Is It Normal To Leak When Sneezing?

If you’ve ever sneezed and felt like something came out, don’t worry too much. It’s not normal to leak when sneezing, but it is possible.

If you unintentionally pee while sneezing, giggling, or straining frequently, you may have stress incontinence. This is when your pelvic floor muscles are too weak to hold your urethra closed, so it leaks whenever you do anything that puts pressure on your bladder.

What can I do about it?

If you’re worried about stress incontinence (or any form of urinary leakage) there are some things you can try.

Pelvic floor exercises can increase the strength of your pelvic muscles and, in some cases, cure stress incontinence.

You can also try to lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Being a healthy weight will help reduce the extra pressure on your bladder that may be causing the problem.

If these things don’t work, medications or surgery may be an option.

Is it normal to leak when sneezing?

No, you’re not doing anything wrong. But yes, it is possible to accidentally pee during a sneeze. Leaking happens when your pelvic floor muscles are too weak to hold your urethra closed, so it “leaks” whenever you do anything that puts pressure on your bladder.

Stress incontinence can happen to anyone, but it’s especially common after pregnancy or childbirth. It may also be an issue for people who are overweight or obese.

What is stress incontinence?

Stress incontinence is when the muscles that support your bladder and urethra are too weak to keep it closed during activities that put pressure on your bladder. These activities could include coughing, lifting something heavy, laughing, straining while going to the bathroom, or sneezing/blowing your nose.

Depending on how bad the stress incontinence is, you may also leak when you don’t do any of these activities. You might notice it most after your bladder is full.

What causes stress incontinence?

Stress incontinence can happen if the muscles that hold your bladder in place are too weak to prevent leaking. This could be because of-

Childbirth: sometimes the muscles and tissues that hold your bladder in place (pelvic floor muscles and pelvic organs) can be damaged during childbirth.
Injury to the pelvic region: certain injuries, like sports or car accidents, can injure the pelvic region.
Obesity: being overweight puts pressure on your bladder, which can lead to stress incontinence.
Menopause: your body goes through a lot of hormonal changes during menopause, and one of them is lowering your estrogen levels. Lower estrogen levels reduce the amount of urethral sphincter we produce, making it easier to leak while sneezing or straining.
Prostate surgery: surgery on the prostate can weaken some of your pelvic muscles, leading to stress incontinence.
Hysterectomy: removing the uterus can weaken your pelvic muscles.

There are can also be other factors that contribute to stress incontinence, including illnesses that cause chronic coughing, smoking, and even just getting older.

Who’s at risk for stress incontinence?

There are a few things that can increase your risk of developing stress incontinence, like-

Being female: women are more likely to develop stress incontinence than men. Pregnancy and childbirth may be the most common cause of stress incontinence in women.
Being overweight or obese: Being overweight puts extra pressure on your bladder, which can lead to stress incontinence.
Having a chronic medical condition like asthma, COPD, diabetes, thyroid disease, or multiple sclerosis.
Being older: age-related changes in your pelvic muscles may make it harder for them to hold the urethra closed when you sneeze.

How can I stop myself from peeing when I cough?

Kegel Exercise: You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing Kegel exercises. You can do these anywhere, even while you’re shopping or talking with a friend. They’re easy- just squeeze the muscles you would use to stop peeing midstream and hold for three seconds, then relax for another three seconds. Do it 10 times in a row, three times a day.
Biofeedback: This therapy uses special monitoring equipment that lets you see the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. Then, through relaxation training and exercises, you can learn how to control those muscles.
Lifestyle: Some experts think that avoiding caffeine, smoking, and alcohol can help reduce bladder irritation and your chances of leaking. If you have trouble remembering to do your exercises or follow your tips- consider wearing a pad or panty liner every day.

Surgery

If nothing works, you might need surgery. Surgical procedures for stress incontinence include:

Bladder sling procedure: a surgeon places a sling of tissue from your body (a graft) under the urethra, to help keep it closed.
Urethral Bulking injections: the doctor injects collagen or another substance into the bladder neck and urethra to bulk up those tissues that are too weak. This makes it harder for urine to leak out.
Colposuspension: your surgeon attaches a piece of surgical mesh to the top of your pubic bone and another strip under your urethra. This lifts gently tightens sagging vaginal tissues and supports your bladder neck.

Conclusion

If you frequently pee when you sneeze, it can affect the quality of your life. Always consult a doctor if you have trouble holding your pee when you sneeze, cough, laugh, jog or jump.

If there’s no evident cause of stress incontinence then it is advisable that you seek medical help to prevent further complications and control the symptoms.

Don’t let it pass, because it can lead to serious bladder infections that are tough to treat.

Also, doing Kegel Exercises won’t harm you or your baby.

So ladies do them regularly and stay healthy!

Thank You.

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Is It Normal To Leak When Sneezing?