Health New England | Health Matters | Wellness Guide 2019

Coping With Urinary Incontinence Do you leak urine when you cough, laugh or sneeze? Or does it happen when you have a strong urge to go? No matter what type of urinary incontinence you may have, living with it isn’t easy. It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. But your doctor can help. Better bladder control often starts with these simple steps: Kegel exercises. Your doctor may teach you to squeeze and tighten the pelvic muscles that hold in urine. These muscles can become weak with childbirth. Exercising them helps prevent leaks. Retraining your bladder. The goal is to urinate on a set schedule. At first, you might try to urinate every hour. Then you would gradually increase the time in between bathroom visits. Eventually, it may get easier to control your bladder and hold in urine longer. Taking medicines. Medicines to relax the bladder can help treat urge incontinence. Making lifestyle changes. Here are some changes that may make incontinence easier to live with too: • Drink plenty of water—just not too close to bedtime. • Limit foods and beverages that make inconti- nence worse. For some people, these include coffee, fizzy drinks, artificial sweeteners, citrus and spicy foods. • Keep a healthy weight. Excess weight can weak- en the muscles that hold back urine. • Consider wearing absorbent pads to keep you dry. • Ask your provider about special skin cleansers for people with incontinence. Sources: National Institutes of Health; National Association for Continence BLADDER HEALTH Health Matters ∞ 23