Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control or unintentional passing of urine. It’s a common and often embarrassing problem, affecting millions of people. The severity of this problem ranges from occasional leaking to a sudden and strong urge to pass urine if you don’t get to a toilet in time. If urinary incontinence affects your daily activities, don’t hesitate to see the best Edinburg gynecology services provider for treatment. For most people, simple lifestyle changes can treat symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Do pelvic floor muscle exercises.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises, also known as Kegels, can strengthen the muscles that help control urination. These exercises are especially effective for stress incontinence but may also help treat urge incontinence. Here is a guide to doing pelvic floor exercises.
- Tighten or contract the muscles you use to top urinating. Hold for five seconds, and then relax. If you can’t hold for that long, start by holding for two seconds and relaxing for three seconds.
- Work to hold the contractions for 10 seconds at a time
- Target at least three sets of 10 repetitions daily
Your doctor may suggest that you work with a pelvic floor therapist to help you identify and contract the right muscles; Biofeedback techniques may also help.
Lose excess weight
Being overweight can weaken your pelvic floor muscles due to the pressure on your bladder, and eventually, you may develop urinary incontinence. Losing extra weight takes the pressure off your bladder and may reduce or alleviate incontinence symptoms. A healthy weight calculator can help determine if you are at a healthy weight for your height.
At the very basic, you need to exercise regularly and eat healthy foods. You can consult your doctor for weight loss tips if you have challenges losing weight. Besides treating incontinence, weight loss reduces your risk of type-2 diabetes and hypertension.
Treat constipation promptly
Straining each time you have a bowel movement weakens your pelvic floor muscles and worsens urinary incontinence. Therefore, do not ignore the urge to poo. If you have constipation, changing your diet and lifestyle may help. For example, you want to include more fiber in your diet and exercise more. Changing how you sit and use your muscles to empty your bowels may also help. You can consult a physiotherapist to learn more about this.
Cut down on caffeine.
Caffeine irritates the bladder and can worsen the symptoms of incontinence.
Coffee has the biggest impact, so you want to stop consuming it or switch to decaffeinated coffee. Other drinks that contain caffeine include energy drinks, fizzy drinks, tea, green tea, and hot chocolate. Replace these drinks with water and herbal or fruit teas.
Drink enough water
Have at least six to eight glasses of water every day, and not more unless your doctor advises otherwise. Many people with urinary incontinence avoid drinking fluids. However, limiting your fluid intake reduces your bladder’s capacity and worsens incontinence. Not drinking enough water also causes constipation which worsens incontinence.
If lifestyle changes don’t improve your symptoms, visit your specialist at the Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley for medical treatment to improve your quality of life.
