How To Strengthen Your Bladder And Urinate Less Often
This article was medically reviewed by Allison Romero, PT, DPT. Dr. Allison Romero is a Pelvic Health Specialist, Physical Therapist, and the Owner of Reclaim Pelvic Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over a decade of experience, Allison specializes in comprehensive pelvic physical therapy treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Sonoma State University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. Allison is a board certified Physical Therapist in California and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association-Section on Womens Health and the International Pelvic Pain Society.There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 972,837 times.
Ways For Canadians To Stop Weak Bladders
Bladder weakness is a significant problem for many people. Both men and women experience bladder weakness in many forms.
Let’s dive into the description of what exactly bladder weakness is. After that, we will review several ways to stop bladder weakness.
The professional ‘official’ term for bladder weakness is ‘urinary incontinence. This term broadly defines any challenges with your bladder. Let’s review a few:
Stress incontinence – leaking during stressful act
Overactive bladder – Sudden urges to urinate and/or getting up multiple times in the night to urinate
Overflow incontinence – This is crudely defined as a ‘dripping faucet’ – where a small amount of urine leaks out without your control.
Regardless of the type of bladder weakness you have, all urinary incontinence can be improved through various ways:
How can I stop my bladder weakness?
No one wants bladder weakness. In fact, in a resent study of seniors found that experiencing bladder weakness by way of urinary incontinence increased the length of hospital stays and increased mortality rates
Regardless of your age or gender, stopping bladder weakness and leaks is paramount to a happy healthy lifestyle. Bladder weakness can cripple your well-being, causing depression and anxiety about getting out and enjoying the world. Further, bladder weakness and bladder leaks can cause an emotional burden for those that suffer from it.
Category 1 for bladder weakness: Non-surgical Treatment
– Lifestyle Changes –
Strengthening Weak Bladder With Lifestyle Changes Exercises Herbal Remedies Medications And Medical Treatments
There is a long list that tells how to strengthen weak bladder. You need to follow the one that works best for you. You need to choose your treatment options depending on the kind of incontinence you suffer from. But, before getting any treatment you need to know that this condition can be managed in an easy manner and there is nothing to worry about it.
Let us know how to strengthen weak bladder in the following section.
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There Are Different Types
If you experience incontinence when you sneeze, cough, or exercise, you may have stress incontinence, which is leakage from added pressure on the abdomen that pushes urine past the urethra.
If you stand up and are unable to hold off on emptying your bladder before you reach the bathroom, you may have urge incontinence, otherwise known as an overactive bladder.
Many women have a combination of stress and urge incontinence called mixed incontinence. And although less likely, some women experience overflow, a rare condition which causes frequent urinary leaks due to a constant full bladder.
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Drinking The Wrong Things At The Wrong Time
Staying hydrated is important for good overall health and wellbeing. But the more you drink, the more urine your body produces. If you have urinary incontinence, this will mean that you leak more urine.
Its therefore best to avoid or limit drinks that contain caffeine, as these have a greater diuretic effect. Caffeinated drinks include tea and coffee as well as cola and energy drinks.
Alcoholic beverages also have a diuretic effect, so try to limit your alcohol intake.
But avoiding too many fluids can also make your symptoms worse. Being dehydrated leads to dark, concentrated urine which can irritate the walls of the bladder, causing them to contract more often, and leak more urine.
Every person is unique, so try to balance your need to stay hydrated with how much fluid can make your urinary incontinence worse.
If urinary incontinence is a problem for you at night, its also best to avoid drinking too many fluids in the evening, and to avoid them completely just before bed.
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Drugs For Overactive Bladder
In people with overactive bladder, muscles in the bladder wall contract at the wrong time. A group of drugs called anticholinergics combat this problem by blocking the nerve signals related to bladder muscle contractions. Research suggests that these drugs also might increase bladder capacity and decrease the urge to go.
Anticholinergic drugs include:
Oxytrol for women is the only drug available over the counter. Overall, these drugs work about the same in treating overactive bladder, and generally people tolerate all of them well. The main side effect is dry mouth, but anticholinergics also can cause constipation, blurred vision, and increased heartbeat.
Anticholinergics aren’t right for everyone. Some people with glaucoma, urinary retention, or gastrointestinal disease should avoid using anticholinergic drugs.
The drugs mirabegron and vibegron called beta-3 adrenergic agonists. These medications work by activating a protein receptor in bladder muscles that relaxes them and helps the bladder fill and store urine.
Another type of drug for overactive bladder is the tricyclic antidepressantimipramine hydrochloride , which also relaxes bladder muscles.
