Nearly 25 percent of women have urinary stress incontinence for not less than one year following childbirth. Most women say that a weak bladder prevents them from taking part in sports or makes them give up sports. About 11 to 34 percent of older men also experience urinary incontinence. These statistics reflect the problem’s prevalence, so if you have experienced it, you are not alone. Talk to a specialist in pelvic rehabilitation and urinary incontinence in Midtown East to get treatment. You can use these tips to help cope with urinary incontinence.
Do pelvic floor exercises
The pelvic floor forms a sheet of muscles that help support the bladder and bowel. When there is muscle weakness, you may begin to experience leaky urine when you laugh, cough, or sneeze. You may have an increased need to urinate or you have the urgency to go to the bathroom where you end up leaking on the way. Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles supporting your organs. They also improve bladder control and help prevent leakage of urine. For minor leaks throughout the day, a pair of pee-proof underwear that can be washed and are reusable will give you the confidence and protection you need to go about your day.
Train your bladder
Women with urinary incontinence may consider bladder training and the American College of Physicians clinical practice offers guidelines on how to manage leaky urine using non-surgical ways. Here, bladder training is suggested, along with pelvic floor muscle exercises. Bladder training is a behavioral therapy to help increase the time to take between urinating. Strengthening the muscles that support your bladder may help increase that time. When you have leaky urine, you develop a habit of rushing to the bathroom every so often to avoid being caught out. This habit can make the problem worse by making the bladder become used to retaining fewer amounts of urine, which makes it overactive. Bladder training helps increase the bladder’s capacity to avoid being overactive.
Maintain the desired Body Mass Index
Obese and overweight individuals have a higher risk of having urinary incontinence. You may want to reduce your BMI so that you minimize the chance of developing the condition. If you are obese or overweight, you’ll want to consider exercises such as brisk walking for about 30 minutes for 5 days a week. You’ll also want to reduce your calorie intake depending on how active you are. Eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and avoid sugary snacks. You’ll also want to eat whole grains and reduce refined grains. Increasing fiber intake may also help.
Limit caffeine and alcohol intake
Both alcohol and caffeinated beverages tend to be associated with urine production. Limiting these beverages would help prevent urinary incontinence. Coffee may also irritate the bladder contributing to incontinence or worsening it. Besides coffee, other drinks like green tea, hot chocolate, and energy drinks also contain caffeine and can contribute to the problem. You can replace those with herbal or fruit teas and water. Since alcohol is a diuretic, it means that your body makes more urine when you drink it. Reducing alcohol will help reduce the amount of urine the body produces.
Contact your doctor to learn about the available treatment options for urinary incontinence.