5 Non-surgical Treatments For Urinary Incontinence
When you have urinary incontinence, it means you leak urine involuntarily. The condition is most prevalent in older people and women. A study by the American Urological Association established that urinary incontinence affects about 30% of women aged 30-60, compared to about 5% of men. Apart from age-related issues, your best Edinburg, TX obstetrics specialist also treats involuntary urine leakage due to disease, infections, or the use of particular medications, which cause the muscles in your bladder to become too weak or highly active.
Different types of urinary incontinence (UI) include stress UI and overflow UI. For instance, stress incontinence results from applying pressure or strain on your abdomen or bladder to cause a forceful escape of urine.
On the contrary, overflow incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence resulting from a bladder overflowing with urine. Depending on your type of UI, your health provider will recommend the right treatment plan to relieve your symptoms. Consequently, below are the non-surgical treatments or lifestyle changes that can assist in controlling your bladder problem.
1.Control the amount of liquid intake
If you have urinary incontinence, consult your doctor about the quantity of liquid you can take during the day. But, ensure that you do not reduce your intake of fluids so that you become dehydrated.
The volume of liquids you consume will depend on your general health, activities, and the weather in your location.
Also, you can reduce the number of trips to your bathroom at night by avoiding consuming liquids like water a few hours before sleeping.
2.Avoid sedentary lifestyle
A sedentary or inactive lifestyle is a lifestyle that involves a lot of lying down or sitting with less or no exercise.
Frequently performing exercises or engaging in physical activities is vital for maintaining a healthy weight and general well-being.
You can improve your health and control of your bladder by regularly swimming, cycling, running, dancing, and walking. While engaging in any of those physical activities, make sure there is a nearby restroom.
3.Maintain a healthy body weight
Maintaining healthy body weight is essential for avoiding urinary incontinence and other diseases like diabetes or stroke that can lead to the condition.
When you are obese or overweight, the excess weight in the abdominal area exerts pressure on the bladder, weakening or damaging muscles and structures. As a result, your bladder is highly likely to leak.
Achieve or maintain healthy body weight by remaining physically active, eating healthy diets, and staying sufficiently hydrated.
4.Bladder re-education
Bladder re-education involves training to urinate at specific times of the day without waiting until the bladder is full. You may go to the bathroom to urinate after 3 to 4 hours and with time, lengthen the hours it takes before you go to the bathroom.
Timed voiding can decrease the urge to urinate and prevent leakage even if your bladder is full.
5.Exercise your pelvic floor muscles
Pelvic floor muscles support the function of organs like your womb, bladder, and bowel. Making the muscles more robust can help improve sex and eliminate urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Performing kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles around the pelvic floor and thus reduce urine leakage.
Contact Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley today for specialist treatment of urinary incontinence.