How Much Water Should You Drink if You Have Women’s Urinary Incontinence?

by GeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessWomen's Healthcare

This blog is part 5 of an 11 article series of 11 New Year’s resolutions that actually work and WILL improve your pelvic health. Get the full list of all 11 New Year’s resolutions HERE.

Good question. The answer? It depends …

Many women with urinary incontinence think that they can decrease urinary leakage by severely cutting back on the amount of water they drink. Sadly, this doesn’t work. In fact, drastically reducing water intake can actually worsen symptoms of urinary incontinence. Drinking too little water leads to dehydration, which can worsen urinary incontinence symptoms for two reasons:

  1. lack of fluid concentrates the urine–this can irritate the bladder
  2. concentrated urine has a stronger odor, making leakage accidents more noticeable

So how much water should you drink to avoid worsening your symptoms? First, don’t operate under the misconception that drinking way less water will improve your urinary incontinence symptoms. Second, avoid drinking excessive amounts of water for the simple reason that “what goes in must come out.” If you already suffer from urinary incontinence, drinking too much water increases your chances of having a urinary leakage accident. Plus, you’ll find yourself perpetually in the bathroom!

How Much Water Should You Drink?
Many women with urinary incontinence are stuck between a rock and hard a place when it comes to the topic of water intake. They have to drink enough water to stay hydrated, yet they also have to avoid drinking too much water. What’s a woman to do?

The truth of the matter is that the “right” amount of water is going to be different for each woman. Most women with urinary incontinence find that their symptoms remain the same if they drink between six and eight cups of water daily. This amount of water keeps them hydrated while preventing too many trips to the bathroom.

If you are either underweight or overweight, you may need to adjust the amount of water you drink accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to drink water in ounces equal to half of your body weight. For instance, if you weigh 110 pounds, drink 55 ounces of water daily.

Another good rule of thumb is to drink enough water so that your urine is light yellow to clear. When it comes to how much water you should drink to avoid irritating your bladder, let the color of your urine be an indicator.

Try Timed Fluid Intake to Get Your Full Day’s Supply of Water
Some women drink the “right” amount of water for their body weight, but still find that their urinary incontinence symptoms are aggravated by their water intake. Timed fluid intake can help. Timed fluid intake simply means that you drink the majority of your water in the morning, and then gradually scale down your intake until about 6 pm. Stop drinking all fluids past 6 pm. This will prevent nocturia, or the urge to get up and urinate during the night, as well as leakage accidents at night. If you feel thirsty later in the day or at night, use sugar-free candies to keep your mouth moist.

It’s Not How Much But What You Drink That Matters
Women with urinary incontinence worry about the amount of water they should drink daily. But these same women often fail to think about what they drink besides water. While water hydrates the body and is actually healthy when taken in the right amounts, other fluids can worsen symptoms of urinary incontinence. Women with urinary leakage should avoid:

  • caffeine: stimulates and irritates the bladder, acts as a diuretic
  • alcohol: causes dehydration, reduces neurological control over the bladder
  • carbonated beverages: irritates the bladder, often also contains caffeine

Hopefully this article has helped you figure out how much water you should drink for you specific situation, as well as which fluids to avoid. In addition, drinking water at the right time of day can have a big impact on the severity of your urinary incontinence symptoms!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Women’s Pelvic Health: 11 New Year’s Resolutions That Actually Work!

