Is incontinence treatable?

Incontinence is an issue that affects many people from all age ranges. With cases ranging in severity, incontinence encompasses any type of uncontrollable bladder leakage. Urine leakage can occur suddenly in many different situations such as while engaging in different activities or during bouts of stress. Many cases of incontinence occur for no good reason at all, simply due to the fact that a person may no longer be able to control their bladder. Both embarrassing and extremely inconvenient, you shouldn’t have to suffer silently with this problem. Incontinence is treatable and there are a variety of treatments out there that can get you started on the road to recovery. 

Before you decide to dive in to any new treatment, it’s important to speak with your doctor first. Your doctor can help identify the type of incontinence you have, pinpoint what seems to be causing it, and recommend the best treatment options for you. For many people, simple lifestyle changes go a long way to combating incontinence. 

Keep a Detailed Journal 

Like many progressive issues, each day brings a different experience with some days much easier to handle than others. Keeping a record of your symptoms and habits daily can help you see an emerging pattern such as frequently experiencing an uncontrollable urge to urinate from when you wake up to lunch time or having urine leakage when you attempt to lift something heavy. This will help you plan out a manageable bathroom schedule and also help you avoid triggering your symptoms with certain activities or dietary choices. You should definitely share your findings with your doctor once you’ve been tracking for a few weeks so they can recommend what might work well for you in the long run. 

Limit Your Liquid Intake 

A full bladder signifies that your liquid intake exceeds your normal output. Reducing the amount of liquid you take in helps to prevent potential leakage. In addition, watching what you’re drinking and limiting consumption of certain liquids like coffee and soda which contain higher amounts of caffeine also make a tremendous difference. 

Pelvic Floor Exercises 

Your pelvic floor muscles play a huge part in regulating the flow of urination and once these muscles lose strength, urinary incontinence is often the result. You can regain the strength you’ve lost by doing exercises that target these muscles. An easy starting exercise is contracting and squeezing your pelvic floor muscles which can be done virtually anywhere, whether you’re watching television, cooking, or sitting down. Aim for 3 sets of 10 contractions per day and follow this regimen for as long as your doctor recommends.

While we aren't doctors at Apele, we definitely are pro-pelvic health. Always consider using options like our performance panties, that help with absorbency and leak-resistance, as well as odor resistance. We understand the plight can be challenging, but rest assured that there are solutions and we are always looking to help manage such mishaps. No shame! Just solutions here!