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How To Make My Bladder Stronger

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Leaky Bladder? Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor!

Overactive bladder is the name for a group of bladder symptoms. There are three main symptoms:

  • A feeling that you have to go to the bathroom, urgently.
  • Sometimes incontinence, which means that you leak urine with the “gotta go” feeling.
  • Usually the need to go to the bathroom often , day and night.

With OAB, you feel that you need to empty your bladder even when it’s not full. This leads to the feeling that you need a bathroom quickly, right now. You can’t control or ignore this feeling. If you “gotta go” eight or more times each day and night, or fear that urine will leak out before youre ready, you may have OAB.

OAB affects about 33 million Americans. It’s not a normal part of aging. It’s a health problem that can last for a long time if it’s not treated. Many older men and women struggle with OAB symptoms. Often people don’t know about treatments that can help, or they don’t ask for help.

Stress urinary incontinence or SUI is a different bladder problem. People with SUI leak urine while sneezing, laughing or being active. It is not the same as that sudden “gotta go” feeling from OAB. To learn more about SUI, go to .

In this guide you will find clear information about how to manage OAB. Please ask for help, even if you feel embarrassed. Don’t wait, because there are several treatments that work well for OAB. Your health care provider should be trained to talk with you and help you manage your symptoms without embarrassment.

Work Your Kegel Exercises

The pelvic floor muscles play a role in sexual activity, explains Robert Valenzuela, MD, a board-certified urologist and Promescent medical advisor. Contractions of the pelvic floor muscles help produce an increase in the penis pressure and the rigidity of the penis. In simpler words, Kegel exerciseswhere you contract and release your pelvic floor musclescan help strengthen your erections. Here are some tips on exactly how to practice Kegel exercises.

Kegel exercises are also a component of a practice known as penis rehabilitation, adds Michael Ingber, MD, a urologist and urogynecologist at Garden State Urology. Just like after shoulder surgery, when you might see a physical therapist to work on the muscles, strengthening them, and increasing range of motion, the same thing is true for the penis, the muscles, and nerves that play a role in erectile function. Thats why many urologists recommend early penile rehabilitationwhich includes Kegelsshortly after events that affect the erectile nerves of the penis, such as prostate cancer surgery. This is done in conjunction with medical therapies like Viagra, Ingber says.

What Happens To The Bladder Muscles During An Oab Flare

During a flare-up of overactive bladder, the detrusor muscles may contract and squeeze erratically even if the bladder is not full. The contraction is involuntary and produces the sudden urge to go to the bathroom.

The urge to urinate before the bladder is full may come on frequently. Even though the bladder is not full, the sensation can also lead to urine leakage. This occurs because the bladder muscles squeeze and allow urine to come out.

Read Also: Florida Bladder Institute Patient Portal

What You Can Do: Watch Your Weight

Youâre more likely to have problems with your bladder if youâre overweight. Too much body fat can strain your pelvic floor and make you pee when you donât want to. It also can put pressure on the pelvic nerves, which makes you feel like you have to go sooner than you really do. Losing weight can ease the pressure on both.

But Keep A Pot Of Coffee On

How to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor at Home [Infographic]

Though few things are worse for your erection than a cigarette habit, coffee can actually help you out below the belt. A study by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston found that men who consumed the caffeine equivalent of 2-3 cups of coffee per day were less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those who preferred to wake up with caffeine-free beverages.

Also Check: Is Epsom Salt Good For Bladder Infections

What Steps Can I Take At Home To Treat Urinary Incontinence

Your doctor or nurse may suggest some things you can do at home to help treat urinary incontinence. Some people do not think that such simple actions can treat urinary incontinence. But for many women, these steps make urinary incontinence go away entirely, or help leak less urine. These steps may include:

You can also buy pads or protective underwear while you take other steps to treat urinary incontinence. These are sold in many stores that also sell feminine hygiene products like tampons and pads.

Your Bladder Control Programme

There are many things you can do in your everyday life to improve your bladder control, and reduce light bladder leakage, most of them are quick and easy and can be integrated into your day with no problems. Follow a schedule for going to the toilet as directed by your doctor. The overall aim is to gradually increase the time between visits by holding out a little longer each time.

  • Reduce or cut out caffeine , very sweet drinks and alcohol
  • Avoid constipation by eating plenty of fibre from fruit, vegies and whole grains. Dont use laxatives!
  • Drink the recommended amount of water per day
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Do pelvic floor exercises. A strong and fit pelvic floor boosts your chances of beating incontinence

Getting control begins with you keeping a bladder diary to get baseline information about your bladder function and habits. When youve kept your diary for a week, take it to your doctor or physiotherapist to discuss your bladder training program.

