Urinary Incontinence, A Common Topic!

08th, Sep 2022

November is Bladder Health Month and across the coming weeks we’ll be posting about a number of issues relating to such an important part of our bodies and offering friendly advice on how to help yourself or seek help.

This week, we’re discussing Urinary Incontinence. 

We’ve all been there: whether we’ve laughed at a joke too hard, lifted something too heavy, or just held it in too long waiting for the bathroom, we’ve all wet ourselves at one time or another.

But for many it’s an issue that can happen anytime and anywhere, leading to low self-confidence and depression.

Often associated with bed wetting and children, Urinary Incontinence is actually a very common issue that many adults suffer from and one that shouldn’t be ignored or shy’ d away from.

The stigma surrounding this can make talking about it or seeking help scary and embarrassing but around 300 MILLION adults worldwide suffer on a daily basis. Common in both men and women, it isn’t anything to be ashamed of and easy, little changes in lifestyle can make symptoms more manageable.

Basic ways to stop leaks, essentially, come down to diet and exercise. Below are 3 ways to help and why they do so:

Change the way you exercise

Over the past year many of us have taken up running but exercise like this and other high-impact exercises can accentuate the frequency of leaks as they put pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. Lifting weights etc. can have the same effect; so, try substitute some of these exercises for pilates or yoga which help strengthen your core muscles and alleviate symptoms. Regular pelvic floor exercises are also very useful and can be done at home!

Drink the right things

You’ve heard it before and we’re going to say it again…cut down on caffeine, alcohol and drink more water. I know, it seems daunting, but the benefits are so rewarding!

You may think drinking more would worsen the problem but 6-8 glasses of water a day can help relieve constipation (a cause of incontinence) and increase bladder capacity. Whereas alcohol and caffeine both irritate the bladder and by cutting down it can help alleviate the frequency and unpredictability of symptoms.

Cut out naughty habits

Okay, this one is good all round.

Smoking and poor diet are big irritants of incontinence symptoms. Smoking causes coughing fits which put pressure on the pelvic floor muscles and fatty foods such as curries and fried food lead to weight gain, which weakens the pelvic floor and adds fatty tissue to the bladder.

Losing excess weight may improve and even eliminate symptoms altogether. Not to mention, the benefits on overall health of addressing both these factors.

So, there you have it, three simple ways that can go a long way to helping alleviate Urinary incontinence symptoms and elevate your daily life!

If you are seeking further professional advice or treatment, please contact us at Kingsbridge Private Hospital (Belfast or Sligo) to arrange an appointment with one of our expert and dedicated consultants.

To book an appointment, please visit our Online Booking Portal or contact us on:

NI - 028 9066 7878
ROI - 048 9068 8858

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