A Complete Guide to Stress Incontinence and How to Manage it

Your ultimate guide to stress incontinence

Stress incontinence is a common form of urinary incontinence that affects millions of people around the world. It can be frustrating and embarrassing for anyone living with it, so let's take a closer look at its symptoms, risk factors, and ways to manage it comfortably and confidently.

• What is stress incontinence?
• What are the risk factors of stress incontinence?
• What are the symptoms of stress incontinence?
• How can I treat and manage my stress incontinence?

What is stress incontinence?

Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles supporting the bladder and urethra become weak or damaged, resulting in involuntary leakage.

It can come about from several simple and common activities, including:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Laughing
• Heavy lifting
• Exercising

What are the risk factors of stress incontinence?

This type of incontinence is often more common in women than men due to the physical changes their bodies go through that weaken the pelvic muscles, including pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause.

Other risk factors of stress incontinence

Women aren't the only ones who can experience stress incontinence, there are a variety of other risk factors to be aware of.

• Obesity - Excess weight increases abdominal pressure and strain on the pelvic muscles, leading to involuntary leakage.
• Age - Several urinary conditions arise due to age, as muscle tone decreases over time.
• Previous surgeries - Pelvic surgery (e.g. hysterectomy, prostate surgery, etc.) can affect the muscle function in the pelvis, leading to the pelvic floor muscles weakening.
• Smoking - The chronic coughing that can come from smoking can put repeated pressure on the bladder, making the symptoms of incontinence worse.

What are the symptoms of stress incontinence?

The main symptom is involuntary leakage when the bladder is under pressure. This urine leakage is typically small, but it can worsen during more intense activities.

Unlike other urinary conditions, stress incontinence can occur without any urge beforehand. Unlike other urinary conditions, stress incontinence occurs when there is a strong, sudden need to urinate. You may also find a need to urinate more often.

How can I treat or manage stress incontinence?

Although stress urinary incontinence can be a pain, there are many ways to deal with it so you can continue living comfortably and confidently. From lifestyle changes and diet to exercises and surgery, you have plenty of options to reduce or manage your urine leakage.

Lifestyle changes

Certain lifestyle habits can cause many types of urinary incontinence, so making some small but significant adjustments can go a long way.

• Weight management - As we've mentioned, excess weight can put undue pressure on the bladder, so maintaining a healthy weight can allow the bladder and pelvic floor muscles to work without unnecessary strain.
• Bladder training - This involves scheduling regular bathroom visits to help train the bladder to hold more fluid and reduce urine leakage. Also, consider keeping a bladder diary, which will help you understand when you need to go and what makes your incontinence worse.
• Managing fluid intake - Drink enough fluids to stay hydrated, but not so much that it leads to an overactive bladder.
• Avoid heavy lifting and smoking - As stress urinary incontinence comes from undue pressure on the bladder, avoid lifting heavy objects and bending over too much throughout the day to reduce the possibility of leaks and dribbles.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

We know pelvic floor muscles are a major contributor to urinary incontinence, so pelvic floor muscle training—also known as Kegel exercises—can help with bladder control.

How do you do pelvic floor exercises?

Fortunately, Kegel exercises are relatively simple. Start by tensing the muscles you would use to stop urine flow. Hold these contractions for up to 3 seconds, then relax for five more seconds.

Repeat these contractions up to 12 times up to three times a day, increasing the duration of the kegel exercises as your bladder strengthens.

Incontinence products for daily management

In addition to managing your fluid intake, kegel exercises, and avoiding heavy lifting, incontinence pads and pants are a great way to manage symptoms and keep you comfortable throughout the day by absorbing any leaks.

If you're looking for affordable pads and incontinence pants, Incontinence Shop has you covered. With our range of incontinence products, reliable comfort and confidence are always available.

Our premium brands like Drylife and TENA mean you won't find a better choice online. Subscribe to your favourite products today to save 10% on all orders and enjoy convenient doorstep delivery at your discretion.