Maintain bowel regularity
Constipation can place added pressure on the bladder
and have a negative effect on bladder function. By keeping healthy bowel habits,
you may be able to avoid constipation and help to lessen bladder symptoms. The
following are some suggestions for maintaining bowel regularity:
- Increase fiber intake by eating foods such as beans, pasta, oatmeal,
bran cereal, whole wheat bread, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Every morning take 2 tablespoons of this mixture: 1 cup apple sauce, 1
cup unprocessed wheat bran, and ¾ cup prune juice.
- Exercise to maintain regular bowel movements.
If you continue to have bowel problems, see your doctor.
Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight can add pressure on your bladder,
which may contribute to bladder control problems. If you are overweight, weight
loss can reduce pressure on your bladder.
Stop smoking
Cigarette smoking is irritating to the bladder muscle.
Repeated coughing spasms due to smoker's cough can cause urine leakage.
Drink plenty of non-irritating fluids
People with bladder symptoms often drink fewer liquids
so they don't have to urinate as often. You should regularly drink about 3 to 4
glasses of liquids per day. Try to spread them out as evenly as possible
throughout the day. Drinking fewer fluids causes you to produce more
concentrated (dark yellow, strong-smelling) urine. Highly concentrated urine is
irritating to the bladder and may actually cause more frequent urination. Limit
your intake starting 2 or 3 hours before going to bed.
Decrease or eliminate beverages that may worsen
bladder symptoms. These include tea, coffee, alcohol, caffeinated soft drinks,
citrus juices, and drinks that contain artificial sweeteners.
Begin bladder retraining
When you have overactive bladder, over time your
bladder muscles become conditioned to react in a certain way. By retraining
these muscles, you can hold urine better. Bladder retraining involves working
with a healthcare professional to learn how to resist or inhibit the feeling of
urgency; postpone voiding; and urinate according to a timetable (rather than in
response to a feeling of urgency).
To begin bladder training you should start with your
current voiding interval. For example, if you urinate every hour on average,
this would be your current voiding interval. Once the beginning voiding interval
has been established, you train your bladder to urinate on schedule. For
example, you will need to urinate every 2 hours while awake with no voiding in
between the interval. If you develop urgency in between the voiding intervals,
immediately sit down in a comfortable position, take slow deep breaths in and
out of your mouth, and try to imagine yourself in a favorite vacation spot or
use some other relaxation technique until the urge passes. Then proceed to the
bathroom. Empty the bladder around the clock at first. Don't wait until the last
minute. For example, start every 2 hours, and if you have remained dry, then
increase the time between urinations. If you are wet, then decrease that time to
every hour, and gradually increase the time between bathroom visits. If you
normally go every hour, try to increase it to 1 hour and 15 minutes between visits.