Stress urinary incontinence, also called SUI, is the most common form of urinary incontinence. What is SUI? SUI is the leakage of urine anytime you put stress on your body, such as when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. Even standing up can cause leakage.
Specifically, this type of leakage occurs whenever your intra-abdominal pressure suddenly increases. SUI happens when the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder and urethra are weak or because the urethral sphincter, which normally keeps urine from leaking, isn’t as strong as it should be.
Common Causes of SUI
If you have done any research into SUI, then you know that common causes of this form of women’s urinary incontinence include:
– weight gain
– childbirth
– smoking
– constipation
– aging
But what you may not know are the uncommon causes of SUI.
Uncommon Causes of SUI
Sometimes women are surprised by the appearance of SUI symptoms, especially if none of the above-mentioned risk factors apply. However, SUI symptoms can appear under certain unusual circumstances, including:
Timing
Because of hormonal changes, SUI symptoms may appear or worsen the week before your period. During this week, your estrogen levels are lowered, which can lead to decreased pressure around the urethra… possibly leading to leakage.
Pelvic Surgery
Many women are surprised when they develop SUI after a pelvic surgery such as a hysterectomy. Like childbirth, this type of pelvic surgery can weaken the pelvic muscles that support the bladder. The result is sometimes the occurrence of SUI.
Perimenopause or After Stopping HRT
While many women are aware that the onset of menopause can lead to SUI symptoms, what may be surprising is that these same symptoms can occur when a woman is perimenopausal, the transition period before menopause (when the ovaries stop releasing eggs). During perimenopause, the body experiences a decline in estrogen, which can lead to decreased muscle support for the bladder and urethra. SUI symptoms may result.
The same thing can occur when women wean themselves off hormone replacement therapy because of a similar reduction of estrogen.
Don’t Be Surprised
Hopefully the above-listed uncommon causes of SUI will help you if you are surprised by the appearance of SUI symptoms. There are also other uncommon causes that are too many to list in the scope of this article.
Even though we can’t possibly list every possible cause of urinary incontinence, the good news is that you can (and should) always seek the advice of your favorite healthcare provider when you experience urine leakage. Urinary leakage is NOT normal, at any age, at any point in your life. If you experience urine leakage more than once, it’s time to call your doctor!
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