Urinary incontinence is a widespread condition that affects millions of men and women of all age groups. While the condition is more common in older women, 2-3 percent of teenagers also experience urinary incontinence. But as common as it is, it’s not easy to deal with. It can be inconvenient and often embarrassing.
And it doesn’t have to be ignored.
Contrary to popular opinion, urinary incontinence isn’t just a side effect of aging; neither is it untreatable.
From exercises to improving bladder control to diet changes, there are several ways to manage symptoms of urinary incontinence. Here’s what we suggest. Try Pelvic Floor Exercises
Your bladder, which is the primary organ storing urine in your body, is generally supposed to be in your control. However, the bladder is supported by the pelvic floor, which is a group of muscles at the base of your torso. When these muscles weaken, you lose some control over the bladder, resulting in leakages and the constant urge to urinate.
But weakened pelvic floor muscles can be strengthened through Kegel exercises. These exercises include slow and fast contractions and have to be performed regularly to give your pelvic floor a complete workout.
Pelvic floor exercises may take up to 3 months to see results, but it is a long-lasting and holistic solution for your overall health.
Create A Bathroom Schedule For Yourself And Stick To It
Another way to treat urinary incontinence is with bathroom schedules for bladder retraining.
This is a simple approach you can start on your own. The purpose is to increase the period between bathroom visits. You should first start by recording the exact time you’re visiting the bathroom in a day. Once you know how frequently you visit the bathroom, you can make a schedule to help extend the time between bathroom trips.
Ideally, you should be taking only about 6 to 8 trips to the bathroom in a single day. You’ll reach this goal by holding the urge to go for 10-15 minutes each time until you can increase the amount of time between voids. This will help increase your bladder’s capacity and prevent leakages over time.
Watch What You’re Eating And Drinking
Diet and body weight both can affect urinary incontinence. Ideally, if you’re dealing with a leaky bladder, you should consider shedding any excess weight to achieve a healthy BMI. Many people have been able to completely treat urinary incontinence simply by losing weight.
While focusing on the proper diet for weight loss, you should also make sure it does not include foods and drinks that can cause or increase incontinence, for example, caffeine, alcohol, and sometimes even fruit juices.
If you need more tips to deal with urinary incontinence, you can reach out to us at The Pelvic Coach.
With our consultations, pelvic health coaching, and other personalized programs, we can help you manage symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Get in touch with us to learn more about the best pelvic health therapist and treatment for bladder leakage. Or you can register for an informative and free presentation on urinary incontinence.
