Which term describes the inability to control bowel or bladder movement?

Which term describes the inability to control bowel or bladder movement?

• A. Incontinence
• B. Infusion
• C. Infiltration
• D. Inspiration

Answer: (A)

Incontinence is the loss of voluntary control over a bodily function, specifically the inability to hold urine or stool, leading to involuntary leakage. The term comes from the root idea of holding or containing, so when that control is lost, continence is lacking. In EMS and medical terminology, this covers urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence, phenomena that can result from a variety of causes affecting nerves or sphincter function. The other terms refer to different concepts altogether—infusion is about delivering fluids into the body, infiltration is fluid leaking into surrounding tissue from an IV, and inspiration is breathing in.

Incontinence is the loss of voluntary control over a bodily function, specifically the inability to hold urine or stool, leading to involuntary leakage. The term comes from the root idea of holding or containing, so when that control is lost, continence is lacking. In EMS and medical terminology, this covers urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence, phenomena that can result from a variety of causes affecting nerves or sphincter function. The other terms refer to different concepts altogether—infusion is about delivering fluids into the body, infiltration is fluid leaking into surrounding tissue from an IV, and inspiration is breathing in.