Signs & Symptoms of Stress Incontinence

Stress incontinence is the uncontrolled leakage of urine that occurs when you do an activity that applies pressure to your bladder. Urine leakage stops when the activity ceases. According to the Urology Channel, stress incontinence is a result of weak pelvic muscles, which have allowed your bladder to drop and push down toward the urethra. Because of this drop, the muscles used to help your urethral sphincter control urine flow do not operate as effectively as they should.

Coughing and Sneezing

• The amount of urine leaked during coughing depends on the severity and length of the cough and how full the bladder is when coughing commences. If you have stress incontinence, you may also experience urine leakage when you sneeze. The urine generally comes out in a burst, and the amount may be light or heavy.

Excercise and Standing Up

• If you have stress incontinence, you may often experience urine leakage when you exercise. Any exercise movement that causes you to strain can cause the leakage, particularly exercises that work on the abdomen muscles. You may also leak urine when you go from a seated position to a standing position.

Laughing

• Belly laughs tend to produce more urine leakage than light laughter or giggling. Laughing puts pressure on your abdomen, which in turn presses on your bladder. Leakage stops when you stop laughing.

Lifting

• Urine leakage may occur when you lift objects such as boxes, furniture or a child. The object doesn't have to be overly heavy for leakage to occur. Anytime you lift an object and the abdomen muscles apply pressure to the bladder, leakage can occur.

Considerations

• You may have stress incontinence but not experience urine leakage every time you do an activity that puts pressure on the bladder. However, urine leakage is more likely to occur when your bladder is full. Leakage that interferes with daily living should be reported to a physician.