4 behavioral changes to tame urinary incontinence

Although urinary incontinence is not a life-threatening medical condition, it can significantly affect quality of life. When urinary incontinence becomes bothersome, people often stop traveling, exercising, visiting family and friends — in short, people stop doing the activities they enjoy. Surprisingly, approximately 70% of urinary incontinence can be significantly improved just by changing behavioral habits. This is called behavioral therapy. In a recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, behavioral therapy, either alone or in combination with medication therapy, was more effective than medication treatment alone for treating urinary incontinence. This means if you are motivated enough to stick with a behavioral treatment program, there’s a strong chance you can improve your bladder control yourself. Urinary incontinence: The basics Urinary incontinence can be very minimal, leaking only a few drops. Or it can be severe, leaking so much that your pants are soaked. The two most common types of urinary incontinence are stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). SUI is the type of leaking that happens when you cough, sneeze, lift, or exercise. UUI is when you get the urge to urinate, and leak before you make it to the toilet. Behavioral modifications help both types of urinary incontinence. Restrict fluids Many women do not realize that too much fluid, such as water, soft drinks, juices, and coffee, can increase the likelihood of ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Healthy Aging Incontinence Women's Health Source Type: blogs