Managing bladder issues can be a difficult and uncomfortable part of life, but there are steps you can take to gain back control.
From adapting your lifestyle choices to exploring alternative treatments, this guide outlines 10 tips for managing your bladder health better. No matter what stage of the journey you are on, there is something here that you can use.
With the right amount of care and dedication, you can become more confident in managing your bladder health and improving your quality of life.
Visit your healthcare provider
Visiting your healthcare provider is an important step in managing bladder issues. They can assess your symptoms and provide individual advice tailored to your needs.
It is essential to ensure you are getting the correct diagnosis, as well as the best plan of action for taking control of your condition. Your doctor may suggest further tests or alter medications that could help improve your bladder health.
Taking the time to visit a qualified professional is key in understanding how best to care for yourself and manage your bladder health long-term.
Anticipate urges
Anticipating urges is an important part of managing bladder health. When you start to experience the feeling of needing to urinate, take a moment to pause and assess what is going on.
Take some deep breaths and try to relax your body – this can help reduce the sudden urge. You can also create a distraction by focusing on something else such as reading or playing music.
With practice and patience, learning how to recognize and anticipate these urges will help you gain better control over your condition.
Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises are a great way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve bladder management.
These exercises help to improve the strength, tone and control of the muscles that support your pelvic organs, including your bladder. To do Kegel exercises, contract these muscles for 2-3 seconds and then relax them.
Complete up to 10 reps per session at least twice a day as part of your regular routine. With regular practice, you should feel an improvement in bladder control within a few weeks.
Manage stress levels
Stress can affect bladder health and lead to conditions such as urinary incontinence. When your body is under stress, the muscles in your bladder can spasm and cause involuntary urine leakage.
To help manage stress levels and improve bladder control, it’s important to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visual imagery, or mindfulness meditation.
Additionally, speaking to a cognitive behavioral therapist may be helpful in learning how to cope with stress in a healthy manner.
Stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of fluids helps keep things moving through the body and prevents accidents related to dehydration, but be careful not to drink too quickly or too much fluid at once as this could lead to episodes of loss of control over the bladder muscles during urination/defecation processes.
Adjust medications
Some medications can cause a sudden urge for urination which can contribute to bladder control issues, so make sure you let your doctor know if you suspect any medication side effects that could be influencing your bladder health.
Consider alternatives treatments
Look into alternative treatments like acupuncture, biofeedback training or botox injections that have been known to improve bladder control in certain cases if conventional methods have been ineffective or don’t work for you personally.
Find support groups
Connecting with a supportive community of individuals who are also managing similar issues is an invaluable source of emotional support when trying to regain control over your bladder health.
Keep track
Maintaining records about how often symptoms occur and what techniques work best will give you valuable insight into how best approaches might work better for you in the future.
Develop positive habits
Learning healthy habits such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol, going regularly scheduled bathroom breaks, and doing regular Kegels can help alleviate some unpleasant symptomology associated with bladder control issues and give you back some much needed peace of mind.
Managing bladder health can be challenging, but with the right tools and techniques, it is possible.
Following these 10 tips will help you take control of your bladder condition and reduce discomfort.
Building better habits, such as tracking your fluid intake and avoiding triggers, can help to reduce symptoms. By routinely practicing relaxation techniques, anticipating urges and exercising your pelvic floor muscles, you should see a decrease in urinary incontinence over time.
With consistency, patience and understanding, living with bladder health issues can be manageable.