for the bladder to contract, resulting in dribbling and frequent urination.

Signs your bladder issues may be linked to constipation

It’s easy to treat urinary incontinence and constipation as separate issues. But if they occur at the same time, treating one may improve the other. Here are some signs that the two may be linked:

You notice more bladder leaks during times of constipation
Your incontinence improves when your bowel movements become regular
You feel pressure or fullness in the lower abdomen
You often strain when trying to pass stool
Your urine stream is weak or interrupted.

Practical ways to manage both issues

The good news is that simple lifestyle changes can often make a big difference. If you’re dealing with both constipation and urinary incontinence, there are several steps you can take to ease your symptoms.

Improve your diet

Eating more fibre helps soften your stool and encourages regular bowel movements. Good sources include wholemeal bread, oats, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Be sure to increase fibre gradually and drink enough fluids to prevent the stool from becoming too hard.

Hydration also supports bladder health. Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, and avoid drinks that can irritate the bladder, such as caffeine, alcohol, and fizzy drinks.

Stay physically active

Regular movement helps stimulate the muscles in your gut, making bowel movements more regular. Even short daily walks can have a positive effect. Physical activity also strengthens your pelvic floor, which supports both bladder and bowel control.

If you’ve been sedentary due to illness or limited mobility, speak with a healthcare professional about safe ways to reintroduce activity into your routine.

Avoid straining

Straining during a bowel movement puts added stress on your pelvic floor muscles. Over time, this can weaken the muscles that control your bladder, making leaks more likely.

Try to go to the toilet when you first feel the urge. Sit in a position that allows your knees to be slightly higher than your hips, and take your time. You can also use a small footstool to help achieve this angle.

Strengthen your pelvic floor

Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, involve squeezing and relaxing the muscles you’d use to stop urinating mid-flow. These exercises are simple, can be done anywhere, and can strengthen your bladder and bowel control.

Consistency is key. Try to do these exercises every day. If you’re not sure how to do them properly, ask your GP for guidance or a referral to a pelvic health physiotherapist.

Special considerations for older adults

Ageing brings natural changes to both the digestive and urinary systems. Muscles weaken, nerve signals slow, and many older adults take medications that increase the risk of constipation.

Because of these factors, older people face higher rates of both urinary incontinence and constipation. In care settings, these issues can sometimes be overlooked or accepted as inevitable. But they’re not something you should have to tolerate.

Proper nutrition, access to toilet facilities, good hydration, and regular movement can all make a significant difference.

It all starts with small steps

If you’ve been struggling with bladder leaks and haven’t considered your bowel habits, now’s the time. Constipation doesn’t just affect digestion, it can place unnecessary stress on the bladder and lead to problems like urinary incontinence.

Taking small steps to improve your diet, hydration, physical activity, and toilet habits can ease both issues at once. If symptoms persist, don’t ignore them. Speak to a healthcare provider who can guide you towards the right support and treatment.

Maneesh Ghei

Mr Maneesh Ghei MS MRCSEd MD (UCL) FRCS (Urol) is a highly experienced Consultant Urological Surgeon and founder of Urocare London, with over three decades of practice in both NHS and private settings across the capital. As Lead Cancer Clinician at Whittington Hospital, Archway, he chairs the multidisciplinary urology cancer meeting, overseeing patient care from diagnosis through to the latest minimally invasive treatments. A pioneer in complex endourology and stone disease management, Mr Ghei led the UK’s first randomised, double-blind trial of intradetrusor botulinum toxin for refractory overactive bladder. He holds an MBBS and MS in General Surgery from India, an MD from University College London, and undertook advanced fellowships in stone disease and laparoscopic surgery, culminating in his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (Urology). Committed to education and research, he supervises doctoral work in focal therapies and cryotherapy for prostate cancer and champions public awareness through annual Movember fundraising.