Lifestyle and Behavioral Changes to Reduce Urinary Incontinence
Less Stress
How to Manage Urinary Incontinence
If you're one of the millions of people struggling with urinary urgency, frequency, or urge incontinence, you know how frustrating and disruptive these conditions can be. At Southern Urogynecology Wellness & Aesthetics, we’re here to help! You can make several changes to improve your urinary urgency, frequency and urge incontinence.
Take Control
Behavioral Changes to Reduce Urinary Incontinence
Manage Your Fluid Intake
While staying hydrated is essential, excessive fluid intake can exacerbate urinary urgency and frequency. To avoid this, don’t carry a water bottle around with you at all times, and be mindful of your fluid consumption throughout the day. Aim to drink moderately and avoid gulping down large amounts of liquid in one sitting.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Excess weight, particularly around the abdomen, can put pressure on the bladder and exacerbate incontinence issues. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can help alleviate this pressure and improve bladder control.
Void on a Schedule
Instead of waiting for the urge to urinate, try to establish a regular voiding schedule. Going to the bathroom at set intervals can help train your bladder to prevent leaking episodes or accidents.
Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Kegel exercises, which involve contracting and releasing the pelvic floor muscles, can help strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and improve bladder control. Incorporate these exercises into your daily routine for best results.
Avoid Bladder Irritants
Dietary Changes to Reduce Urinary Incontinence
Certain foods and beverages can act as bladder irritants, exacerbating urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence. To help alleviate these symptoms, it's best to avoid or limit your consumption of food and fluids that can be bladder irritants. Try to avoid or reduce your caffeine consumption and avoid caffeinated products. Reduce or eliminate alcoholic beverages, eliminate acidic citrus juices and other fruits and juices if you feel they irritate your bladder, and carbonated drinks. Eliminate the use of artificial sweeteners and spicy foods. These items can cause inflammation and irritation to the bladder, leading to increased discomfort and a stronger urge to urinate.
Find Relief
Your Urinary Incontinence Consultation
At Southern Urogynecology Wellness and Aesthetics, our board-certified women’s health specialists help patients achieve optimal bladder health. If lifestyle modifications alone are not enough to alleviate your urinary issues, schedule a consultation with Southern Urogynecology Wellness & Aesthetics to explore additional treatment options and find the relief you deserve.
Lifestyle Changes for Urinary Incontinence
Frequently Asked Questions
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. It can range from occasional leaking to a complete inability to control the bladder.
The most common types are stress incontinence (leakage due to physical pressure on the bladder), urge incontinence (a sudden, intense urge to urinate), overflow incontinence (leakage due to an overfull bladder), and mixed incontinence (a combination of stress and urge incontinence).
Urinary incontinence can be caused by various factors, including pregnancy and childbirth, aging, obesity, certain medications, neurological disorders, and underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke, or Parkinson's disease. While diet alone doesn’t typically cause urinary incontinence, it can make it worse. Foods that irritate the bladder should be avoided if you are noticing symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is more common in women, primarily due to pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes. However, men can also experience incontinence, particularly as they age or due to prostate problems.
While there is no definitive cure for urinary incontinence, many treatment options are available to manage and improve the condition, including lifestyle changes, pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications, and surgical interventions.
While the risk of urinary incontinence increases with age, it is not an inevitable or normal part of aging. Many older adults can maintain bladder control through proper management and treatment.
It's advisable to seek medical attention if you experience persistent or bothersome urinary incontinence, as it can be a sign of an underlying condition that requires treatment.
Yes, some medications, such as diuretics, muscle relaxants, and certain antidepressants, can contribute to or exacerbate urinary incontinence. It's essential to inform your doctor about all medications you're taking.
Your doctor may perform a physical examination, order diagnostic tests (such as urinalysis, ultrasound, or cystoscopy), and review your medical history to determine the underlying cause of your urinary incontinence.
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