Sneeze [tinkle]

September 24, 2018 5:35 AM

I'm in my mid-30s, female, never given birth. I have rather recently felt a bit of pee come out sometimes when I have a big sneeze or cough really hard. What's up with that? Is this normal? I thought the pee-your-pants thing only really happened to women who had given birth, but apparently not....?

Should I be worried, or is this just a normal "I'm getting older" thing? Does anyone have a suggestion for ways to make it stop? I presume kegals are the answer, but maybe there is something else I could be doing.

posted by PuppetMcSockerson to Health & Fitness (15 answers total)

Kegels are the answer. But, if it's a sudden change, could be worth a chat with your GP / doctor, just to rule out any thing.
posted by freethefeet at 5:47 AM on September 24, 2018 [2 favorites]

This was happening to me since I was 16 -_- kegels really helped me. And making sure to not hold anything in for too long, I go to the bathroom more frequently.
posted by buttonedup at 6:04 AM on September 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

Kegels are for everyone, even men. It's the same as with all the other muscles in your body, use them or loose them. It should be part of PE everywhere, but I know that isn't realistic.
posted by mumimor at 6:25 AM on September 24, 2018 [2 favorites]

Kegels are important but not the only thing! Your pelvic floor needs work. This is definitely something you can fix, don't just live with it. Best option is to see a PT specializing in pelvic floor stuff. Second best is to do some reading and learn a bit more about your pelvic floor muscles. Check Katy Bowman for a good start: https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/pelvic-floor/

It probably is a good idea to check in with your PCP or GYN, if you can, as it's always good to check out any sudden change in body function, but it's probably just some muscular issues.
posted by john_snow at 6:49 AM on September 24, 2018 [9 favorites]

I hate to be This Person, but kegels are actually a really bad idea for those of us with interstitial cystitis or any kind of issue where your pelvic floor muscles go into spasm. Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to know if you’re one of those people without the help of a urologist.

OP, I’m a woman who has never given birth and suddenly found myself in the awful position of absolutely peeing myself when I was coughing really hard during a bout of bronchitis. If it’s troublesome enough to bother you, a urologist can prescribe pelvic floor physical therapy, although muscle spasms may not be your issue. Professionals can help!
posted by corey flood at 6:53 AM on September 24, 2018 [11 favorites]

Sadly blunt, but this often happens to those who are overweight, even if they've never given birth. Sadly, too, I speak from experience.
posted by dlugoczaj at 6:56 AM on September 24, 2018 [1 favorite]

This can also happen if you have uterine fibroids putting pressure on your bladder.
posted by kimdog at 7:33 AM on September 24, 2018 [7 favorites]

Hey, it’s me. I have allergies and at some point a couple of years ago started dribbling a bit, and then if I was really coughing, actually peeing a lot. I wear pads now, which is maddening but better than the alternative.

I blamed it on age (it started when I was 41) and not being rigorous enough about kegles. I didn’t realize weight was a factor so that could be part of it too. Maybe I need to see a PT as I didn’t realize that was an option.
posted by PussKillian at 7:56 AM on September 24, 2018

Are you absolutely positive it's pee? This happens with (especially more liquid-y) discharge for me and definitely got more exuberant around my 30th birthday.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 8:14 AM on September 24, 2018 [2 favorites]

I *have* given birth, but I've also found that this happens if I haven't been hydrating myself ENOUGH. As in, I need to drink more water more often, which flushes out the urinary tract more often and more fully, too. If I find myself sneeze-peeing, I take that as a note that I need to drink more water.
posted by jillithd at 9:29 AM on September 24, 2018

Kegals may or may not be the answer. I'm currently seeing a pelvic floor PT (I gave birth in June) and one thing my PT discussed with me is that sometimes, kegals aren't the right thing to do, and may make things worse. Your best bet is to see a urologist or another doctor first to rule out other things, and then see a pelvic floor PT. The PT can help sort out what exercises you may need to do to strengthen your pelvic floor. Also, from what I understand, our pelvic floor muscles weaken over time, so it could just be that for you. But, a doctor and a PT would help you sort that out.

I also want to mention that there are multiple kinds of kegals, so a PT really is what you want to make sure you aren't making things worse. I have multiple kinds of exercises I do daily to help get my pelvic floor back in shape. I wouldn't have known to do these things without the PT doing a full internal exam and explaining to me what was going on.
posted by FireFountain at 9:35 AM on September 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

One thing you might want to consider is whether or not you’re hypermobile. I, female in my mid-thirties, normal weight and healthy, was told I had diastasis recti which is abdominal separation that usually happens to women who’ve been pregnant (I haven’t). Because my whole body is super stretchy, I need above-average core strength and have systemic core strength weaknesses I’m working on. Relevant if you’re having a core strength issue (you might because the pelvic floor is part of your core muscles).
posted by mkdirusername at 11:27 AM on September 24, 2018 [1 favorite]

40-something former uterus owner, never given birth.

I'd definitely see a doctor about this.

I started having bladder leaking and urgency problems, and after a couple of years of trying other things, like "don't drink after 6pm", etc., it wasn't resolving itself.

Turned out that I had an large, orange sized fibroid basically squeezing against my bladder, limiting it's volume. One hysterectomy later, and my bladder and I feel 1000% better. Neither the leaking, nor the urgency issues, have returned.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:46 AM on September 24, 2018 [4 favorites]

If it helps you, the search term you're looking for is "urinary stress incontinence." It's very common. It went away for me after I had been working out consistently for a few months, I didn't do anything in particular (Pilates and weight lifting) but I assume my core just got stronger. If you don't exercise, maybe think about taking it up?
posted by epanalepsis at 8:36 AM on September 25, 2018

OK, I said this in another thread, so I'm repeating myself. There are a lot of good advice here and you should certainly see a doctor. Maybe you have a serious ailment. But no one wants to get old and use a diaper, yet millions of people do get old and use diapers. If we all understood at an appropriate age that Kegels help us avoid that old-age situation, I think we would be a tiny bit happier at old age.
You may wonder why I am on this mission, and the answer is very simple: I have old people as relatives right now, and I have lost people who were dear to me and also old who struggled with incontinence in their last years.
Being incontinent is humiliating and it isolates people who are otherwise bright and well.
Do something good for yourself while you are young. Do your kegels.
posted by mumimor at 1:36 PM on September 25, 2018