How to tame an overactive bladder?
First of all, you're not alone. Urge urinary incontinence is extremely common among women, especially those suffering from chronic stress and hormonal imbalances associated with menopause. It is no exaggeration to say that urine leakage is a real tragedy for any woman. Frequent and uncontrollable urges to urinate literally confine you to the toilet and sharply limit your activity, making adjustments to your life plans.
How to regain lost control and get rid of urinary incontinence?
Frequent, uncontrollable urge to urinate and urinary incontinence are believed to arise from the loss or disruption of a reflex developed in childhood. This is why the first step towards recovery is behavioral therapy.
Normally, a person excretes 1500-2500 ml of urine per day, the average volume of urination is 250 ml, the capacity of the bladder is 400-600 ml, the average number of visits to the toilet «little by little» - 7-8 times a day. If some parameters do not fit within this norm, it is time to take action.
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If the amount of liquid consumed is more than the norm, then restrictions are needed. Avoid salty, spicy, hot, and sweet foods that make you thirsty. Limit your consumption of coffee and strong tea, which have a diuretic effect.
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Get rid of the habit empty the bladder «just in case». The more often you go to the toilet, the more persistent your bladder becomes. Like a spoiled child, over time he will demand that his needs be met more and more often. Train your capricious child by gradually increasing the intervals between urinations and teaching him control. Only go to the toilet at night if you wake up because of the urge to urinate.
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Keep a diary. Record the amount of fluid you drink, the volume of urine you produce at a time, the frequency of going to the toilet, the intervals between urinations, and any leaks. If you wet your underwear, reduce the time between urinations.
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Use gaskets, to avoid embarrassment when incontinence occurs. This will allow you to train your bladder without fear of leaks.
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Train your pelvic floor muscles using Kegel exercises and a vaginal trainer ColpoTrain®. By voluntarily contracting the perineal muscles when the urge to urinate occurs, you will learn to prevent urine leakage.
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Urgent urinary incontinence is often combined with stress incontinence, caused by weakness of the pelvic floor muscles. In this case, leaks occur not only when the urge appears, but also when laughing, sneezing, coughing, or lifting heavy objects. Vaginal Cone Workouts ColpoTrain® and in this case they will be extremely useful.
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Remember, exercises for voluntary interruption of the urine stream have nothing to do with Kegel exercises, they are dangerous and can lead to further development of the disease.
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Exercise regularly and be sure to visit your doctor for a preventive examination. Urinary incontinence is often associated with urinary tract infections and pelvic organ prolapse. – these problems need to be solved.
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If you have entered menopause, don’t be afraid. hormone replacement therapy. The cause of your suffering is partly a deficiency of sex hormones - estrogens, which are responsible for the condition of the genitourinary organs and the muscles that close the entrance to the vagina, rectum and, most importantly, the urethra.
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Discuss with your urologist, who should become your ally in the fight against overactive bladder, the possibility drug therapy, and the use of other treatments for urge urinary incontinence, such as biofeedback and electrical stimulation.