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneral Urinary IncontinenceOveractive BladderPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Happy New Year! The New Year is always a great time to give thanks for all the gifts in our lives, and also the perfect time to look at ways in which we could improve certain areas of our lives. Hence the practice of making New Year’s resolutions.
New Year’s resolutions can be great motivators, especially when it comes to life goals or lifestyle changes. Many people look forward to making New Year’s resolutions with joy and hope. But for those whose resolutions have failed to live up to expectations in the past, there can be some anxiety about setting yet another resolution that might not work.
But don’t worry … be happy this New Year, especially if you are a woman and suffer from any symptoms of poor pelvic health! Why? Because in the coming days we are going to give you 11 New Year’s resolutions that actually work and WILL improve your pelvic health. These simple lifestyle changes can improve symptoms of all forms of urinary incontinence, as well as symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse and decreased sexual sensation. Plus, we will help you set yourself up for success with extra tips and techniques for staying focused on your resolutions throughout the year.
Sound good? Then listen up — here are the 11 lifestyle changes that we will be discussing in the next days and weeks:
1. At-Home Pelvic Floor Retraining
2. Pelvic Floor Retraining with a Physical Therapist
3. Keeping a Bladder Diary and Bladder Retraining
4. Smoking Cessation
5. Timed Fluid Intake
6. Diet Modification — Avoiding Certain Foods and Beverages
7. Diet Modification II — How to Avoid Constipation
8. Diet Modification III — What to Do When You Go Off Your Diet Plan
9. Weight Loss and Management
10. Acupuncture as a “Middle of the Road” Solution
11. Percutaneous Nerve Stimulation and Other Conservative Measures
Have a great New Year’s Day and keep your eyes and ears open for blogs and video blogs on these great upcoming New Year’s resolutions!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Women’s Pelvic Health: The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself!

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPWomen's Healthcare

When it comes to women’s health, pelvic health is often a matter of “out of sight, out of mind”! Unlike saggy underarms, facial wrinkles, or body fat, our pelvic organs do not act as visible motivators for us to change our lifestyles to improve our health. But women’s pelvic health does matter–a lot! This is especially true since poor pelvic health can lead to women’s urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or decreased sexual sensation.

The fact of the matter is that you may have poor pelvic health and not even know it until symptoms show up suddenly in your life!

Women’s Pelvic Health: Treat Yourself Right This Holiday
In our fast-paced world, we are often advised to “treat ourselves right” by meditating, getting a massage, or reading a good book. In other words, we need periods of time in which we slow down and smell the roses if we want to stay healthy and fit. These are considered little gifts that we give to ourselves so that we can remain vibrant and healthy in our lives.

All of these are great gifts, and we would like to suggest one more to consider: get a pelvic exam!

While shoving one’s legs into those metal stirrups for a pelvic exam does not SEEM like a great gift to yourself (who actually enjoys that kind of experience?), this kind of preventative exam can really be a gift that keeps on giving. A pelvic exam can determine whether all of your pelvic organs are still in place or whether they have “fallen” or prolapsed. This kind of exam can also determine what type of urinary incontinence you have if you have started experiencing some urinary leakage on occasion. If your sex life isn’t what you want it to be, a pelvic exam can also reveal whether your pelvic floor muscles are weak, thus decreasing sexual sensation and enjoyment.

“But I don’t have any problems down there!” you wail, hating the thought of those cold stirrups. The truth is that you may or may not know about problems in your pelvic area. Only a thorough pelvic exam can reveal the state of your pelvic health. For instance, a high percentage of women (some experts estimate more than 70%) have prolapsed organs and don’t even know it. Other women experience less-than-pleasurable sex because their pelvic floor muscles lack tone and strength. But these women would not KNOW that they had a problem without a pelvic exam.

Women’s Pelvic Health: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
If you really want to treat yourself right this holiday season, give yourself the gift of pelvic health. Call your ob/gyn or urologist to schedule a pelvic exam for the first of the year. The exam, uncomfortable as it might be, will tell you what you need to know about the state of your pelvic organs. Depending on what is revealed, the exam can also inspire you to set some worthy New Year’s Resolutions that will benefit not only your pelvic health, but your whole life. Examples include weight loss, smoking cessation, avoiding certain foods or beverages, and getting toned and fit all over (inside and out).

If you are still not convinced that a pelvic exam is a great gift for yourself, consider these benefits. A pelvic exam can:

  • open the door for you and your doctor to have an honest discussion about your pelvic health
  • reveal any potential problems with your pelvic organs
  • help you handle any potential problems before symptoms, such as urinary leakage or serious prolapse, occur
  • inspire you to exercise your pelvic floor muscles, which can improve your experience in the bedroom
  • assist you in resolving any symptoms of poor pelvic health that may have already appeared (such as light urinary leakage)
  • give you a baseline against which you and your doctor can compare future exams, ensuring your future pelvic health
  • motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle

Those are seven great reasons to make an appointment for a pelvic exam. These seven great gifts will keep your pelvic organs healthy as you move through many more holidays, especially as you experience life changes such as pregnancy, aging, travel, getting serious about exercise, and so forth.

