A person who experiences stress urinary incontinence typically has a weakened amount of strength within the pelvic muscles; thus any stress-induced movement such as coughing, sneezing, or laughing can cause urine to leak uncontrollably.  Weak pelvic muscles can be the result of a woman giving child-birth, or in men following a prostatectomy.  There are a slew of other causes that will lead to this condition as well. For most people who experience stress urinary incontinence, where there is no other underlying condition present, treatment is available.