How To Treat A Leaky Bladder

What Is The Treatment For Urinary Incontinence

Specific treatment for urinary incontinence will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health and medical history

• Type of incontinence and extent of the disease

• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies

• Expectations for the course of the disease

• Your opinion or preference

Treatment may include:

• Behavioral therapies:

• Bladder training: Teaches people to resist the urge to void and gradually expand the intervals between voiding.

• Toileting assistance: Uses routine or scheduled toileting, habit training schedules and prompted voiding to empty the bladder regularly to prevent leaking.

Consult your doctor with questions regarding the management and treatment of urinary incontinence.

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Stress Urge & Overflow Incontinence

Different kinds of incontinence are caused by different things:

• Stress incontinence. This is caused by pressure against your bladder and may follow prostate surgery. The cause of the pressure might be a hardy laugh, a cough, a sneeze, or an attempt to lift a heavy weight.
• Urge incontinence. This comes from an urge to relieve your bladder so overwhelming that you fail to reach the toilet in time. Men with diabetes, Parkinsons disease, and dementia are more likely to develop urge incontinence.
• Overflow incontinence. A man with an enlarged prostate may have difficulty fully eliminating urine. This can lead to small amounts of urine overflowing from a constantly full bladder.
• Prostate gland problems are the most common causes of incontinence in men.

How Soon After Starting Kegel Exercises Will Urinary Incontinence Get Better

It may take 4 to 6 weeks before you notice any improvement in your symptoms.10

Kegel exercises work differently for each person. Your symptoms may go away totally, you may notice an improvement in your symptoms but still have some leakage, or you may not see any improvement at all. But even if your symptoms dont get better, Kegel exercises can help prevent your incontinence from getting worse.

You may need to continue doing Kegel exercises for the rest of your life. Even if your symptoms improve, urinary incontinence can come back if you stop doing the exercises.

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Help My Dog Is Incontinent

Finding natural incontinent dog solutions can be tough. Whendealing with dog urinary incontinence, natural remedies are not the first thingmost vets will suggest.

Most vets will advise using Phenylpropanolamine , adrug that helps strengthen the urinary sphincter muscle or diethylstilbestrol, a hormone replacement therapy. Both of these drugs, however, carry therisk of significant side effects.

These side effects are what made me pause and do someresearch when my dog Rose started leaking urine. For Rose, it happened when shewas sleeping, or when she got up from her bed. Other dogs drip urine as theymove around.

What Rose was experiencing is not uncommon: dog incontinence while sleeping or moving around is a common scenario. Many times, incontinence has a sudden onset: people notice their dog leaking urine out of the blue and have no idea what is causing it.

I read everything I could find online, both about the causes and the treatments. The more I read about the conventional drug treatments side effects, the more I wanted to try to find a natural solution that targeted the cause and not just the symptoms.

This article combines what I have learned researching dog incontinence solutions to give you a comprehensive overview of the causes and natural treatment options.

Medicine For Stress Incontinence

If stress incontinence does not significantly improve with lifestyle changes or exercises, surgery will usually be recommended as the next step.

However, if you’re unsuitable for surgery or want to avoid an operation, you may benefit from an antidepressant medicine called duloxetine. This can help increase the muscle tone of the urethra, to help keep it closed.

You’ll need to take duloxetine tablets twice a day and will be assessed after 2 to 4 weeks to see if the medicine is beneficial or causing any side effects.

Possible side effects of duloxetine can include:

• nausea
• constipation

Do not suddenly stop taking duloxetine, as this can also cause unpleasant side effects. A GP will reduce your dose gradually.

Duloxetine is not suitable for everyone, however, so a GP will discuss any other medical conditions you have to determine if you can take it.

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Will I Have Incontinence For My Entire Life

Sometimes incontinence is a short-term issue that will go away once the cause ends. This is often the case when you have a condition like a urinary tract infection . Once treated, frequent urination and leakage problems caused by a UTI typically end. This is also true for some women who experience bladder control issues during pregnancy. For many, the issues end in the weeks after delivery. However, other causes of incontinence are long-term and related to conditions that are managed throughout your life. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, you may have incontinence for a long period of time. In those cases, its important to talk to your provider about the best ways to manage your incontinence so that it doesnt interfere with your life.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

It can be embarrassing to talk about bathroom habits with your healthcare provider. This embarrassment shouldnt stop you from treating incontinence, though. Often, your healthcare provider can help figure out the cause of your bladder control issue and help make it better. You dont need to deal with it alone. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best ways to treat incontinence so that you can lead a full and active life without worrying about leakage.

