Summary:
A sudden cough, a good laugh or a few jumping jacks can sometimes result in an unexpected urine leak. This may be a sign of stress urinary incontinence, and it is not something you simply have to put up with.
In this article, we look at why these leaks happen and urinary incontinence treatment options in Singapore that may help.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) refers to involuntary urine leakage that occurs when physical movement or activity increases pressure on the bladder.
The “stress” here refers to physical pressure rather than emotional stress. You might notice leakage when you:
Normally, your pelvic floor muscles and the structures around the urethra help keep urine in the bladder as pressure inside your abdomen changes. When this support is weakened or cannot respond effectively, a small amount of urine may escape.
Coughing, laughing, jumping and exercising all briefly increase pressure inside your abdomen. If the structures that support your bladder and urethra cannot compensate for that increase, leakage may occur.
There are several reasons this can happen.
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits at the base of your pelvis and supports organs including the bladder, uterus and bowel.
These muscles also contribute to bladder control. When they are weakened, or their coordination is affected, they may not provide enough support around the bladder and urethra when abdominal pressure suddenly rises.
This is why leakage can appear during high-impact activities even if you have no difficulty controlling your bladder while sitting, walking or during less strenuous daily activities.
Pregnancy places increasing pressure on the pelvic floor as the baby grows, while hormonal and anatomical changes can also affect the tissues supporting the bladder.
Childbirth can place further strain on these muscles and supporting structures, particularly during vaginal delivery. Pregnancy and childbirth are recognised risk factors for stress urinary incontinence, partly because of their effects on the pelvic floor.
That does not mean everyone who gives birth will develop long-term bladder problems. Some women experience temporary leakage that improves as they recover, while others continue to notice symptoms months or years later.
Pelvic floor strength can change over time, just like the strength of muscles elsewhere in your body.
Hormonal changes around menopause may also affect tissues within the pelvic and urinary systems. Together with age-related changes in muscle strength and connective tissue, this can make bladder control more difficult for some women.
This is one reason urinary leakage can appear later in life even if you did not experience noticeable symptoms after pregnancy or childbirth.
Anything that repeatedly increases pressure within the abdomen can place additional demand on the pelvic floor.
This may include chronic coughing, constipation and straining, repetitive heavy lifting or certain forms of high-impact exercise.
It does not necessarily mean you need to avoid exercise. Instead, persistent leakage during physical activity can be a sign that your pelvic floor function is worth assessing.
Urinary leakage is one possible sign of reduced pelvic floor function, but it is not the only one.
Some women may also notice:
These symptoms can have different causes, so pelvic floor weakness should not automatically be assumed simply because you experience leakage.
If your symptoms are new, persistent, worsening or affecting your daily life, a medical assessment can help determine what is contributing to them.
At Healthsprings Aesthetics Medispa, we can assess your concerns and discuss whether pelvic floor therapy may be an appropriate option for you. Contact us today.
Pelvic floor muscle training, including Kegel exercises, is used to strengthen the muscles involved in bladder control.
By repeatedly contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor, these exercises can gradually improve muscle strength, endurance and coordination.
They may be particularly helpful for postpartum stress urinary incontinence, when the pelvic floor has been affected by the physical changes of pregnancy and childbirth.
Technique matters, however. It is easy to unintentionally tighten your abdominal, buttock or thigh muscles instead of properly engaging the pelvic floor. If you are unsure whether you are contracting the right muscles, professional guidance may be useful.
The most appropriate urinary incontinence treatment depends on the type and severity of leakage, what is contributing to it and how much it affects your daily life.
Pelvic floor muscle training is generally an important conservative option. Depending on your circumstances, your doctor may also discuss lifestyle changes, bladder-related strategies, pelvic floor therapy or other approaches.
For women who have difficulty engaging or strengthening the pelvic floor through voluntary exercises alone, technology-assisted muscle stimulation may also be considered in appropriate cases.
Persistent urinary leakage should be properly assessed, particularly if it is worsening or accompanied by pain, blood in the urine, recurrent urinary tract infections, difficulty emptying your bladder or other new urinary symptoms.
Healthsprings’ Emsella pelvic floor treatment in Singapore offers a non-invasive way to strengthen the pelvic floor using high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology.
During treatment, electromagnetic energy repeatedly stimulates the pelvic floor muscles while you remain comfortably seated, without requiring any conscious effort on your part.
We offer Emsella for concerns such as mild to moderate urinary incontinence and pelvic floor weakness. Whether it is suitable for you will depend on your symptoms, medical history and what is contributing to the leakage.
An Emsella session is non-invasive and does not require anaesthesia or downtime. Here is what to expect:
The Emsella treatment starts from S$180 nett for a trial session. The price of a full course will depend on the number of sessions recommended.
If coughing, laughing or exercising has started making you think twice about your bladder, it may be worth finding out what is behind the leakage rather than simply adapting your daily activities around it.
At Healthsprings Aesthetics Medispa, we will assess your concerns assessed and see if Emsella can be part of a broad approach to improving your pelvic floor function and bladder control.
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