If muscles in your pelvis became weak, there is a risk of you leaking urine during exertion, or straining yourself. For example when you sneeze or cough.
Women with COPD are more likely than men to have stress urinary incontinence because of the difference between male and female anatomy and after having children pelvic muscles can be weakened.
What are my ‘pelvic floor muscles’?
Your pelvic floor muscles are responsible for helping to maintain bladder and bowel control and support control of continence.
How can having COPD lead to stress urinary incontinence?
Often when you have COPD you will cough a lot.
The repeated downward pressure on your pelvic floor muscles during excessive coughing can make them weak.
