Incontinence

[DebbyCurren]

I have MS and bad incontinence. Short of surgery is there food change I can do. I see Dr’s regularly and I am healthy in so many ways. Thank you.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Debby. Here are a few methods for managing urinary incontinence recommended by the American College of Physicians and Mayo Clinic, and how they help:

Kegel exercises work for all kinds of urinary incontinence. They strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which are used to hold in urine. Kegels are done by repeatedly squeezing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles.
To get started:
• Find the right muscles. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
• Perfect your technique. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
• Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
• Repeat three times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.

Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
If you have trouble doing Kegels, or they don’t seem to be working, a physical therapist can use techniques like biofeedback to help you find the right muscles to squeeze. Pelvic floor physical therapy can also improve posture, which helps keep pelvic floor muscles functioning properly.
Bladder training (urinating on a schedule) helps you learn to gradually increase the amount of urine you can comfortably hold. It’s most often recommended for women with an overactive bladder. “Many women do not know that they should be able to wait three to six hours between urinating. Bladder training retrains the way the brain and bladder interact to give the woman more bladder control,” says Dr. Wakamatsu.
Weight loss and exercise can help women who are overweight or obese. Extra weight puts extra pressure on the bladder and pelvic muscles. Losing weight through a healthy diet and exercise helps relieve urinary incontinence. Studies have also shown that middle-aged women who are most physically active are least likely to develop incontinence.
“These first line interventions can be very effective for many women. Approximately 70% of women will improve enough so they are satisfied with their bladder control. This does not mean that the women have perfect bladder control, but they can exercise and carry out daily activities without bothersome urinary incontinence,” says Dr. Wakamatsu.
These lifestyle changes may also help:
• Watch your fluid intake. Drink only when you feel thirsty, and don’t exceed six to eight 8-ounce cups of fluid per day from all sources, including soup.
• If you smoke, stop. Quitting reduces coughing, which puts pressure on the bladder.
• Minimize bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, and citrus fruits and flavorings.
Most important, seek your doctor’s help if you have any issues with urinary incontinence. You don’t have to live with the condition, and you most likely can fix the problem.

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