[Investigating urinary incontinence]

Urinary incontinence and other bladder disorders belong to the most common female diseases. Investigation should always start with simple measures. A problem-oriented history and a differentiated clinical examination, eventually complemented with search for infection, miction calendar and assessment of residual urine most often lead to a rather precise diagnosis and to the initiation of a primarily conservative treatment. If primary therapy is unsuccessful stepwise integration of additional diagnostic measures like cystoscopy, ultrasound, X-ray and urethrocystometry is indicated. Surgical interventions in particular demand, in the authors' view a foregoing urodynamic examination. Execution of the investigations, interpretation of the results and their impact on recommendations for therapy are explained.