Final answer:
The involuntary discharge of urine during exertion such as coughing or sneezing is known as stress incontinence (option 4), often caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles from childbirth and can be treated with Kegel exercises or surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical term for the involuntary discharge of urine during activities such as coughing, sneezing, or straining is stress incontinence. This condition is commonly caused by a loss of support of the urethra due to stretching of the pelvic floor muscles, often as a result of childbirth. Those with stress incontinence experience leakage of small amounts of urine when there is an increase in abdominal pressure.
Treatment for stress incontinence may include Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to improve bladder support. It is important to note that stress incontinence is different from urge incontinence, which is characterized by involuntary contractions of the bladder's detrusor muscle leading to unexpected bladder emptying with an insufficient warning to reach a bathroom.
Urinary incontinence as a chronic issue is more prevalent among older individuals and particularly in women. The incontinence can be due to various reasons, including the anatomical changes after childbirth or an enlarged prostate gland in individuals with male anatomy.