A chronic cough is often a symptom of respiratory illness, but it can be brought about by many factors, i.e. smoking, being female, abdominal obesity, low income, environmental factors, allergies, medication and increased age (Colak et al, 2017). Unfortunately, a frequent side-effect of chronic coughing is urinary incontinence (UI) — mainly stress
urinary incontinence (SUI). Although quite prevalent within this cohort of individuals, there seems to be little professional knowledge with regards to interventions to prevent or treat UI. This article looks at the causes of chronic coughing and how it impacts on UI. It also
identifies how professionals can recognise at-risk patients and start treatment options.