If you suffer from urinary incontinence, you’re not alone. UI can significantly impact your quality of life, but fortunately, there are several things you can do to help manage the condition and reduce its impact on your day-to-day life. Here are five tips for managing urinary incontinence.
Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and if weakened, can lead to a loss of bladder control. To strengthen these muscles, Kegel exercises—repeatedly squeezing and releasing the pelvic floor muscles—are recommended. Performing regular Kegels can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, reducing episodes of urinary incontinence and improving overall bladder control.
Watch Your Fluid Intake
Staying hydrated is important for your overall health, but drinking too much fluid throughout the day can increase the risk of UI episodes due to frequent urination. However, avoiding all fluids isn’t necessary either; aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and spread them out evenly throughout the day for optimal hydration levels without increasing your risk of developing UI symptoms.
Limit Bladder Irritants
Certain foods and drinks act as bladder irritants which can worsen UI symptoms such as caffeine and alcoholic beverages. Limiting these items (or avoiding them altogether) may help reduce UI episodes by decreasing irritation in the bladder lining which could trigger involuntary urination when fullness is reached more quickly than usual due to irritation caused by these substances. Additionally, smoking has been linked to an increased risk of urinary incontinence so quitting smoking is highly recommended if you suffer from this condition.
Lose Weight
For those who are overweight or obese, weight loss may be beneficial in helping reduce episodes of UI as excess weight places additional strain on the bladder while also increasing abdominal pressure which could cause leakage even when no urge is present at all due to difficulty with sphincter closure caused by abdominal fat pressing against it preventing complete closure during coughing or sneezing for example; both being common causes of stress incontinence experienced by many women after childbirth (or menopause). Losing just 5% of body weight has been shown to decrease urge symptoms significantly so don’t hesitate to make small changes towards a healthier lifestyle if excess weight is an issue for you!
Use Protective Pads or Devices
For those who still experience occasional leakage despite following these tips, absorbent pads or other devices may be beneficial in providing protection against embarrassing accidents should they occur while out and about away from home or during physical activities like running/sports etc. It’s important to note that these devices should only be used as a precautionary measure since they cannot cure incontinence completely; however they do provide peace of mind knowing that if any leakage does occur then it won’t result in an embarrassing situation!
There are many ways to help manage urinary incontinence including strengthening your pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises, limiting fluids intake while avoiding bladder irritants such as caffeine and alcohol, losing excess weight where needed, and using protective pads or devices when needed for extra protection against accidental leaks when away from home or engaging in physical activity like running/sports etc. Remember that although these measures cannot cure incontinence completely; they will help improve overall quality of life—allowing you live freely without worrying about embarrassing situations caused by unexpected leakage! With proper management strategies put into place, living with urinary incontinence doesn’t have to be unbearable. So don’t hesitate reach out for professional help if needed—there’s always someone who can listen and offer advice tailored specifically toward managing this condition effectively!
Written by: Lizzie Weakley
About the author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her husky, Snowball.