How to stop incontinence when giggling?

Giggle incontinence is the involuntary emptying of the bladder in response to giggling or laughing

This condition usually occurs in young people, especially girls, and at this time the causes of giggle incontinence remains undetermined with no treatments currently available.

There are however, some steps you can take to help manage bladder control:

• Finding a timely routine to empty the bladder every few hours

• ‘Listening’ to the bladder and go when needed

• Ensuring to completely empty the bladder when you do go

• Avoiding drinks that can irritate the bladder: citrus juices, caffeinated beverages and fizzy drinks

• Try to ensure regular bowel movements to prevent constipation

• Plan ahead and empty the bladder before an activity where giggling is likey to happen, such as getting together with friends

A technique that can help with giggling incontinence involves strengthening the pelvic floor muscles in order to quickly take control and stop a bladder from emptying.

How does this technique work? Our pelvic floor muscles actively squeeze when we laugh, cough, lift or sneeze to help prevent any leakage. Exercising the pelvic floor muscles can strengthen them so they give the correct support.

This will improve your bladder control and improve or stop leakage of urine. Like any other muscles in the body, the more you use and exercise them, the stronger the pelvic floor muscles will be.

Giggle incontinence in young children

This type of incontinence generally appears at ages 5 – 7 and, in most cases, symptoms will weaken and resolve itself with age.

Is it common to wet yourself when laughing?

Giggle incontinence is almost exclusively seen in females, mainly young girls, but may also be an issue for boys but this is less common. Generally, as giggle incontinence is triggered by laughter, children tend to have an otherwise normal bladder function.

What are the best pads for giggle incontinence?

The severity of giggle incontinence will be different from person to person. The bladder may empty completely, or only partially – this means that the type of incontinence pads needed will depend on the person’s needs.

For little leaks, our lights by TENA range are as small as a panty liner but bring you another level of confidence, and are specially designed to absorb little leaks faster than ordinary liners, leaving you fresh and dry.