So have yourself a happy holiday and give yourself the gift of pelvic health (or at least an appointment to check your health) before the New Year arrives … that way you will definitely have something to celebrate when you ring in the New Year!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: What Does Your Heath Insurance Cover?

by GeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

When you get that giant packet of coverage information in the mail from your health insurance company, do you roll your eyes and stuff the entire packet into the back of some file drawer? If so, then you are among the majority! While much of the information in the packet is important, wading through all of those pages when you need just one specific bit of information isn’t easy. In fact, tracking down coverage information can be downright frustrating!

But guess what? If you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence you may actually want to spend the time and effort to find out what your health insurance covers.

The High Cost of Women’s Urinary Incontinence
Did you know that a woman with urinary incontinence in the U.S. spends an average of more than $1,000 per year doing extra laundry and buying disposable pads or diapers? This number is only an estimate because women’s urinary incontinence tops the list as one of the “most embarrassing” topics women refuse to discuss with their doctors–or anyone else, for that matter! Other estimates put the figure as high as $1,500 per year. Plus, this figure doesn’t even include the cost of other products, such as special wipes, creams, deodorants, and plastic bags (for carrying around soiled clothing).

The fact of the matter is that most women with urinary incontinence have never sat down with their checkbook and calculator to total up the financial cost of “coping” with their condition on their own. They would be shocked if they did. In addition, few add up the social costs associated with this condition, which can include a shrinking social life, lack of exercise and sex, and the hyper-vigilance of looking for bathrooms all over town.

What Does Your Health Insurance Cover for Women’s Urinary Incontinence?
If you don’t know that answer to this question, and have been coping with your urinary incontinence on your own, the time is right to get some information from your health insurance company. If digging through all that paperwork seems like too much work (and it can be!) then simply pick up the phone and call your insurance company. Most companies are more than happy to look up the information you need. You might be surprised at how much coverage you actually have. Many insurance companies will cover some or all of the cost of:

  • absorbent pads or adult diapers
  • one or more appointments with your family doctor
  •  one or more appointments with specialists such as urologists or ob/gyns
  • medication for urinary incontinence
  •  medical tests associated with urinary incontinence
  • several visits to a physical therapist specializing in women’s pelvic health
  • catheters
  • surgeries for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse

That’s a pretty long list! If you have good health insurance coverage, there’s really no need for you to pay the entire cost of coping with your condition–that’s why you have insurance. However, for your insurance company to help you financially, you will almost certainly need to get a specific medical diagnosis of your condition from a healthcare practitioner approved by your insurance company. What a great excuse to call your doctor!

We know … talking about urinary incontinence with your doctor (or anyone else) can be embarrassing. But isn’t a little embarrassment worth it if you can get the financial and medical help you need to cope with, decrease, or even eliminate your symptoms of urinary incontinence? From the stories that we have heard from our women patients with urinary incontinence, the trade off is definitely worth it!

When it comes to getting help from your health insurance company and doctor for your women’s urinary incontinence, follow Nike’s slogan: “Just do it!”

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: The Power of Knowing Yourself

by General Urinary IncontinenceOveractive Bladder

When you experienced your first symptom of women’s urinary incontinence, how did you react? Did you try your best to ignore the whole event? If you pulled the “ostrich act” then you are in the majority. More than 50% of women who have urinary incontinence don’t seek help and do their best to act like “nothing is wrong.”

Whether or not something is actually “wrong” is perhaps debatable, but what isn’t up for debate is that fact that you will have to cope with your symptoms of urinary incontinence. Coping with your symptoms may mean wearing absorbent pads, carrying around a change of clothes, or making note of the location of every bathroom in town! These are helpful ways to deal with your symptoms, but you can do one thing that will help even more:

~~ Know thyself! ~~

The Power of Knowing Yourself
All women who have urinary incontinence suffer from one of three forms: stress, overactive bladder/urge, or mixed. Getting an accurate diagnosis is the best way to figure out which type of urinary incontinence is affecting you. However, if you are not quite ready to get help from your doctor, you can still take an empowering step towards coping with your symptoms by learning more about your own condition.

