Tips to help you.
For many people with urinary incontinence, the following self-help tips and some lifestyle changes can help with symptoms.
Here are 10 ways you can help yourself.
Pelvic Floor Exercises.
Daily pelvic floor exercises can be effective at reducing leaks. Its important to do them properly.
It may take up to 3 months before you see any difference.
Stop Smoking.
Smoking puts yourself at risk of incontinence. Coughing puts strain on your pelvic floor muscles.
Do the Right Exercises.
High impact exercises and sit-ups put pressure on your pelvic floor muscles and this can increase leaks.
To strengthen your pelvic floor to relieve symptoms, replace high impact exercises, such as jogging and aerobics with strengthening exercises such a pilates.
Avoid Lifting.
Lifting puts strain on your pelvic floor muscles, so avoid it whenever you can.
When you do need to lift something, such as picking children or shopping bags, tighten your pelvic floor muscles before and during the lift.
Lose Excess Weight.
Being overweight can weaken your pelvic floor muscles and cause incontinence because of the pressure of fatty tissue on your bladder.
Your symptoms may improve, and could go away completely, if you lose any excess weight.
Treat Constipation Promptly.
Straining to poo weakens your pelvic floor muscles and makes urinary incontinence worse.
Never ignore the urge to poo. If you have constipation, it may help to change your diet and lifestyle.
Eating more fibre and exercising more can help. It may also help if you change the way you sit and use your muscles to empty your bowels.
Cut Down on Caffeine.
Caffeine irritates the bladder and make incontinence worse.
Coffee has the biggest effect, so stop drinking it or switch to decaffeinated coffee.
Fizzy drinks. tea, green, tea, energy drinks and hot chocolate also contain caffeine, so cut down on these too and replace them with water and herbal or fruit teas.
Cut down on Alcohol.
Alcohol is diuretic, which means you urinate more often. Cutting down may help incontinence symptoms.
Drink Plenty of Water.
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day (but no more) unless your doctor advises you otherwise.
Many people with urinary incontinence avoid drinking fluids, as they feel it causes more problems. However, limiting your fluid intake makes incontinence worse, because it reduces your bladders capacity.
Not drinking enough fluid can also cause constipation or make it worse.
Eat the Right Foods.
Avoid spicy and acidic foods, such as curries and citrus fruits, as they can irritate the bladder and make leaks and other incontinence symptoms worse.