Do you have a little pee come out when you cough? It can be a common problem for a lot of women and men. This is called stress incontinence, and it’s the most common type of urinary incontinence. The good news is that there are easy ways to help stop peeing when coughing. Here are 10 tips to help you manage urinary leakage.
Author Intro
As a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant with over 7 years of experience, I am passionate about helping women discover how to exercise properly and heal their pain. Join me at Good Mind + Body, where we create a supportive space for women to learn, grow, and achieve their health and wellness goals.
What is Stress Incontinence?
Stress incontinence occurs when physical movement or activity, such as coughing, puts pressure (stress) on your bladder, leading to unintentional urine leakage. This condition is distinct from other types of incontinence, as it is specifically triggered by physical exertion.
Types of Incontinence
There are several types of urinary incontinence, each with different triggers and symptoms:
- Stress Incontinence: Leakage due to physical activity.
- Urge Incontinence: A sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by involuntary leakage.
- Overflow Incontinence: Frequent or constant dribbling of urine due to a bladder that doesn’t empty completely.
- Neurogenic Incontinence: Caused by the disturbance of the nervous system.
What Causes Stress Incontinence?
There are many causes of SUI (stress urinary incontinence). Pelvic floor weakness is the most common cause. Childbirth, hormonal changes, and aging can all weaken the pelvic muscles. Chronic cough, heavy lifting, and obesity are also risk factors.
Several factors can contribute to stress incontinence:
- Pregnancy and Childbirth: These can stretch and weaken pelvic floor muscles.
- Menopause: Decreased estrogen levels can weaken bladder and urethra tissues.
- Prostate Surgery: For men, prostate surgery can sometimes lead to stress incontinence.
- Obesity: Excess weight increases pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles.
- Aging: Muscle tone naturally decreases with age, affecting bladder control.
What Causes a Weak Bladder When Coughing?
A weak bladder, particularly noticeable when coughing, is often due to weakened pelvic floor muscles.
These muscles support the bladder and help control the release of urine.
Factors such as aging, childbirth, and obesity can weaken these muscles, making it harder to control urination under physical stress.
What Happens When Coughing
When you cough, your abdominal muscles contract, increasing pressure on your bladder. If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, they might not be able to counteract this pressure, leading to a small leakage of urine.
What Happens with the Pelvic Floor, Postpartum
After giving birth, many women experience weakness in their pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to urinary leakage. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support your bladder, uterus, and rectum. When these muscles are weakened, they struggle to control the release of urine during activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing.
Why Does It Only Happen When I Am Pregnant?
Pregnancy places additional stress on your pelvic floor due to the weight of the growing baby and hormonal changes. The added pressure and changes in your body can make it more difficult for your pelvic floor muscles to control urine flow, leading to incontinence or peeing when coughing.
Top 10 Tips to Stop Urine Leakage When Coughing
1. Increase the Surrounding Muscle Strengths
EX: Improve Your Hip Strength
Strengthening your hip muscles can also help reduce incontinence. Exercises like squats, lunges, and bridges can improve your hip strength and provide better support for your pelvic floor.
2. Try Pelvic Floor Exercises
Other pelvic floor exercises can also help. These exercises make your bladder muscles stronger and give you better control over your urine flow.
Kegels
Kegels are exercises designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. They involve repeatedly contracting and relaxing these muscles to build strength and endurance.
How to Do Kegels:
- Identify the Muscles: The easiest way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to try to stop the flow of urine midstream.
- Contract: Squeeze and lift these muscles for a count of three to five seconds.
- Relax: Release the contraction and rest for a count of three to five seconds.
- Repeat: Do 10-15 repetitions in a set, and aim for three sets a day.
Benefits of Kegels:
- Improves muscle strength and endurance.
- Enhances bladder control.
- Helps with recovery post-childbirth.
- Prevents urinary incontinence.
The Knack
The Knack is a technique used to prevent urine leakage during activities that suddenly increase abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, or laughing. It involves a quick, preemptive contraction of the pelvic floor muscles just before and during these activities.
How to Do The Knack:
- Anticipate the Activity: When you feel a cough, sneeze, or laugh coming on, prepare to tighten your pelvic floor muscles.
- Contract Quickly: Just before the activity, quickly squeeze your pelvic floor muscles.
- Hold: Maintain the contraction while you cough, sneeze, or laugh.
- Release: Once the activity is over, relax the muscles.
Benefits of The Knack:
- Provides immediate support to the bladder during sudden pressure increases.
- Reduces episodes of urine leakage.
- Can be used in conjunction with Kegels for better overall pelvic floor control.
Key Differences
- Purpose: Kegels are primarily for building strength and endurance in the pelvic floor muscles, while the Knack is a technique to prevent leakage during sudden pressure increases.
- Timing: Kegels are done regularly throughout the day, whereas The Knack is performed immediately before and during activities that stress the bladder.
- Execution: Kegels involve holding contractions for a few seconds repeatedly, while The Knack involves a quick contraction just before and during activities like coughing or sneezing.
3. Make Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Avoid foods and drinks that irritate your urinary system, like caffeine and spicy foods. Drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy weight to reduce abdominal pressure on your bladder.
4. Use Bladder Training
Bladder training helps your bladder hold more urine. Start by going to the bathroom at regular times and slowly increase the time between visits. This helps control bladder leaks.
5. Avoid Heavy Lifting & High Impact Exercises
Avoid heavy lifting as much as possible. Lifting heavy objects puts extra pressure on your bladder, which can lead to urine leaks.
High-impact exercises like running can put pressure on your bladder. Try low-impact exercises like swimming or walking instead to avoid urine leaking.
6. Consult a Healthcare Professional
Talk to a healthcare professional about your bladder control problems. They can help you find the best treatment options for you. This could include pelvic floor therapy or other forms of physical therapy.
7. Consider Weight Loss
If you are overweight, weight loss can help reduce pressure on your bladder. A healthy weight can improve your quality of life and reduce the chances of bladder leakage.
8. Relax Your Pelvic Floor
While strengthening is important, it’s also crucial to know how to relax your pelvic floor muscles. Tension in these muscles can contribute to incontinence. Practices like deep breathing, stretching, and yoga can help relax your pelvic floor.
9. Use Medical Devices
There are medical devices like vaginal cones or a urethral insert that can provide extra support for your pelvic organs. These can help manage to stop peeing when coughing during daily activities.
10. Explore Surgical Procedures
In some cases, surgical procedures might be needed. Options like a sling procedure or male sling can provide support for your bladder and reduce leaks. Your healthcare provider can discuss these options with you.
When to See a Doctor About Peeing When Coughing
If you have bladder control issues often, it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional. They can help diagnose the type of incontinence you have and find the best treatment for you. Early treatment can prevent future complications like urinary tract infections and skin irritation.
Urinary leakage when you cough is a common condition, but with the right steps, you can manage it and improve your quality of life. Start with these tips, and talk to a health care provider for more help.
The Takeaway
Dealing with urinary leakage or peeing when coughing can be challenging, but it is manageable with the right strategies. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles through exercises like Kegels and practicing techniques such as the Knack can significantly reduce leaks and improve your quality of life.
Incorporating lifestyle changes, improving hip strength, and seeking guidance from a pelvic floor physical therapist can provide comprehensive support and effective treatment. Remember, you don’t have to live with stress incontinence—by taking proactive steps, you can regain control and confidence in your daily activities.
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