Which symptom is most associated with urge incontinence?

Urge incontinence is characterized primarily by a sudden and intense urge to urinate, which is often difficult to control. This strong desire to urinate is usually accompanied by the involuntary loss of urine, leading many individuals to experience episodes of incontinence. In essence, the defining symptom of urge incontinence is the urgency that precedes the actual loss of urine, making it a hallmark feature of this condition.

Other options may be related to different forms of urinary incontinence. For instance, leakage during coughing aligns more with stress incontinence, where physical exertion causes leakage due to compromised pelvic floor support. The inability to empty the bladder completely is associated with other conditions, such as bladder outlet obstruction or poor bladder contractility rather than urge incontinence. Similarly, the involuntary loss of small amounts of urine can occur in various types of urinary incontinence, but it does not specifically capture the sudden, strong urge that defines urge incontinence. Therefore, the strongest association with urge incontinence is indeed the sudden and intense desire to urinate.