When you know the specifics of your condition, you can better anticipate when urinary incontinence symptoms will occur, which will help you cope with those symptoms. For instance, here are some aspects about your condition that you may want to know:

  • What triggers your urinary incontinence?
  • Do you suffer from frequency, urinary leakage, or both?
  • How often do you feel the urge to urinate?
  • Do you feel the urge to urinate at night? How many times per night?
  • When you leak urine, how much do you leak?
  • Will absorbent pads prevent leakage accidents from showing, or do you need to carry a change of clothes with you?
  • When you feel the urge to urinate, how much time before urine starts to flow?
  • Do certain foods or drinks worsen your symptoms?
  • Does doing a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction (Kegel) delay urge or urinary leakage?

These are just a few of the aspects of your condition that can help you anticipate and even prevent symptoms. To best understand your condition, keep a journal of your symptoms for a week or two. Just toss a notepad and pen into your purse, and jot down symptoms as they occur. You might be surprised at what you discover. For instance, one woman was surprised to discover that she felt the urge to urinate more than 15 times per day. Without the journal, she would have estimated a much lower number. In addition, the same woman was surprised to discover the variety of different triggers for her symptoms–everything from her morning cup of coffee to the sound of running water and cold weather!

While keeping this kind of journal for a few weeks make be a bit inconvenient, you will most likely find that the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. Even better, if and when you decide to seek help from a medical professional, this journal will give your doctor a very clear idea of your symptoms. With this information, your doctor will be able to diagnose your condition more accurately and quickly. That’s definitely a win-win situation!

 

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Pelvic Health: Not Sure What’s Up Down There?

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Organ Prolapse

For many women, anatomy “down there” in the pelvic region is a complete mystery. And when something goes wrong down there, these same women have no idea what’s happening … or what to do. If you resemble the women referred to in the last sentence, then here’s a quickie guide to help you get acquainted with your own pelvic anatomy, plus a peek at what might be happening down there.

A Quick Guide to Pelvic Anatomy – Video
http://youtu.be/K1WL6MIq5HA

A Quick Guide to the Female Urinary System – Video
http://youtu.be/aro36vaiWmA

Women’s Poor Pelvic Health: Are You Affected? – Video
http://youtu.be/JEz2JlExShc

3 Types of Women’s Urinary Incontinence – Video
http://youtu.be/UYr8xrvQ48Q

Pelvic Organ Prolapse
http://bit.ly/ZAIja4

Do You Have Decreased Sexual Sensation? – Video
http://youtu.be/Zh5_Bp3s35U

 

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Your Fear of Surgery

by Find the Right DoctorGeneral Urinary IncontinencePessary

When it comes to women’s urinary incontinence, embarrassment tops the list of reasons that affected women don’t seek help. Another major reason these women don’t seek help is this: fear of surgery. Affected women are afraid that seeking a medical diagnosis from a physician will automatically lead to surgery. Many people, not just women with urinary incontinence, have a fear of surgery. Luckily, these fears are mostly unjustified.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Try Conservative Methods First
Do you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, and are you afraid that your doctor might suggest that you have surgery? If so, then we have good news for you. Unless your condition is very severe, most physicians will suggest that you try the least invasive and most conservative therapies first. These include pelvic floor retraining, lifestyle changes (such as weight loss, diet changes, and smoking cessation), bladder retraining, taking medication, using a pessary, and acupuncture. They may even suggest you try a combination of these therapies until you find what works to relieve your symptoms.

An interesting note about these conservative therapies is that they are more effective when used early on–that is, as soon as you notice the first signs of pelvic floor weakness. These therapies are effective for relieving symptoms of all three types of women’s urinary incontinence, as well as alleviating symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse and decreased sexual sensation. This information should definitely motivate you to seek medical help as soon as you begin experiencing problems with your pelvic health.

