Wetting while giggling – Giggle incontinence

Giggle incontinence is  the sudden urination while giggling or laughing, during waking hours. This phenomenon occurs following a hard physical laugh. In its extreme condition, the release of urine stops only after the bladder is fully emptied. Emptying the bladder continues even when the laughter ceases. In milder conditions, Giggle incontinence is manifested in the beginning of urination and stopping it within a few seconds, so that only a dribble of urine is released.

Except for the release of urine while laughing, in most cases the child has full day and night control over his or her bladder. In mild conditions of partial and sparse urination, the frequency of incidences is not high. Cases of full urination are quite rare. The phenomenon is more common in girls.

From my experience in treating children with this phenomenon, it seems that its cause stems from a poor ability to perform separation (differentiation) in activating some of the muscles. In practice, muscles that are activated in the body during laughter, cause involuntary activation of the muscles responsible for activating the bladder clasps, and consequently involuntary release of urine. A similar phenomenon exists when coughing or lifting heavy weights, which is mostly common among women, especially after childbirth.

We can treat this problem by using a special practice that aims to create the ability to separate the activation of the different muscles which are involved in the process.

Is there a connection between Giggle incontinence and bedwetting?
The answer is no, as the two mechanisms are not related. However, when we target bedwetting problems, using special exercises for strengthening the bladder muscles, this situation may improve (although not guaranteed).

>> Visit our FAQ section for more information about bedwetting treatment
>> To learn more about our plans and pricing click here