I dread going on long trips and having to use public transportation. I am one of those people who have to go to the washroom every hour or so to relieve my bladder. I don’t think I have an extreme case of urinary incontinence but there are a lot of women, especially those who have just given birth, who suffer from this condition.
Is there a cure for this? Yahoo Health presents some suggestions – aside from surgery – that can help with urinary incontinence.
Perform Kegel exercises designed to make your pelvic muscles stronger.
Set a schedule for emptying your bladder, instead of waiting until you have to go. Slowly increase the amount of time between trips to the bathroom.
Maintain a healthy body weight, as excess weight can strain the bladder and surrounding muscles.
Limit or avoid beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol.
Biofeedback may help you learn to better control the bladder and surrounding muscles.
Prescription medication may help control some types of incontinence. Talk with your doctor about whether medication may work for you.
Though I most certainly have not given birth, I suppose some of these tips could help me. The third point is particularly interesting – I never before associated body weight with having to go to the washroom a lot. Maybe I should take a look at this in more detail. The fourth point is common sense – at least I think so. I love coffee and perhaps those 3 to 5 cups I take a day contributes to my habits. Maybe you should take a closer look at these points if you are suffering from urinary incontinence.
Originally posted on January 28, 2008 @ 11:27 am