19/08/2026
I got this question from a client recently and I think many women going through menopause are wondering the same thing.
"I have started leaking a little when I laugh or sneeze and I am also feeling drier than I used to. Is this simply menopause or is something wrong with me?"
These symptoms are incredibly common during menopause, but they're not something you just have to put up with.
There's actually a name for what you're describing: genitourinary syndrome of menopause or GSM. As oestrogen levels fall, the tissues around the va**na, bladder and pelvic floor naturally change. For some women, those changes show up as bladder leaks especially with things like laughing, coughing or sneezing.
If these symptoms are affecting you, don't wait to ask for help. A pelvic health physiotherapist can properly assess what is happening for you and build a plan around it and pelvic floor muscle training has been shown to help improve both the physical symptoms and how they affect daily life. Depending on your situation, your GP may also talk to you about treatment options that support the tissue itself, that is a conversation worth having with them directly.
As your trainer, I can’t diagnose or treat these symptoms, but I can make sure your training is supporting your pelvic floor rather than working against it and I will always encourage you to get the right support alongside it.
Please don’t sit with this in silence, there is so much that can be done.
Has menopause brought changes you weren’t expecting? Share your experience below, let’s make these conversations more normal.