Overcoming Your Fear of Surgery
But what happens if conservative therapies are not effective for relieving your symptoms? In that case, you may need surgery to address the problem. If your condition is severe, such as when one or more of your pelvic organs have significantly shifted out of position (prolapsed), your physician may recommend surgery as the first step towards curing your condition. Or you may find that conservative therapies are effective for many years, but cease to work over time. This can occur because of aging, menopause, and the continued downward pull of gravity on your pelvic organs. In this case, you may also need surgery to alleviate symptoms that were formerly relieved by conservative therapies.

If your physician does recommend surgery, don’t hit the panic button just yet. We have some statistics about women’s pelvic surgeries that should help you breathe a sigh of relief, especially if you have a fear of surgery. We have categorized the different types of surgeries according to the condition treated, and we describe the level of invasiveness for each procedure as well as the success rate. Minimally-invasive surgeries are usually done as outpatient procedures, and you often go home the same day. Surgical procedures with a moderate level of invasiveness may require a short stay in the hospital.

Surgeries for Stress Urinary Incontinence
Number of Procedures: 6
Names: Transobturator tape, single-incision transobturator tape, tension-free vaginal tape, pubovaginal sling, Burch procedure, Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz procedure
Invasiveness: The first three procedures are minimally invasive, the last three are considered moderate.
Success Rates: No procedure has less than a 66% success rates, and most have success rates between 70% and 95%.

Surgeries for Overactive Bladder, Urge Urinary Incontinence, Urge-Dominant Mixed Incontinence, and Urinary Retention
Number of Procedures: 1
Name: Sacral neuro-modulation
Invasiveness: Minimal
Success Rates: 31% to 65%

Surgeries for Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Number of Procedures: 4
Names: Cystocele repair (bladder hernia), rectocele repair (large intestine hernia), enterocele repair (small intestine hernia), sacral colpopexy (vaginal vault prolapse)
Invasiveness: All are considered moderate
Success Rates: 80% to 96%

As you can see, almost all the surgeries have a very high success rate, and the majority are minimally-invasive. This list of women’s pelvic surgeries should give you a starting point for discussing your surgical options with your physician. If you have a significant fear of surgery or simply want to avoid surgery for any reason, you may wish to seek a second opinion from another specialist. Additionally, you may want to ask your physician whether a different type or a different combination of conservative therapies would be useful to try before having surgery. For many women, the first few conservative therapies tried are not completely successful at relieving symptoms. The women who have the most success with conservative therapies are those willing to try multiple approaches or multiple combinations of therapies until they find something that works. Persistence is often the key to success when working with conservative therapies.

If you ultimately decide to undergo surgery for your pelvic health condition, rest assured that success rates are high and most procedures pose a fairly low risk. Be sure to discuss any questions or concerns with your physician until you feel completely comfortable with any proposed surgery. In this case, educating yourself about your condition and your options is the best medicine!

 

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
If you leak urine, whether a little or a lot, chances are that you have asked yourself whether you are “normal” or not. Many women mistakenly assume that urinary incontinence is a “normal” part of aging.Guess what? Women’s urinary incontinence is NOT normal at any age. A healthy bladder does not leak urine. So if you are wondering whether you are “normal,” here are 5 questions to ask yourself:#1: Does your bladder function normally?
A healthy bladder can hold about 2 cups of fluid comfortably for 2 to 5 hours. Can your bladder do that?

#2: Did your women’s urinary incontinence start with menopause?
While urine leakage often accompanies menopause, it is not normal. Luckily, there are many medications and conservative options to help with urinary incontinence that occurs with menopause.

#3: Do you urinate more than 6 to 8 times daily?
If you have a healthy urinary system, you should urinate no more than 6 to 8 times per day. If you have to urinate more frequently, then you may be suffering from overactive bladder (OAB), also called urge urinary incontinence. You may wish to keep a voiding diary to track how many times a day you have to urinate. The results may surprise you.

#4: Are you “coping” well with your slight urine leakage?
Many women assume that if their urine leakage is slight and that they can cope with it using absorbent pads, they don’t have a problem. Unfortunately, any amount of urine leakage isn’t normal. Of course, all of us have experienced “wet panties” once in a while when we laugh way too hard. But if you leak urine regularly, then it’s time to call your doctor for help.

