Tests

To help diagnose your incontinence, doctors may have to use some exams and medical tests to find out the root causes and measure the extent of it.

Most likely, your doctor will start with the basics: medical history and a physical examination. He will look for common causes of problems like urinary tract infections (UTI), stool impaction, poorly controlled diabetes, or if it could be a side effect of a medication you're taking. He may also decide to do some simple tests like:

Urinalysis: analyzing a sample of urine taken mid-stream (microscopic and chemical exams done).
Urine Culture: to check for infections.

Past that point, you can expect any of the following:

Voiding log or diary: a log you keep of all the liquids taken and urination (time, quantity, voluntary or not, etc).
Bladder stress test and Bonney test (for women): to see how much urine is released when coughing.
Pad test: a pad is weighed before and after urine release to measure quantity of urine released.
Cystoscopy: visual examination of the urethra and bladder.
Voiding cystourethrography: a special x-ray that shows the shape of the lower urinary tract.
Uroflow: measures the pattern of urine flow.
Post-residual volume (PVR): measures how much urine is left after urination.
Urodynamics: It is the investigation of functional disorders of the lower urinary tract, i.e. the bladder and the urethra.

In case of fecal incontinence, these tests are also commonly used:

Digital rectal exam: an examination of the lower rectum to check for hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and stool abnormalities.
Anal manometry: measures tightness of the sphincter and rectum sensitivity.
Anorectal ultrasonography: uses ultrasound imaging to view the sphincters.
Proctography (defecography): an imaging study of rectal evacuation using fluoroscopy or MRI.
Proctosigmoidoscopy: internal examination of the colon with a sigmoidoscope (camera).
Anal electromyography: checks for nerve damage.

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