Have you ever laughed so hard that you've accidentally wet yourself? While this can make for a funny story, it's important to be aware that urine leaks are not normal and often signal an issue with your bladder or pelvic floor health.
Characterised by urine loss while laughing, giggle incontinence is a not-so-rare condition that affects around 15% of women at some point in their lives. If you suffer from this type of daytime urinary incontinence, you are certainly not alone. However, while this is common, it should not be normalised, as fortunately, there are plenty of ways to alleviate your symptoms.
In this article, we'll look at some of the reasons for giggle incontinence and what you can do about it, so you can laugh in social settings worry-free.
Taking a Closer Look at Giggle Incontinence: What is it Exactly?
Giggle incontinence is a bladder storage disorder that, unlike other forms of incontinence that may be linked to physical activity or urgency, is triggered specifically by laughter.
While this condition can occur commonly in children and teenage girls, it affects people of all ages and genders. The severity can range from occasional leaks to complete loss of bladder control.
While it may sound relatively harmless, giggle incontinence can be distressing and embarrassing, especially in social situations. The good news is that it's manageable with proper diagnosis and treatment strategies.
How is giggle incontinence linked to stress urinary incontinence?
Laugh-induced involuntary urine loss is also sometimes a symptom of stress incontinence, which is caused by physical actions.
Some of the other symptoms of stress urinary incontinence include involuntary urine leaks that occur when running, coughing, sneezing, or lifting heavy objects
How is giggle incontinence linked to urge incontinence?
Although giggle incontinence is a unique condition, some of its symptoms can resemble those of urge incontinence. Often associated with overactive bladder (OAB), urge incontinence is marked by a malfunction in the bladder’s signalling system.
Symptoms include:
A strong, sudden, and uncontrollable urge to urinate
Involuntary urine leakage before reaching the bathroom
Frequent urination throughout the day
Waking up multiple times at night to urinate
What Causes Giggle Incontinence?
Unfortunately, the exact cause of giggle incontinence isn’t fully understood, but it’s believed to be linked to how the brain controls the bladder during episodes of laughter. One theory suggests that laughter can temporarily disrupt the nervous system’s ability to hold urine, particularly in individuals whose bladder control mechanisms are still developing. It is thought to be a form of reflex incontinence.
Genetics, hormonal changes, weak pelvic floor muscles, and stress can also play a role. It’s important to speak with a urologist or general practitioner to determine your specific causes.
The Impact of Giggle Incontinence
Suffering from giggle incontinence can seem like a somewhat minor inconvenience at first. But over time, it can have a huge impact on various aspects of your life, including:
Social life: You may feel anxious or nervous about spending time with friends in case you wet yourself. You may try to hold back laughter and make multiple trips to the bathroom, impacting your time together.
Mental health: The mental stress surrounding giggle incontinence can be immense, leading to intense feelings of anxiety, isolation, and depression. This can take a huge toll on your mental health.
Hobbies and activities: If you're avoiding the sports and activities you once enjoyed because of your giggle incontinence, it's time to start looking for a solution.
Romantic relationships: Many people who experience giggle incontinence feel the impact in their romantic relationships. Whether it's nervousness about dating new people or reduced intimacy with long-term partners, the effects can be detrimental to this aspect of your life.
Risk Factors for Giggle Incontinence
While giggle incontinence can affect anyone, certain factors can make some individuals more likely to experience it.
The condition is most commonly seen in children and adolescents, particularly girls between the ages of 5 and 17. This could be the result of developmental differences in bladder control during puberty.
A strong female family history of incontinence or related conditions could also play a role, so it's important to consider your genetics.
Children who experience strong emotional reactions or have conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more susceptible. This is because these factors can impact the neurological signals that help control the bladder.
Additionally, stress and anxiety may aggravate the frequency of giggle incontinence episodes.
While this condition often fades with age, people of all ages should take the time to understand the risk factors at play.
Management Techniques for Giggle Incontinence
While these techniques may not necessarily improve your symptoms, successful management can lead to a better quality of life.
Here are our recommendations:
Wearing incontinence products
Visibly wetting yourself can be embarrassing, and it certainly is inconvenient. One way to avoid this situation is by wearing incontinence pads and/or leak-proof underwear.
These specialised products are designed to absorb your urine and keep your skin dry. While you'll still be able to feel the loss of urine, others won't notice anything is amiss. Furthermore, you'll protect your clothing from urine stains and enjoy more confidence when playing sports and spending time with friends.
