Who has bladder problems?

For a start, bladder problems are much more common than most of us think. In the UK, almost six million adults have loss of bladder control.

What's more, many people think bladder problems go hand-in-hand with getting older, but in fact anyone at any age can suffer from them. And they're not just an inevitable part of ageing.

And although they do more commonly affect older people, bladder problems can often occur in people in their early 30s or 40s, or at an even younger age. Among middle aged women, for instance, over half have experienced loss of bladder control. One in 1,000 men aged under 65 are affected, rising to around one in 75 men aged over 65.

Not surprisingly, pregnancy can put a strain on your bladder and this is why you're more likely to have bladder problems if you're expecting a baby or after giving birth. There are also links between menopause and incontinence, and men and women who are overweight are more likely to develop bladder problems.

For some people, bladder problems can be put down simply to everyday habits that can irritate the bladder, such as overdoing the caffeine. But for many others, no particular reason is found.