Doctors also treat men with drugs that relax a muscle at the bladder neck and prostate to help with emptying. They include:
Effects Of Caffeine And Alcohol
Tea, coffee, cola, and some painkiller tablets contain caffeine. Caffeine has a diuretic effect and will make urine form more often. Caffeine may also directly stimulate the bladder to make urgency symptoms worse. It may be worth trying without caffeine for a week or so to see if symptoms improve. If symptoms do improve, you may not want to give up caffeine completely. However, you may wish to limit the times that you have a caffeine-containing drink. Also, you will know to be near to a toilet whenever you have caffeine.
In some people, alcohol may make symptoms worse. The same advice applies as with caffeine drinks.
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Overactive Bladder In Men At A Glance
- Overactive bladder is the result of malfunctioning bladder muscles and nerves that send sensations to the brain, causing involuntary and unnecessary contraction of the bladder muscles.
- The primary symptom of OAB is a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate, often resulting in leakage of urine, which is incontinence.
- OAB, also called urge incontinence, affects up to 30 percent of males, preventing them from controlling when and how much they urinate.
- Nearly two-thirds of cases of OAB in men are caused by an enlarged prostate.
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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.
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Exercises To Strengthen Weak Bladder:
Kegel Exercises:
Kegel exercises are the primary treatments for stress related incontinence. These kegel exercises, also known as the pelvic floor exercises, are specially designed to strengthen the bladder muscles that supports bladder as well as the muscles that support uterus or the womb and the rectum.
Women having stress incontinence or having a weak bladder, can experience about 70% of the improvement in their symptoms with consistently performing kegel exercises.
Kegel exercises actually work by thickening those muscles that hold the bladder, urethra, and various other organs in right place.
So, kegel exercises are great to strengthen weak bladder and it is recommended to add these exercises to your daily routine.
For performing kegel exercises, you just need to squeeze the pelvic floor muscles. In case you are not sure how to isolate these pelvic floor muscles, simply stop urinating mid-stream when you go to the washroom. Those muscles that are used to cut-off your urine are the ones that you must tighten during the kegel exercises.
It is recommended by The NIDDKD or National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease that you should hold each Squeeze for 3 seconds. Gradually you can build up to 3 sets for 10 reps each day.
Other Pelvic Floor Exercises:
Apart from the kegel exercises, you can also add some other exercises to target the muscles of the pelvic floor and strengthen weak bladder.
Short Contractions:
Long Contractions:
Bladder Training:
Supplements For Adequate Nutrition
Developing a diet free of irritants can take some trial and error. During this time, its important to get the recommended amount of daily nutrients.
Be sure to talk with your doctor about your individual nutritional needs. They can help determine the appropriate supplements for you.
You may find it beneficial to supplement your diet with a daily multivitamin or nutrition drinks. Popular nutrition drinks include shakes, such as Boost or Ensure, and formulas, such as ProNourish.
Check in with your doctor before adding a supplement or nutrition drink to your regimen. Certain ingredients may interfere with your medications or otherwise negatively impact your overall health.
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Top 20 Natural Home Remedies For Overactive Bladder
1. Pumpkin Seeds
This is the first home remedy for overactive bladder for you to do at home. Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, insoluble fatty acids, and high levels of antioxidants, which provide many benefits to the body. Thanks to the high levels of carotenoids and liposolunols, pumpkin seed oil is considered as an ingredient to help prevent diseases, especially prostatic disease.
In addition, scientists have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating diabetes, anxiety and overactive bladder. A study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that pumpkin seed helped improve urinary symptoms in study participants after 12 weeks of supplementation. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of fatty acids and phytoesterol which are essential for the bladder, especially for women after menopause.
Method 1: Only Pumpkin Seed
To implement this method, please follow these steps below:
- Prepare 10 grams pumpkin seeds.
- Rinse the pumpkin seeds, then roast for 3 minutes so that the pumpkin seeds ripen.
- Peel pumpkin seeds and eat during the day when you feel hungry.
Method 2: Pumpkin Seed And Water
To implement this method, please follow these steps below:
- Prepare 20 grams pumpkin seeds, 500 ml boiling water.
- Rinse pumpkin seeds, then use the pumpkin seeds to soak in boiling water and leave for 30 minutes.
- Filter for the juice and drink it.
You can implement this method 4-5 times a week for best results.
Method 3: Pumpkin Seed, Sugar And Honey
2. Kegel Exercises
What Is Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a urological condition that causes the urgent and frequent need to urinate. The urge may be difficult to stop and might lead to involuntary loss of urine .
With OAB, bladder muscles and nerves do not operate properly, resulting in inaccurate and often frequent signals to the brain to contract the bladder muscles to release urine when the bladder does not need to be emptied. OAB can also occur because bladder muscles are too active, contracting frequently causing an urge to urinate.