Some tricks and tips for hanging on

  • Roll up a small towel, place it between your legs and sit on it. The pressure on your perineum should help manage the urge
  • Contract your pelvic floor muscles
  • Take deep slow breaths
  • Take your mind off your things for a few minutes by doing something else such as making the bed, writing an email, or counting backwards from 100
  • Sit down and curl your toes
  • Also Check: Uncontrollable Bladder After Giving Birth

    Seeking Medical Treatment For Incontinence

  • 1Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have concerns. If youre having bladder control issues, make an appointment to see a doctor. There are different potential causes of bladder control problems, so your doctor will need to run tests to find out whats causing your issues.XExpert SourcePelvic Health SpecialistExpert Interview. 2 December 2020. Some diagnostic tests your doctor might use include:XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source
  • Running a urinalysis test to check for infection, blood, and other abnormalities in your urine.
  • Having you keep a bladder diary to look for patterns in your urinary habits.
  • Using an ultrasound or catheter to check the amount of urine in your bladder after you urinate.
  • Tip: Make sure to tell your doctor about any other symptoms you are having along with loss of bladder control.

  • 2Ask your doctor about medications for incontinence. Depending on the type of incontinence you have, your doctor might recommend a medication to treat the problem. There are different types of medications available including:XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source
  • Anticholinergics. These medications are helpful for calming an overactive bladder. This is a common issue with urge incontinence, which is when you frequently get the urge to urinate.
  • Topical estrogen . This may help to stimulate tissue toning and rejuvenation in the vagina.
  • What Is Bladder Training

    How to strengthen your pelvic floor

    Bladder training is a way of learning to manage urinary incontinence. It helps you change your urination habits. Its generally used for stress incontinence or urge incontinence. Stress incontinence is when urine leaks because of sudden pressure on your lower stomach muscles. This could be when you cough, laugh, lift something, or exercise. Urge incontinence is when the need to urinate comes on so fast that you cant get to a toilet in time. Bladder training can also be used for a combination of the 2 types .

    Bladder training can help by:

    • Lengthening the amount of time between bathroom trips.
    • Increasing the amount of urine your bladder can hold.
    • Improving your control over the urge to urinate.

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    What Treatments Are Available

    Since there are many types of incontinence, there are also many types of treatment. The good news is that the vast majority of people find an option that significantly improves their situation. In the sections below you will find descriptions of the main types of treatment, including what type of incontinence they are commonly used to treat. If you dont yet know your diagnosis, we recommend going to How can I get help?, where we can guide you on how to speak to a healthcare professional.

    Mistake #: Not Drinking Enough Water

    Many urinary complaints are related to poor hydration. Generally speaking, if your urine is clear or very light, that’s a sign you are drinking the right amount of water. If your urine is dark yellow or amber, that’s usually a sign of dehydration.

    Odor, an “off” color, and the sense of burning while voiding are other signs that might indicate you are not properly hydrated. Not drinking enough water can contribute to UTIs and kidney stones. Concentrated urine can irritate the lining of the bladder, making it more sensitive. It is also more likely to form kidney or bladder stones.

    Many patients ask if drinking alternative fluids will suffice, but many beverages contain high sugar concentrations or caffeine, which can have other health effects, says Dr. Brito, noting these might make overactive bladder symptoms worse. Water is the safest option to maintain hydration and keep your kidneys and bladder healthy.

    There are some conditions that can make your urine appear more concentrated even if you are well-hydrated, such as liver problems or hematuria. So, if you are drinking enough water but have dark-colored urine, odor, or burning, its worth a trip to a urologist, who can evaluate your symptoms more closely.

    “The ability to urinate freely and without difficulty is taken for granted by most people,” says Dr. Brito. So, next time you have to go, follow the above advice for better urinary health.

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    What You Can Do: Clean Carefully

    After you poop, be sure to wipe from front to back so bacteria doesnât get near your genitals. When you wash, be gentle and donât use harsh soaps that can damage the sensitive skin in the area and let bacteria in. And a shower can be better than a bath. Sitting in bathwater can let bacteria and other irritants get inside your urinary tract.

    Can This Injury Or Condition Be Prevented

    How to benefits from Kegal Exercise?

    Once individuals are performing pelvic-floor muscle contractions daily and correctly, they can begin to incorporate the exercises into their activities of daily living. Developing healthy bladder habits, such as regular and timed bathroom visits, and avoiding potential bladder irritants such as caffeine, can be helpful lifestyle changes for people with urinary incontinence.

    Your physical therapist can provide information about:

    • Diet and nutrition, to help you avoid food and drinks that may irritate the bladder.
    • Changing the behaviors that make your symptoms worse.
    • Techniques to decrease urinary urge and frequency, such as muscle strengthening or stretching.
    • Maintaining a healthy bathroom schedule.
    • Maintaining bowel regularity.

