What is Stress incontinence?

Stress incontinence, or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) means that you have leaks when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or during other types of effort.

Stress urinary incontinence occurs when the important support for the urinary tract and bladder is not functioning properly. This condition can be caused by weakness in the ligaments and pelvic floor muscles, or an impaired function of the urethral sphincter muscles. This affects the support that helps provide normal urinary function.

Stress urinary incontinence is the most common form of urinary incontinence among women.

Stress incontinence causes

The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles at the bottom of the abdominal cavity. The muscles look like a cup-shaped hammock in the pelvic cavity. If the ‘plate’ in the pelvic floor is damaged, there is less muscular support for the urethra, so when you are exerting yourself, such as doing sport or simply coughing, there is a risk of a small leak.

The causes for stress incontinence include lifestyle choices, medical complications, pregnancy and obesity. Weight loss and exercise are often successful treatments.

Men can also be affected by stress urinary incontinence, but it is very rare and usually connected to post-surgery complications after the prostate has been removed. Men are more often affected by other types of incontinence problems.

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Care for you

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For women who experience little leaks.

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For women who experience bladder leakage.

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For men who experience bladder leakage.

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For you who take care of a loved one with incontinence.

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For parents who care for children with urinary incontinence.

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For professionals who care for individuals with incontinence.

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Learn more about incontinence

These articles about leaks, bedwetting and continence care are here for you regardless if you are a man, woman, carer, relative, or professional.

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With over 50 years of experience, TENA is the worldwide leader in the management of incontinence, providing products and services for individuals and healthcare services throughout 90 countries.

We are committed to developing products and services that minimise the impact of incontinence on people's everyday lives.