Stress urinary incontinence is leakage of urine with physical stress, such as coughing, laughing, or sneezing. It is a common problem for women. Sometimes it can be treated successfully without surgery. At other times, surgery may be the best treatment.

A Woman's Urinary Tract

The urinary tract is made up of the following parts:

• Two kidneys, which produce urine
• Two tubes called ureters that take urine from the kidneys to the bladder
• The bladder, where urine is stored
• The urethra, which carries urine from the bladder out of the body

Normal urination (also called voiding) occurs when a woman can empty her bladder when she has a natural need to do so. In normal voiding, the muscles around the urethra relax. The bladder then contracts and urine flows to the urethra and out of the body. When the bladder is almost empty, the muscles around the urethra contract. The bladder then relaxes and the stream of urine stops flowing.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is more common in women than in men. Mild leakage affects most women at some time in their lives. Severe leakage is less common.

Stress incontinence occurs when the pressure in the bladder is higher than the pressure in the urethra. This happens when the support tissues and surrounding muscles have weakened and cannot keep the urethra closed, so urine leaks out.

Stress urinary incontinence can happen at any age. It is the most common type of urinary incontinence in younger women, but also often occurs in older women.

Women with stress urinary incontinence notice leakage during:

• Coughing, laughing, and sneezing
• Walking, running, and aerobics
• Lifting, bending, and exertion

No matter what age you are or when the leaks occur, tell your doctor if you have a problem controlling urine leaks. Proper diagnosis and treatment can ease your symptoms.

Learn more about surgery for stress urinary incontinence.