People with stress incontinence involuntarily leak urine while exercising, coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting.
These activities apply sudden pressure to the bladder, causing urine to leak out. Stress incontinence is the most common type of incontinence among women, and may be due to weakened pelvic muscles, weakening in the wall between the bladder and vagina, or from a change in the position of the bladder. In many cases, the condition develops as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Other causes of stress incontinence include:
- Weakening of muscles that hold the bladder in place, or of the bladder itself
- Weakening of the urethral sphincter muscles
- A hormone imbalance or a decrease in estrogen following menopause, which can weaken the sphincter muscle
- Damage to the nerves controlling the bladder resulting from diseases such as diabetes, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and/or multiple sclerosis, or from treatment of gynecologic or pelvic disorders with surgery, radiation or chemotherapy
