Consuming excess alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic. It causes your bladder to fill quickly, triggering an urgent and sometimes uncontrollable need to urinate. In addition, alcohol can temporarily impair your ability to recognize the need to urinate and act on that need in a timely manner.  

Drinking a lot of fluid. Drinking a lot of water or other beverages, particularly in a short period of time, increases the amount of urine your bladder has to deal with and may result in an occasional accident.

Not drinking enough fluid. If you have urge incontinence, you may try to limit your fluids to reduce the number of trips to the toilet. However, if you don't consume enough liquid to stay hydrated, your urine can occasionally become very concentrated. This collection of concentrated salts can irritate your bladder and worsen your urge incontinence.

Overdoing the caffeine. Caffeine also is a diuretic. It causes your bladder to fill more quickly than usual so that you suddenly and perhaps uncontrollably need to urinate.

Consuming foods and beverages that irritate your bladder. Carbonated drinks, tea and coffee — with or without caffeine — may irritate your bladder and cause episodes of urge incontinence. Citrus fruits and juices and artificial sweeteners also can be sources of aggravation.

Taking certain medications. Sedatives, such as sleeping pills, can sometimes interfere with your ability to control bladder function. Other medications — including water pills (diuretics), muscle relaxants and antidepressants — can cause or increase incontinence. Some high blood pressure drugs, heart medications and cold medicines also can affect bladder function. After surgery, some people experience temporary overflow incontinence from the lingering effects of anesthesia.

Urinary tract infection. This very common condition can cause bladder irritation and even incontinence. This infection involves your urinary tract, usually your bladder — in which case it's called a bladder infection (cystitis). Germs from the outside enter your urethra and bladder, then start to multiply. The resulting infection irritates your bladder, causing you to experience strong urges to urinate. These urges may result in episodes of incontinence, which may be your only warning sign of a urinary tract infection. Other possible signs and symptoms include a burning sensation when you urinate and foul-smelling urine.

Constipation. The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard, compacted stool in your rectum causes these nerves to be overactive, causing you to leak urine.