Why Do I Leak Urine When I Sneeze? See The Real Reason
What is the first thing you do when you sneeze? Cover your mouth, right? You probably don’t want to get a nasty cold or flu from someone else.
But what if you sneezed and instead of that familiar “ah-choo” sound coming out, it was more like a little drip?
If this has happened to you, then chances are it’s because of stress urinary incontinence.
It may not be as bad as full-on peeing your pants but those little drips can add up!
Read on for some tips on how to stop leaking urine when you sneeze.
The first step is figuring out if you have this type of incontinence – there are other types that we’ll get into later – and then finding the root cause.
Once we know what’s going on we can move to the next step: preventing it from happening again.
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is when a person leaks urine during certain activities such as coughing, sneezing and exercising. It’s the most common type of bladder control problem for women.
Many people think that SUI is simply having an accident, but this isn’t always the case; it can be light leaking or just a feeling of urgency or wetness.
What causes SUI?
There are several types of SUI but the most common type is called urethral hypermobility. This means that your urethra isn’t doing its job properly. Other names for this symptom are stress urinary incontinence, dysfunctional voiding or intrinsic sphincter deficiency.
The urethra is the tube inside your body that leads from your bladder to the outside world.
When you have this type of incontinence, the muscles in your urethra aren’t strong enough to keep urine in when extra pressure or stress is applied to the area, such as coughing or sneezing. So instead, urine leaks out.
Other possible causes of SUI are:
Uterine prolapse – when the uterus slips down into the vagina
Vaginal vault prolapse – when the top of the vagina slips down into the vaginal opening
Kidney stones- if these are blocking the urethra then this can cause leakage
Pregnancy and childbirth can also put your pelvic floor muscles at risk.
You mentioned other types of incontinence – how do I know what type I have?
If you’re not sure which type of bladder control problem you have, then visit your doctor or healthcare professional. They can help you figure this out by asking questions about the symptoms that you’re experiencing and also give you a physical examination.
If SUI is your problem, then your doctor may ask if pregnancy and childbirth are factors in your case.
If they suspect another type of incontinence, such as urge incontinence, then they may ask if you feel the need to pee when you cough or sneeze.
Once your doctor knows what type of incontinence you have, they can help determine realistic treatment options for your symptoms.
How common is SUI?
SUI affects around one in three women at some point in their lifetimes, so it’s very common. But this type of incontinence becomes more prevalent with age for obvious reasons.
Because SUI is most common in older people, many believe that you can only get it during or after pregnancy, but this isn’t the case.
Any woman of any age can get SUI if she has the right conditions, such as weakened pelvic floor muscles.
I’m young and I still get SUI – what can I do about it?
It’s good that you’re taking steps to sort out your bladder control problem at this early stage. Trust me, if you ignore it then it will only get worse with time!
Every woman’s situation is different so what works for one may not work for another. But here are some tips to try:
pee as soon as you feel the need to go – don’t wait, as this can make your bladder over-fill and put extra pressure on your pelvic floor muscles
hold off going if possible – holding off urinating can put extra pressure on your bladder, so try and hold it when you pee as much as possible
take regular breaks from sitting down – if you feel wetness or a sudden urge then stand up straight away. This will help to move the muscles in your pelvic floor into a more natural position
reduce caffeine intake – too much coffee can make your bladder more sensitive and increase your urge to go
drink plenty of water – this will help prevent urine from becoming too concentrated, which makes it easier for your bladder muscles to push out
Try pelvic floor muscle training – this will strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and improve the tone of these muscles
Take Confitrol24 supplement for a few months – this will help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
You say that SUI affects around one in three women at some point in their lifetimes, but I’ve heard that it happens more commonly after pregnancy. Is this true?
Yes, sometimes SUI is caused by the muscles and tissues of the vaginal wall stretching during childbirth. This can be due to many factors, such as having a large baby or being over the age of 35.
A crucial thing to remember is that SUI doesn’t just affect older women. Any woman of any age can get it if she has the right conditions, which are weakened pelvic floor muscles and extra pressure on the bladder.
If you’re young, you should be aware of these symptoms and look after your pelvic floor muscles. This will make it much easier to treat the condition when you do need help with it, especially if you try to correct any bad habits early.
