Our Top 5 Tips for Managing Stress Incontinence
Managing incontinence can be an extremely worrying time, especially as it can affect anyone at any time of their life.
But with some simple lifestyle changes and the introduction of specialised incontinence products into your routine, the struggles of incontinence can be minimised effectively.
Below, we’ve pulled together some top tips for managing stress incontinence.
What is stress incontinence?
There is a common misconception that stress incontinence relates to emotional stress, as opposed to physical activity or other health factors. Stress incontinence, or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) as it is often referred to in medical terms, is the involuntary loss of usually small amounts of urine when pressure is increased in the abdomen.
This pressure does not have to be particularly forceful, as the problem is combined with a weakness in the neck of the bladder, or the urethral sphincter, which are usually not as strong as they should be.
So, activities such as sneezing, laughing, jumping, or lifting can become problematic. What’s more, depending on the severity of the problem, simple movements such as standing can cause an outflow of urine.
What causes stress incontinence?
As noted above, weaknesses in the muscles controlling the outflow of urine from the bladder are usually the problem – but the causes are varied.
Stress incontinence can occur as a result of:
- surgery – particularly in men following prostate surgery
- pregnancy and childbirth
- obesity
- menopause
- chronic cough
- chronic constipation
Stress incontinence is a problem which predominantly affects women, which is why we’re so used to seeing women’s incontinence products advertised quite regularly on television and in magazines.
However, as you will see above, stress incontinence also affects men, and though the problem is not discriminatory of age, it can be more common in older people.
Is it possible to treat stress incontinence?
While stress incontinence cannot always be cured, it can quite often be readily treated or managed, through behavioural therapies, lifestyle changes, and medical intervention.
Below, we’ve listed some of our top tips for managing stress incontinence.
#1 – Work on your pelvic floor muscles
Because stress incontinence is related to muscle weakness, undertaking Kegel exercises can be beneficial in strengthening the urethral sphincter. These exercises concentrate on the pelvic floor, by repeating short, regular intervals of squeezing the muscle.
This exercise might take some time to get the hang of, so we’d recommend utilising incontinence products such as liners or briefs to mitigate urine leaking onto clothing.
#2 – Train your bladder
Training your bladder involves learning ways to wait longer between needing to urinate and passing urine. Undertaking regular voiding can help to ensure that minimal urine remains in the bladder – so that when you do undertake any activities, urine leakage can be mostly eradicated, or at least minimised.
Start with short regular intervals, and gradually increase the length of time between trips when you see improvements in bladder control.
#3 – Manage your fluid consumption
Some substances, such as caffeine and alcohol, are known to exacerbate symptoms of stress incontinence. However, these are not irritants for everyone, so you will need to experiment to see if they impact your own bladder function.
Limiting fluids can also be beneficial, but don’t restrict yourself to the point of dehydration. Try timing the length of time between toilet trips based on the regularity and volume of fluid you consume. From here, you may be able to develop an effective schedule for fluid intake.
#4 – Experiment with some healthy lifestyle changes
For some causes of incontinence, losing weight or quitting smoking can be helpful, especially if obesity or chronic cough lead to bladder weakness. By improving the symptoms of other physical conditions which impact your incontinence, you will prevent them from being further exacerbated.
For milder stress incontinence, undertaking regular, low-impact exercise can be helpful in regulating the bladder.
#5 – Seek medical assistance
If you are newly suffering from incontinence, or have noticed worsening symptoms, we would advise that you seek professional medical assistance from your doctor. Seeking help from an expert can seem daunting, especially for those who tend to manage incontinence independently.
However, tackling that first hurdle with your GP is the first step to finding the right treatment path for you.
Further advice on managing stress incontinence
We understand that managing stress incontinence can be overwhelming at times. But with the right support, the correct array of incontinence products and a proper routine, you can find a positive means of navigating it effectively.
Looking for more in depth advice? Read our latest stress incontinence guide.
Resources
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/stress-urinary-incontinence-(sui)
