What causes urinary incontinence during coughing?

Coughing with urinary leakage may be caused by factors such as excessive bladder fullness, obesity, natural childbirth, stress urinary incontinence, or abnormal detrusor muscle function. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician. Specific analysis is as follows:

1. Excessive bladder fullness: When the bladder stores a large amount of urine, abdominal muscles may contract during coughing, which can compress the bladder and force urine out of the body, leading to urinary leakage. Avoiding urine retention is advised to help alleviate discomfort.

2. Obesity: Excess body weight may increase intra-abdominal pressure. Coughing can further elevate pressure on the bladder, resulting in urine leakage. It is recommended to avoid actions that increase abdominal pressure, such as coughing or laughing loudly, and to engage in appropriate physical exercise to maintain a healthy weight.

3. Natural childbirth: Vaginal delivery may cause some degree of pelvic floor muscle damage, leading to relaxation of the urethral sphincter and an inability to control urination effectively, thus causing the aforementioned symptoms. Performing pelvic floor muscle exercises, such as Kegel exercises, is recommended to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve urethral sphincter function.

4. Stress urinary incontinence: This may result from weakened pelvic floor tissues or relaxed urethral sphincters. When abdominal pressure increases—such as during coughing, laughing, or running—urine may involuntarily leak out. Patients are advised to take medications as prescribed by their doctor, such as midodrine hydrochloride tablets, ephedrine hydrochloride-diphenhydramine tablets, or duloxetine hydrochloride enteric-coated capsules.

5. Detrusor muscle dysfunction: This may be related to incomplete development or congenital abnormalities of the detrusor muscle, which can impair the ability to control urination and lead to the above symptoms. Patients should follow medical advice and use medications such as tolterodine tartrate extended-release tablets, solifenacin succinate tablets, or mirabegron extended-release tablets to improve symptoms.

In daily life, patients are advised to get adequate rest, drink plenty of warm water, and consume fresh vegetables and fruits such as radishes, cabbage, and oranges, which are beneficial for overall health.