From Leaking Urine To Sudden Urges To Go: An Ob

You dont have to suffer in silence there are many treatment options available.

Whether its a few drops of leaking urine or a complete emptying of the bladder, incontinence is a bladder control issue that women are twice as likely to have as men. And by the time a womanhas made an appointment to talk about what shes dealing with, she has had enough.

Incontinence can be embarrassing, super annoying, and costly. But you dont have to suffer in silence there are many treatment options available.

Also Check: What Causes Bladder Control Problems

What Is Urinary Incontinence Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention

Urinary incontinence , the involuntary loss of urine, is a very common condition that no one wants to talk about. Because of the stigma that surrounds it, many people are too humiliated to seek help. But most conditions that cause UI can be corrected with medical or alternative interventions.

Occurring much more often in women than men, UI happens when the muscles in the bladder that control the flow of urine contract or relax involuntarily, resulting in leaks or uncontrolled urination. UI itself is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of an underlying medical issue.

Fluid Charts: Keeping Track

To better manage your symptoms, your doctor might ask you to keep a fluid chart or bladder diary. Using this journal, you carefully track all the liquids you take in, as well as how often you drink them and how frequently you visit the bathroom. This information can help your doctor choose the right treatment.

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Wake Up In The Night To Go Opt For This Healing Supplement

Pumpkin seed extract strengthens pelvic muscles to lower urination frequency, says Andrea Gaová, Ph.D. Indeed, her research found that supplementing with the extract slashed the urge to urinate at night by 64 percent. Pumpkin is also high in zinc and magnesium, minerals that have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety.

And there may be a bonus effect: Many women dont realize the impact of waking up to go to the bathroom until theyre sleeping through the night, says pelvic floor physical therapist Jessica Reale. Theyre amazed by the improvements in their mood!

A supplement to try for curbing those bladder leaks: Life Extension Water-Soluble Pumpkin Seed Extract .

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, First for Women.

Why Does Pregnancy Cause Incontinence

During pregnancy, your body goes through a lot of physical changes. As your uterus stretches to hold the growing baby, a few things happen. Your bladder can be squished by the expanding baby, making your bladder hold less than before. You might experience an increased urgency to pee during pregnancy because your bladder cannot hold as much as before. This might become even more challenging towards the end of pregnancy when the baby is at its largest.

Another reason for incontinence during pregnancy is the weakening of your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are the support structures for all of the organs in your pelvis. During pregnancy, they can be stretched and weakened as your uterus expands.

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What The Drug Ads Don’t Say

Drug ads may leave out information you need to decide whether medication is best for you, Hochman says. For example:

Symptoms may be addressed without drugs. About one-third of the time, bladder leaks and strong urges to go resolve in women within a year without treatment. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on certain fluids or doing exercises to strengthen muscles supporting the bladder, can greatly improve control.

The drugs often dont work well. According to an analysis by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs, most people who take these medications can expect only modest relief. Medication reduces the number of daily bathroom trips from 12 to nine or 10, on average. People who experience bladder leaks can expect one or two fewer episodes per day.

Do Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

Strong pelvic floor muscles hold in urine better than weak muscles. You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing Kegel exercises. These exercises involve tightening and relaxing the muscles that control urine flow. Researchers found that women who received pelvic floor muscle training had fewer leaks per day than women who didnt receive training.6 You should not do pelvic floor exercises while youre urinating.

Men can also benefit from pelvic floor muscle exercises. Strengthening these muscles may help a man leak urine less often, especially dribbling after urination.

A health care professional, such as a physical therapist trained in pelvic floor therapy, can help you get the most out of your Kegel exercises by helping you improve your core muscle strength. Your core includes your torso muscles, especially the lower back, pelvic floor muscles, and abdomen. These muscles keep your pelvis lined up with your spine, which helps with good posture and balance. Your physical therapist can show you how to do some exercises during daily activities, such as riding in a car or sitting at a desk.

You dont need special equipment for Kegel exercises. However, if you are unsure whether you are doing the exercises correctly, you can learn how to perform Kegel exercises properly by using biofeedback, electrical stimulation, or both. Biofeedback uses special sensors to measure muscle contractions that control urination.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• What type of urinary incontinence do I have?
• What is the likely cause of my urinary incontinence? Can this condition be treated?
• If so, will treating the condition cure my urinary incontinence? When can I expect relief from my symptoms?
• Should I start doing Kegel exercises? How often?
• Would a bladder training program help manage my urinary incontinence?
• Will any lifestyle changes help manage my urinary incontinence?
• Im embarrassed by my urinary incontinence. Until my symptoms improve, what else can I do to help manage my condition?