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    Add A Supplement To Your Daily Routine

    AZO Bladder Control®& Weight Management is a terrific supplement to help with occasional bladder leakage and/or urgency.* With naturally-sourced pumpkin seed and soy germ extracts, AZO Bladder Control®& Weight Management helps to support the muscles of your pelvic floor and reduce the occasional urge around the clock. Clinically studied Synetrim® CQ in AZO Bladder Control® & Weight Management also supports your serotonin balance to help promote metabolic health to support healthy weight management.*

    Simple Tips For A Stronger Bladder

    Written byMohan GarikiparithiPublished onJuly 20, 2018

    Im sure youve heard the phrase, You cant teach an old dog new tricks. Typically, this refers to being older in age and it being more difficult to learn something new. This may apply to people, but it sure doesnt apply to our bladders. You can very well teach an old bladder a new trick, that being to prevent leaks.

    As we age, the pelvic floor muscles become weaker, which increases the risk of bladder leaks. But suffering from bladder leaks doesnt have to be an inevitable part of aging. In fact, you can train your bladder to be more effective and reduce your risk of leaks.

    The best way to train your bladder is to make it stronger through exercise. Now, this isnt the type of exercise you do in the gym, but one you can do in the comfort of your own home.

    Also Check: Causes Of Weak Bladder Muscles

    S To Bladder Training

    One way to train your bladder is to extend the amount of time in between urinations. These five steps can help you achieve this type of bladder training.

    Step 1: For a couple of days, document how often you urinate or leak.

    Step 2: For each day, calculate the amount of time in between urinations.

    Step 3: Based on the calculations, choose an interval that you can hold your urine for.

    Step 4: Always empty your bladder upon awakening. Throughout the day, continue to add 15 minutes to your intervals. Continue this routine until you feel comfortable with it.

    Step 5: Once youve mastered your initial training, create a new regimen by adding an additional 15 minutes to each interval.

    Another form of bladder training to strengthen pelvic muscles is to stop your stream of urination while peeing. You can do this several times while youre urinating.

    That motion of stopping urination can also be done when youre not urinating. This technique is called a Kegel and it can be done anytime and anywhere. Simply contract your pelvic floor muscles throughout the day in order to keep your muscles strong.

    Also read:

    How Do You Fix A Weak Bladder

    kegel exercises for bladder incontinence (how to do kegel exercises correctly)

    Here are 18 tips to help fix your weak bladder.

    1. Get your bladder stronger through exercise

    The best way to improve the strength of your bladder is with Kegel exercises. A weak bladder can cause problems like urinary incontinence. If you want to learn how to fix a weak bladder, then do some kegel exercises! These are supposed to be done by clenching the muscles in your pelvic floor. Keep doing these until you feel them getting stronger!

    2. Add fiber to your diet

    Fiber is important for a healthy digestive tract, but it can also help strengthen your bladder too. If you want to fix a weak bladder then add more fiber into your diet. You can eat high-fiber foods like oatmeal, flaxseed, popcorn, and nuts.

    3. Use the bathroom at certain times

    If you wait until its too late to go to the bathroom then your bladder will be weaker than it would have been if you went beforehand! Avoid drinking lots of liquids before bedtime so that you can wake up in the morning with a full bladder.

    4. Avoid lifting heavy objects

    A weak bladder can sometimes be caused by straining when you lift heavy items. If the pelvic floor feels the strain and its not strong enough, then your bladder might let go. You can easily prevent this by making sure that you lift objects in a healthy way!

    5. Lose excess weight

    This might seem obvious, but if your weight is over the line then it could cause problems with your bladder. If you are overweight, then losing excess pounds will make your bladder stronger!

    Also Check: Will Cranberry Pills Help An Overactive Bladder

    How To Strengthen The Bladder

    Approximately 17% of women over the age of 18 suffer from overactive bladder . This number increases with age and 20% of women over the age of 40 suffer from OAB. Also, 29% of women between the ages of 60 and 70 experience leakage of urine while coughing, sneezing, or laughing. You should know you are not alone. Your healthcare provider can recommend tips for how to strengthen the bladder and we have some tips for you too.

    Get Your Testosterone Levels Checked

    Low testosterone doesn’t directly affect the mechanisms involved in your erection, but it does affect your libido, making it harder to get turned onand harder to get, well, hard. If you notice an uncharacteristic drop in your sex driveor any of these symptoms of low testosteroneyou might want to ask your doc if your T levels are lower than they should be. If they are, your doctor can help get your testosterone back to levels within the normal range.

    Also Check: Common Antibiotics For Bladder Infection

    How To Relax Your Bladder Muscles

    Most of us probably do not think about our bladder muscles, but your bladder muscles can play a role in overactive bladder symptoms. Similar to other muscles, you can strengthen the muscles in your bladder and reduce symptoms of OAB. Continue reading to find out how to relax your bladder muscles, and how this may improve your OAB symptoms.

    Can Overactive Bladder Be Controlled

    KEGEL EXERCISES

    Overactive bladder therapy can be challenging to manage. However, many people are very satisfied with the treatment they receive and they often see a dramatic improvement in their quality of life. Your doctor will guide you to the best steps to begin with and give you options for any additional treatments you may need over time.

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