Avoiding bladder stimulants
Did you know that certain foods and drinks can trigger your bladder and increase the likelihood of involuntary loss of urine?
If you want fewer episodes, you should try to avoid the following:
Caffeinated drinks, like tea and coffee
Energy drinks and other carbonated drinks
Spicy food
Artificial sweeteners
Citrus fruits, like oranges, tomatoes, etc.
Treatment Strategies for Giggle Incontinence
The longer you leave your giggle incontinence untreated, the worse your symptoms are likely to become.
Fortunately, there are plenty of successful treatment options for those experiencing laugh-induced leaks, including:
Behavioural therapies
Pelvic floor exercises: In many cases, weak pelvic floor muscles are a factor for urinary incontinence. By performing Kegel exercises, you can strengthen your bladder muscles and enjoy improved urinary control.
Biofeedback treatments: Biofeedback therapy is a technique that involves linking sensors to the pelvic floor muscles to measure certain responses. Over time, this therapy can help you gain better control of your bladder.
Medication
There are limited options in terms of medication for giggle incontinence but occasionally
methylphenidate may be considered if there is a significant functional impact and if you also have ADHD. This is an off-label use of the medication.
Addressing underlying medical issues
Sometimes, medical conditions can exacerbate your giggle incontinence symptoms.
Some of the most common issues include:
Constipation: When you're constipated, hard stool in your lower abdomen puts additional pressure on your bladder, potentially leading to more leaks. By exercising and eating a fibrous diet and drinking enough fluids, you can reduce your risk of constipation.
Obesity: Carrying excess weight puts extra pressure on your bladder, increasing your chance of leaks. This is why pregnant women often experience stress incontinence. If you're overweight or obese, losing weight could help alleviate your giggle incontinence.
Urinary tract infection: UTIs affect your lower urinary tract function, sometimes leading to frequent urination and urine leaks. Fortunately, these infections can be treated with antibiotics.
By addressing these problems, you can reduce your giggle incontinence symptoms and enjoy better overall health.
FAQs
How common is giggle incontinence in children?
While giggle incontinence is common in girls between the ages of 5 and 14, this condition can carry on into adulthood. In some cases, this time of incontinence only develops later in life due to weakened pelvic floor muscles or other contributing factors.
How is giggle incontinence diagnosed?
Your general practitioner should be able to diagnose your condition by asking about your family history, symptoms, and any underlying medical issues. You may also have to undergo a physical examination and keep a bladder diary so your doctor can determine how often you experience urine leaks.
An accurate diagnosis means that your doctor can come up with an effective treatment plan for your giggle incontinence.
Is there a link between giggle incontinence and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
According to recent studies, roughly 23% of people with giggle incontinence also have ADHD. While doctors still battle to understand the correlation, there may be a link between these two conditions.
What are some of the lifestyle changes I can make to improve my bladder health?
If you'd like to improve your bladder health, you can start by:
Quitting smoking
Reducing your alcohol intake
Drinking enough water
Eating nutritious meals and avoiding bladder irritants
Exercising regularly and including pelvic floor exercises under the guidance of a pelvic floor physiotherapist
While lifestyle changes can't "fix" giggle incontinence, they may help alleviate your symptoms.
Is giggle incontinence a sign of a more serious condition?
In most cases, giggle incontinence is not linked to a serious underlying medical issue. However, if you're experiencing other urinary symptoms, it may be worth consulting with your doctor.
While giggle incontinence is often a stand-alone issue, it can also overlap with conditions like stress or urge incontinence. An evaluation can help rule out any underlying problems and ensure you're on the right track with treatment.
Final Thoughts
Despite its name, giggle incontinence is no laughing matter. In many cases, this condition can be exceptionally frustrating and is often not treated with the seriousness it deserves. If you involuntarily empty your bladder when you laugh, just know that this isn't normal and you should book an appointment with your general practitioner as soon as possible.
Here at Jude, we are passionate about smashing stereotypes by shedding light on topics related to women's bladder health on our online blog. In addition to this resource, we've also created a line of specialised incontinence products to help you manage your system.
Just because you have been diagnosed with giggle incontinence, it doesn't mean you can't participate in social situations. From methylphenidate and biofeedback treatments to simple lifestyle changes, there are plenty of ways to manage and address your symptoms so you can live an active life filled with laughter.