Home Remedies For Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence can be described as the inability to control urination, leading to urine leakage or involuntary loss of urine.

It is a very common, and at times debilitating, urological disorder. According to the National Association for Continence , it affects about 25 million Americans.

Urinary incontinence can be divided into three main types:

• Urge incontinence occurs when an overactive or hyperactive bladder causes a sudden and intense urge to urinate causing involuntary loss of urine
• Stress incontinence occurs when physical activities like vigorous exercise, jumping, coughing, sneezing or even laughing put pressure on the bladder and it releases urine
• Overflow incontinence inability to completely empty the bladder, leading to frequent or constant dribbling of urine

Incontinence can be caused by a number of factors like age , weakened pelvic floor muscles due to surgery or childbirth, enlarged prostate, menopause, an overactive bladder, nerve damage, urinary stones, urinary tract infections and constipation.

Plus, certain foods, drinks and medications may stimulate your bladder and cause temporary incontinence.

It not only can cause discomfort and embarrassment, but can also be harmful if urine is left in the bladder creating a breeding ground for bacteria. Incontinence is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of an underlying condition or disorder.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for urinary incontinence.

• 10. Acupuncture

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Your Lifestyle Choices Matter

Hormones may be the root cause but our lifestyle choices and overall health can influence our health outcome.

Yes, the choices you make do affect your health in the long run, even if you didnt see the effect of your choices while you were making them.

What kind of lifestyle choices and overall health? If youre on medication, if youre obese, if youre a smoker, or if you have other medical issues all can lead to urinary incontinence.

But, as you can see, at least some of these are the result of decisions YOU make!

Can Urinary Incontinence Be Prevented Or Avoided

You may be able to prevent urinary incontinence by working to keep pelvic muscles strong. But even so, it doesnt guarantee that you will never have urinary incontinence.

There are also lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent urinary incontinence. You may find it helpful to make some changes in your diet. Alcohol, caffeine, foods high in acid , and spicy foods can irritate your bladder. Talk to your doctor if you think your diet may contribute to your incontinence.

Some people find that limiting how much they drink before bedtime helps reduce nighttime incontinence.

Losing weight if you are overweight can also help reduce incontinence.

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Take Care Of Your Skin

If you’ve got OAB, you may also have a higher risk of rashes and skin breakdowns.

There are several reasons for that. To keep harmful bacteria at bay, skin is slightly acidic, but when urine touches flesh, skin becomes moist and more alkaline.

The result is an inviting environment for bacteria and yeast , which can lead to rashes and infection.

Prevention can be simple:

• Check your skin daily, looking for rashes or other signs of irritation. Be sure to separate and check any skin folds, too.
• Wash carefully after every accident, using mild soaps or perineal washes additionally, avoid hot water, which can make irritated skin even worse.
• To avoid skin tears and even more irritation, let skin air-dry don’t rub.
• Apply a cream, ointment, or film-forming skin protectant regularly to help keep urine away from tender skin.

Is Urinary Incontinence Just Part Of Growing Older

No. But changes with age can reduce how much urine your bladder can hold. Aging can make your stream of urine weaker and can cause you to feel the urge to urinate more often. This doesnt mean youll have urinary incontinence just because youre aging. With treatment, it can be controlled or cured.

Learn More About Urinary Incontinence

There are 5 types of urinary incontinence, described below.

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How To Heal A Leaky Bladder

• Leaky Bladder

If youre leaking, just do Kegels! sounds familiar?

If you are leaking, even a little bit, it is a PROBLEM! Leaking is common but not normal, and it can be treated with conservative care without medication, injections, or surgery But treating a Leaky Bladder is NOT all just about doing Kegels.

Before we even start talking about the treatment itself, lets take a closer look at what actually a leaky bladder is.

So what are we exactly talking about?

About having accidents when youre trying to work out or maybe even just go out shopping. I know that many women wear a sanitary pad as precaution, because they are afraid of having an accident. My patients tell me that they have started to limit what they do when they work out, eg. when they are jumping or running because they are simply worried they could wet in their pants in public. Pretty scary thought, ugh?

But what causes a Leaky Bladder?

Changes to the pelvic floor muscles, pelvic bony structure, bladder tissues, or the anal sphincter muscles can happen during pregnancy and labor/delivery which can cause a Leaky Bladder or in medical terms Urinary Incontinence.

There are 2 main types of a Leaky Bladder :

Watch my short video here where I talk about these two main types a little bit more

Phase 1: Assessments

Whats next?