How is urinary incontinence tackled? Incontinence can have a number of effects on a patient’s life. The problems faced can range from less than serious to life-altering in the worst case. Some issues can be prevented by doing simple things like watching what you eat, exercising, and treating bladder conditions at home.
Others can only be resolved through very specific therapies. In some cases, there may be no way to cure incontinence. Most women dealing with incontinence deal with the issue in one of three ways: through avoidance, through control, and through treatment.
A Closer Look at Mild-Moderate Urinary Incontinence
While avoidance is easy to do when dealing with mild to moderate incontinence, it can make the problem worse. Incontinence can be difficult to manage as sneezing and coughing are often the main symptoms of this condition, making a trip to the bathroom a chore.
Coughing leads to urine leaking out, which can be embarrassing and stressful for the patient, causing the person suffering from incontinence to stress out even more. When sneezing and coughing are the only symptoms of incontinence, a visit to the doctor may include medications that will mask the problem and prevent further leaks.
These medications should not be taken for prolonged periods of time as their side effects could include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, dry mouth, and insomnia. Overuse of these medications may include loss of consciousness and/or comatose as well as vomiting, skin rash, diarrhea, dizziness, and chest pain.
Better Managing Your Urinary Incontinence
Dealing with urinary incontinence can be difficult when dealing with bladder control. Bladder control is a necessary skill in maintaining freedom from urinary incontinence. One way to help control bladder control is to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise and diet control.
Exercise increases the volume of urine excreted and helps to strengthen the pelvic muscles. Diet control includes avoiding foods high in sodium such as canned foods and soda. If diet and exercise do not control the incontinence then a doctor may suggest hormone replacement therapy. You should also opt for male incontinence guards provided by continencecare.
This process replaces the male sex hormone testosterone with a female sex hormone called estrogen. This helps to balance the body’s testosterone levels, which can be affected by the buildup of urine. Some of the possible side effects of this procedure include acne, weight gain, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and hair loss.
Lifestyle Changes and Exercises
If lifestyle changes do not control the incontinence or the leakage occurs too frequently it may require Kegel exercises in addition to lifestyle changes. Kegel exercises are done with the help of a specialized device that holds the penis in an erection position while it is pressed between the legs.
These exercises work to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Chronic incontinence can also lead to weak pelvic floor muscles. A weak pelvic floor muscle allows urine to flow far slower and with much pressure. Therefore, weak muscles could contribute to an increased chance of urine leaking and therefore to incontinence.
The condition of the urethra is the tube through which urine flows from the bladder. When a person has incontinence, the urethra may be either too narrow or too wide. In some cases, the urethra can be so damaged that urine cannot pass out of the body from it.
In these cases, doctors recommend that patients wear adult diapers that cover the entire urinary tract to assist in the prevention of urine from escaping the body. There are many options for dealing with urinary incontinence.
Since the cause of the problem is usually stress, a good doctor will work with patients to reduce their overall stress levels. As well, they will likely recommend some lifestyle changes including diet and exercise to eliminate the underlying causes of the condition.
