Why Do I Pee When I Sneeze?
You’re not the only woman who accidentally pees when you sneeze. But if you’re wondering: why do I pee when I sneeze? The answer is SUI, and it’s a condition that’s more common than you think.
Up to one-third of women will suffer from urine leaks caused by a condition known as SUI at some point in their lives.1 SUI or stress urinary incontinence is when urine leaks because of pressure on your bladder, such as when you sneeze. You may also find yourself leaking urine when coughing or exercising.
Of the different forms of incontinence, SUI is the most common, at 50% of all cases of female urinary incontinence.2
If you pee when you sneeze, you’re not alone, and you can seek treatment.
I Pee When I Laugh
Enjoying a few laughs with friends is fun. Peeing when you laugh is not!
Many women notice urine loss during laughing, sneezing, or coughing. This article by the Pelvic Awareness Project explains why stress urinary incontinence occurs, the role of the pelvic floor, and what women can do to regain bladder control. Readers will find both lifestyle solutions and professional options that help restore confidence.
What is Stress Urinary Incontinence?
Peeing when you laugh is no laughing matter, and neither is peeing when you exercise, cough, or sneeze. Unfortunately, it’s a common condition that affects many women worldwide. Its prevalence may be higher than reported since some women are embarrassed to talk about urine leaks with a health care provider.
Any activity that puts pressure on the bladder can lead to a leak. That includes sneezing, as well as other stress incontinence triggers like coughing, laughing, bending over, heavy lifting, exercising, and having sex.3
Why Do I Have SUI?
SUI is common among women, and the chance of suffering from SUI increases as we age.
Certain risk factors can lead to stress incontinence:4
- Being overweight or obese.
- Chronic constipation.
- A chronic cough.
- Diabetes.
- Smoking.
- Uterine prolapse, a pelvic condition that causes your uterus to drop from its usual spot.
- Menopause.
- Being 65 or older
- Pregnancy and childbirth, especially a vaginal delivery.
The Pelvic Floor and SUI
One of the leading causes of SUI is weakness in the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles support your bladder and urethra and are usually strong enough to prevent leaks. But when the pelvic floor muscles weaken, they can no longer support your urethra under pressure. That can lead to SUI.
Obesity, coughing, and constipation can all cause urine leaks because they increase the pressure on the pelvic floor and can weaken the muscles.
As well, women face a double whammy: the lack of estrogen brought on by menopause creates a decline in tissue strength, and our muscles naturally diminish as we age. As a result, about 1 out of every 2 females 65 and older has stress urinary incontinence. But this is not a normal part of aging. This is a condition that can be treated.4
How To Stop Urine Leaks
Stress incontinence is a common condition with effective treatment options. If you are suffering from regular urine leaks, use the Pelvic Awareness Project’s Physician Finder to find a doctor near you with expertise in women’s health.
Your doctor may suggest some of these lifestyle options to prevent leaking urine when coughing.
Get Fit With Kegels
Just as you can lift weights to strengthen your arm or leg muscles, you can also do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. These are known as Kegels and can be incorporated into a daily routine by women of all ages. In fact, research has proven that pelvic floor exercises can be used as an effective treatment for SUI and as a preventative measure.5
What is a Kegel? This is when you contract your pelvic floor, like when you’re trying to stop the flow of urine or prevent gas from passing. Contract for three seconds, followed by fully relaxing the muscles for three seconds. Work up to 10-15 repetitions each time you do Kegels, and up to 3 sessions a day.
If you want to learn more about adding pelvic floor exercises to your routine, review this detailed description of everything you need to know about Kegels.
Get the Knack
Before your muscles get strong enough to prevent leaks, you may use another technique when you sense stress incontinence triggers. Known as “The Knack,” it’s a form of Kegel exercise that temporarily prevents leaks.
To do it, contract your pelvic floor muscles just before a sneeze, a cough, or when laughing. This contraction helps support the pelvic floor and can prevent or reduce leaks caused by the pressure of a sneeze.
There are different ways to do the knack, whether you’re sitting or standing. You can pull your pelvic floor muscles up just like during a Kegel, cross one leg in front of the other, or turn your body at the waist.6
Deal With Risk Factors
A long-term strategy to manage SUI involves dealing with the factors that put you at risk. Here are some examples:4
- Treating long-term constipation by eating high-fiber foods and drinking plenty of water.
- Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight for you.
- Managing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Quitting smoking can lead to a second risk factor of a chronic cough.
- Lifestyle modifications, like using the bathroom at set times.
- Staying active, since a sedentary lifestyle and prolonged sitting are associated with stress urinary incontinence in females.7
Treatments for SUI
SUI can have significant negative impacts on your quality of life. Don’t suffer in silence. See a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
In some cases, the stress incontinence is severe enough to require surgery, but there are options for minimally invasive procedures that can restore your quality of life. There are also devices like a pessary or a vaginal insert, which can support your urethra and allow you to enjoy everyday activities.8
Don’t Suffer in Silence
Stress urinary incontinence may be common, but it can be treated. You deserve a leak-free laugh, sneeze, or cough.
If you’re experiencing bladder leaks when you sneeze, cough, or laugh, help is available. The Pelvic Awareness Project connects women to trusted providers who specialize in pelvic health.
Find a pelvic health doctor near you with our Physician Finder Tool.
References:
1 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472862/
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26366798/
3 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stress-incontinence/symptoms-causes/syc-20355727
4 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22262-stress-incontinence
6 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-do-i-pee-when-i-sneeze
7 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10950664/
8 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stress-incontinence/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355732