Urinary incontinence is a common old-age disorder that, Bladder Control Issues if not properly managed, can progressively diminish the quality of life.
Fortunately, there are numerous self-help tips that you can follow to cope with this condition. Below are ten of those interventions;
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- Invest In Diapers
Adult diapers, or incontinence briefs, are designed for seniors with bladder control issues. They resemble regular baby diapers except for their larger size and more advanced design technology.
Adult diapers come in diverse sizes to fit different users. Sizing charts typically consider the wearer’s waist, hip (for women), and thigh sizes.
Other considerations when shopping for incontinence briefs include thickness of the absorbency material, disposability, skin-friendliness, and eco-friendliness. - Enhance Your Diapers With Booster Pads
Booster pads, also called diaper pads, are designed to boost regular adult diapers’ efficiency.
A booster pad is typically worn inside incontinence briefs. It features flow-through fabric that soaks up urinary discharge until the absorbency material is full.
Once saturated, a diaper pad allows urine to flow through to the outer incontinence brief.
Diaper pads are particularly suitable for people with severe incontinence. They optimize the absorbency capacity of regular diapers, providing prolonged dryness. - Incorporate a Bed Pad Into Your Beddings
Bed pads are specially padded covers designed to cushion your beddings from accidental bladder activity while asleep.
Bed pads are commonly placed between the top bed sheet and the mattress, ensuring only the upper sheet gets soiled in the event of urine leakage.
A bed pad is a welcome relief for incontinence patients who are averse to wearing adult diapers or booster pads overnight specifically after mating press. It lets you sleep worry-free, assured that your mattress will be bone-dry the next morning even if bathroom accidents occur at night.
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- Cut Down On Caffeinated and Carbonated Drinks
Can’t go a day without downing a cup of the good, old coffee?
Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’ve been diagnosed with bladder incontinence, then it’s time for caffeinated beverages to take a back seat.
The biggest problem with caffeine is its tendency to irritate the bladder, potentially worsening incontinence symptoms.
Coffee poses the biggest threat to urinary incontinence patients due to its high concentration of caffeine. However, experts also recommend cutting back on caffeinated drinks, such as green tea and some energy drinks.
Avoid carbonated beverages, too. While not necessarily caffeinated, fizzy drinks can also irritate your bladder. - Cut Back On Alcohol
Alcohol is a diuretic. Diuretics are substances that stimulate urine production.
Drinking too much alcohol translates to frequent bathroom visits. For people with urinary incontinence, constant bladder movements can be grossly inconvenient.
Alcohol’s intoxicating properties may worsen urinary incontinence by interfering with the brain’s ability to interpret bladder movement signals. - Ramp Up Water Intake
Increasing water intake may sound like the most ineffective incontinence management strategy. However, according to experts, downing six to eight glasses of fluid per day might prove more useful than harmful for people with bladder control issues.
Water improves incontinence by soothing bladder and urinary tract muscles.
Staying hydrated may also prevent constipation, a leading cause of bowel incontinence. Bowel incontinence is a more severe form of incontinence marked by involuntary fecal leakage. - Quit Smoking
There’s no shortage of research linking cigarette smoking to adverse health effects. Studies on the impact of smoking and urological health indicate that smoking impairs the functionality of virtually all urological organs.
For people with urinary incontinence, smoking provokes coughing spasms. The resultant coughs can strain your pelvic floor muscles, exacerbating urinary incontinence.
Like caffeine and alcohol, cigarette smoking may irritate your bladder. And depending on the duration you’ve been smoking, you could be looking at full-blown bladder cancer.
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- Treat Constipation Quickly
Constipation is a bigger problem with bowel than urinary incontinence. That said, fecal and bladder incontinence may occur concurrently. Therefore, treating constipation restores control of both bowel and bladder muscles.
Drinking plenty of water and consuming fiber-rich diets are the most effective natural interventions against constipation.
Light workouts may also improve constipation by activating bowel activity. Besides, experts recommend maintaining proper posture, especially while sitting. - Shed Some Pounds
Obesity and overweight are leading factors behind multiple lifestyle diseases. It turns out that both conditions may also worsen urinary incontinence.
Being overweight exerts a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor tissues. The constant pressure on the bladder muscles can cause such muscles to snap, giving way to urinary incontinence.
Due to the numerous health concerns associated with obesity, the trick is to avoid packing up excess weight in the first place. A good place to start is by eating healthy foods, working out regularly, and controlling stress. - Practice Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are workouts designed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Below is a quick guide on how to perform these exercises;
⦁ Gently squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as you avoid pulling your tummy in.
⦁ Hold the squeezed position for two seconds, and then relax the muscles.
⦁ Repeat steps (i) and (ii) as frequently as possible.
As you practice Kegels, it’s also prudent to avoid exercises that can aggravate bladder control problems. Shun any high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts unless supervised by a professional fitness trainer or physiotherapist.
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Final Word
Practicing the above self-care habits may not permanently cure bladder control issues. But it can help manage urinary incontinence and improve the quality of life in your sunset years.