4 Behavioral Shifts to Ease Urinary Incontinence
Anyone who suffers from urinary incontinence knows that while it isn’t usually a serious condition, it can be embarrassing and unpleasant. Whether you have been experiencing urinary incontinence due to age, injury, or childbirth, it can be annoying and concerning to have to repeatedly worry about accidents. While many cases of urinary incontinence can actually be helped simply by changing some of your behaviors, there are more severe cases that may require more advanced stress urinary incontinence treatments.
4 Behavioral Changes to Ease Stress Urinary Incontinence
There are several ways you can shift your behavior to help keep your urinary incontinence in check. These include the following:
- Try Using Pelvic Floor Exercises. Pelvic floor exercises, or Kegels, are incredibly helpful for those who are suffering from urinary incontinence. It can be very useful to practice these exercises, and you don’t require any special equipment or to carve out large blocks of time; you can practice them anywhere, at any time. These exercises are done by tightening up, or contracting, the pelvic floor muscles, and then releasing. When done repeatedly, you can help train your body to control urinary incontinence.
- Restrict the Amount of Fluids You Consume. Restricting the amount of fluids you consume can help ease the pressure on your urethra by your filling bladder. Before going on a trip or attending special occasions where you fear you might need a bathroom multiple times, it can be easier to manage stress urinary incontinence by restricting the amount of fluids you consume. It can also help to limit yourself to multiple smaller drinks throughout the day, instead of drinking a lot at one time.
- Training Your Bladder. Training your bladder may sound intimidating, but it can be very effective for managing urinary incontinence. If you typically use the bathroom once an hour, try training your bladder to use the bathroom once every hour and a half, instead. This is helpful if you have a big trip coming up, or will be somewhere where access to a bathroom is limited.
- Skip the Caffeine. While it isn’t harmful to partake in caffeine every now and again, caffeine can act as a diuretic for some, so consuming large amounts of it on a regular basis can cause you to need the bathroom more often. Try limiting yourself to one cup of coffee or a single caffeinated drink per day, if you must have it.
Surgical Options for Stress Urinary Incontinence
There are other options available for those who need a more permanent solution for stress urinary incontinence treatment. Minimally invasive procedures are becoming more and more popular and can help control issues where other behavioral changes haven’t been successful.
Bladder Sling
A bladder sling is a net-like device that is placed under the bladder to allow the bladder to rest, keeping the stress off of the urethra, which can lead to leakage.
Non-Surgical Urinary Stress Incontinence Treatment
This treatment is done by a fragmented CO2 laser and does not carry the same risks as other surgical procedures. This is also approved by the FDA and can offer relief from symptoms without worrying about excessive downtime, painful recovery, or the risks and side effects from a traditional surgical procedure.
To learn more about Urinary Stress Incontinence treatments, or to find out if you are a candidate for one of these procedures, call Dr. Ghozland today to set up a consultation.