Typically, adults urinate four to seven times a day. Patients with OAB, however, may use the bathroom up to 30 times a day and may be unable to reach the bathroom before urination.
OAB frequently disrupts the life of the men who have it. Many men are uncomfortable even talking about these problems so they fail to seek treatment. OAB can cause them to feel nervous about being out in public because they might release urine involuntarily. Frequent urges to urinate can send them to the bathroom constantly. Men can begin to shy away from social activities and can experience depression due to OAB.
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Overactive Bladder Vs Urinary Incontinence
Overactive Bladder
- Condition in which the bladder can no longer hold urine normally.
- Often feel a sudden urge to urinate or experience an accident.
- Defining symptom is urgency, or the inability to postpone urination.
- OAB is typically a chronic problem
- Often requires strengthening of pelvic floor muscles to get rid of symptoms like urinary incontinence.
- Symptoms including urinary incontinence are ongoing.
- Bladder muscle problems at the root of it.
- Can result from regularly consuming alcohol and caffeine in large quantities.
- Serious health conditions can lead to OAB including a stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis , or Parkinsons disease.
Urinary Incontinence
- Is when you lose control of your bladder.
- Isnt a condition its a symptom.
- Is a symptom of OAB.
- Can be caused by a loss or weakening of control over the urinary sphincter.
- Can be a sign of something simple like a singular occasion of too much fluid consumption, a temporary problem.
- Is a common symptom of a UTI along with a burning sensation during urination and/or blood in the urine.
Essential Tips To Help Anyone With A Weak Bladder
Huff/Post 50 Editor, The Huffington Post
Do you always look for the nearest bathroom when you’re out in public? And do you worry about long road trips or sneezing too hard? Then you probably suffer from a weak bladder, also known as urinary incontinence.
A number of things can impact the bladder, including childbirth and pregnancy. But as we get older, our bladder muscles also can weaken, reducing the amount of fluid our bladders can hold before we have to rush to the bathroom. And for post-menopausal women, lower estrogen levels thin out the tissues that keep the urethra and bladder healthy, which can also contribute to the problem.
A CDC report found that over half of women, and a quarter of men, over the age of 65, reported experiencing urinary leakage. The good news is that there are ways you can make life easier if you do have a weak bladder.
Here are a few handy tips for making sure your bladder doesn’t rule your life.
1. Limit fluids — especially around bedtime.
One of the worst parts of urinary incontinence is not getting a good night’s sleep due to frequent trips to the bathroom. It’s a good idea to stop drinking fluids after 5 or 6 p.m., just a few hours before bedtime. This will give your bladder a few hours to empty out before you call it a night.
So try to drink throughout the day and have your last serving of water with dinner. And make sure you avoid any “trigger” foods or drinks … which brings us to our next point.
2. Manage your diet.
3. Do your Kegels.
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S To Overcoming Overactive Bladder
Overactive Bladder is a common condition often due to ones bladder contracting at any time without warning. This involuntary bladder contraction can give rise to the symptoms of urgency, frequency and urgency incontinence. The key symptom of OAB is urinary urgency , the sudden and compelling desire to urinate that is difficult to postpone. This problem can occur in both women and men, although it is more common in females.
Although OAB symptoms can occur without specific provocation, they may be triggered by exposure to running water, cold or rainy weather, hand-washing, entering the shower, positional changes such as arising from sitting, and getting nearer and nearer to a bathroom, particularly at the time of placing the key in the door to ones home.
12 Steps To Overcoming OAB
The goal of these 12 steps is to re-establish control of the urinary bladder. Providing that the recommendations are diligently adhered to, there can be significant improvement, if not resolution, of OAB symptoms.
Control Your Urge To Urinate
You may be able to control, or suppress, the strong urge to urinate, which is called urge or urgency suppression. With this type of bladder training, you can worry less about finding a bathroom in a hurry. Some people distract themselves to take their minds off needing to urinate. Other people find that long, relaxing breaths or holding still can help. Doing pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor also can help control the urge to urinate. Quick, strong squeezes of the pelvic floor muscles can help suppress urgency when it occurs, which may help you get to the toilet before you leak.
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Other Causes Of Oab In Men
An enlarged prostate is the cause of OAB in most men, but there are numerous other factors that can lead to symptoms. An infection in the bladder, bladder stones, or bladder cancer can all cause OAB. Neurological conditions, such as a stroke or Parkinsons disease, can also lead to OAB because of nerve damage that results in sending incorrect signals to the bladder.
Its also possible for temporary factors to cause symptoms of OAB. If you drink a lot of fluids, especially those that are caffeinated or contain alcohol, if you take medications that increase urine output, or if you are constipated, you might experience an increased need to urinate.