Urine Leaking When Sneezing: What to Know and How to Stop it
Ever sneeze and pee a little bit? You’re not alone. How often have you heard your mom or grandma say “Every time I sneeze, I pee.” While this is extremely common, it is not normal, and it’s definitely NOT something you have to live with. In this blog post, we'll talk about what to know and how to stop leaking when you sneeze and how pelvic therapy can help.
Pelvic Floor and Bladder Control
The pelvic floor muscles play a major role in bladder control.
They form a supportive hammock at the base of your pelvis and wrap around the urethra, helping the urethral sphincter stay closed so urine doesn’t leak out.
Normally, the closure pressure of the urethra, which is created by the external urethral sphincter (this is part of the pelvic floor) is greater than the pressure inside the bladder, which helps keep urine in.
Intra-abdominal pressure is the pressure inside your abdominal cavity.
When you sneeze, cough, laugh, or lift something heavy, your body experiences a sudden rise in intra-abdominal pressure, which potentially could increase pressure on the bladder and bladder muscles.
If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, uncoordinated, or slow to respond, they can’t generate enough closure pressure to counter that sudden increase.
The result? A small leak of urine, known as stress urinary incontinence.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary leakage of urine with activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, or running and is a super common type of incontinence.
There are multiple types of urinary incontinence, but we will focus on stress incontinence here. Learn more about what causes bladder leaks and how to support your pelvic floor in our Ultimate Guide to Pelvic Floor Health.
Who is Affected by Stress Urinary Incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence is incredibly common, not to be confused with "typical" or "normal" or "something you need to deal with". Folks who deal with stress incontinence include:
Women of all ages
It is extremely common in pregnancy, postpartum, and menopausal women. Both those who have gone through vaginal delivery and those who have gone through C-section delivery can experience leaking.
Nulliparous (those who have been pregnant or have never given birth) teens and young adults who participate in high-impact sports such as gymnastics
Those who have chronic constipation (because the pelvic organs are in close proximity to each other, constipation can increase pressure on the bladder and lead to leaking when intra-abdominal pressure increases)
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Urine Leaking When Sneezing
You’ve probably heard your mom and grandma say that they’ve been leaking urine since they had babies 30-60 years ago, right?
This is a problem!
Although leaking urine with sneezing is very common, it’s not normal.
And if it’s something you’re dealing with in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you most likely will continue to deal with it as you age, especially when you go through menopause.
Pelvic floor symptoms tend to worsen in menopause, so addressing leaking with sneezing as soon as you realize it’s a problem is vital to fully eliminating it.
Common Myths About Bladder Leaks
Even though bladder leaks are common, there are a lot of misconceptions about what causes them and what to do.
The most common misconceptions that we find people believe are that leaking is just part of getting older and that Kegels will fix the problem.
Let’s find out why this isn’t true...
How Do We Fix Leaking with Sneezing?
The best way to stop peeing when you sneeze is pelvic floor physical therapy.
And it’s so much more than just Kegels.
In fact, Kegels can sometimes make urinary incontinence worse.
Kegels tighten the pelvic floor muscles, but sometimes the problem isn’t weakness—it’s overactivity.
Your pelvic floor needs to be able to fully relax before it can contract effectively. If it’s too tight, it can’t respond properly to pressure, leading to leaks.
It’s not just about having a strong pelvic floor; it’s about having a coordinated one that works in sync with your core and breathing muscles.
How Pelvic Floor PT Helps With Leaking with Sneezing
Pelvic floor physical therapy addresses the root cause of stress urinary incontinence by retraining your body to manage pressure, movement, and muscle coordination.
This requires taking a whole body approach to treatment and looking beyond the pelvic floor to eliminate leaking with sneezing. This includes:
Pelvic floor coordination (lengthening and strengthening)
Breathing and pressure management
Core and hip strengthening
Posture and movement mechanics
Bladder and bowel habits
Lifestyle strategies like hydration and constipation management
Based on what your pelvic floor physical therapist finds, treatment will include:
pelvic floor coordination (lengthening and strengthening)
breathing mechanics
pressure management
postural corrections
core and hip strengthening
bladder retraining
...and so much more.
It’s not just about the physical body, but also the habits we do every day that contribute to the dysfunction.
This is why it is important to seek treatment from a one-on-one specialized therapist.
How Long Does It Take to Stop Leaking
Realistically, it’s hard to give a generalized time-frame since many factors can be contributing to your stress urinary incontinence.
Every person’s body and history are different, but most people start to see results within 3 visits.
Full resolution may take 6–8 weeks or more, depending on contributing factors.
Sticking to your plan of care and consistently attending your visits is key to successfully eliminating leaking with sneezing.
Your therapist will also give you customized exercises, stretches, and habit changes to practice at home. Consistency is key to long-term success.
Prevention and Maintenance
Even after symptoms improve, maintaining pelvic floor coordination and core strength helps prevent recurrence—especially during menopause or with high-impact exercise.
Your therapist can help you develop a simple, sustainable plan for long-term bladder health.
Where to Find Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Thousand Oaks, CA
If you leak urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh, run, or jump, it’s time to see a pelvic floor physical therapist.
You don’t need to “wait it out” or hope it gets better.
The earlier you start, the faster you’ll improve. Physical Therapy is a process, but the results will be well worth it.
You are investing time in yourself and your body to make you healthier for longer.
At Cappuccino Physical Therapy, our specialized pelvic floor therapists are here for you every step of the way—from teens to women in their 80s.
We’re dedicated to continuing education and evidence-based care to ensure you get the best results possible.
You do not have to live with leaking. You don’t have to cross your legs every time you sneeze or avoid workouts you love.
Leaking with sneezing is treatable, and we can help.
Contact us to get started today. We'd love to help. Have questions before you begin? Submit a contact form or give us a call and we'll be in touch.