#5: Do you urinate “just in case”?
If you visit the bathroom before every movie or before sitting down to most meals “just in case” you might have to go later, you are practicing what is called “defensive voiding.” Defensive voiding is a sign of women’s urinary incontinence, and can be a sign of overactive bladder (OAB) or urge urinary incontinence. If so, talk to your doctor about conservative measures you can take so you don’t have to practice defensive voiding. You’ll find it quite a relief …plus you’ll enjoy movies and meals much more!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Are You From Venus? Women with Urinary Incontinence May Feel Like They Are

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Many of us have read the book “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus” … and for many of us the book made a lot of sense. Men and women are very different, from the way they think to the way they talk. VERY different.Well guess what? Women with urinary incontinence may feel the same way about their doctors as they feel about men—that both men and doctors are from Mars!

Yes, the communication signals between women and their doctors can become THAT garbled when it comes to discussing urinary incontinence.

Are You Ready to Be Shocked?
When you first learn the statistics associated with women’s urinary incontinence, you may find them shocking. Here are a few that may surprise you:

– Two-thirds of all women with urinary incontinence never seek help
– Of the women who seek help, most wait on average more than 6 years for asking for help
– Despite low-cost conservative therapies that could alleviate symptoms, many women prefer spending between $1,000 and $1,500 per year on laundry, adult diapers and other coping mechanism rather get help from their doctor
– The primary reason women cite for not seeking help is embarrassment in discussing the issue

And if the above statistics about women’s urinary incontinence isn’t enough to have you fidgeting in your seat, check out these facts about the communication between women and their doctors on the topic of urinary incontinence.

Lost in Translation: The Discussion about Women’s Urinary Incontinence
If a woman does actually work up the nerve to speak with her doctor about her urinary incontinence, chances are that she may run into an unintentional communication roadblock with her doctor. Here’s how the conversation might go.

1. A family doctor or primary physician likely will not bring up the issue of pelvic health (studies show that doctors in the US, UK, and Germany all felt they had less time than needed for a full and thorough intake, including questions about a woman’s pelvic health).

2. If a woman does raise the issue of her urinary incontinence, however boldly or subtly, and the physician does not offer a direct response, the woman is likely to never raise the subject with this or any doctor again. The woman perceives the lack of response as a negative response.

3. If the doctor does respond to a woman’s query about her urinary incontinence, the physician is unlikely to have enough time to adequately explore the issue or educate the woman about her condition.

Wow, can you say “Venus … and Mars?” Unless the woman persists in raising the issue (and most women will not), the topic of urinary incontinence is dropped forever, dooming the woman to suffer in silence! In addition, research indicates that the woman is likely to rate her experience with the doctor poorly, even if there is a short discussion about urinary incontinence, because the woman will likely judge the educational period to be inadequate. And patients tend to rate the importance of physician-offered health education second only to clinical skill. With physician “report card” websites sprouting up all over the internet, this could not only drastically impact a physician’s credibility, but also fail to provide the woman with the help she needs.

What Does This Mean For You?
With the kind of interaction we described as being likely to occur, this means that you need to be a much stronger advocate for your own pelvic health than most women. You need to persist in seeking help for your urinary incontinence, keep asking questions, and don’t stop looking for a healthcare provider until you find the help you need. There is no right and wrong in the interaction we describe above. The system is simply not set up to accommodate this particular issue at this particular time, especially when it comes to working with your primary doctor.

But you can make a difference in your own life. If you don’t get the answers you need from your primary doctor, ask for a referral to a specialist, such as a urologist, urogynecologist, or a physical therapist specializing in women’s pelvic health. Plus, here are some articles that can help you talk to your doctor effectively to get the help you need for your women’s urinary incontinence:

How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence
3 Steps to Prepare for Your Doctor’s Appointment
Lost in Translation? Getting Treatment for Urinary Incontinence

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: 4 Helpful Smartphone Apps

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
A couple of years ago we blogged about a helpful restroom-locator smartphone app.Back then, these kinds of apps were few and far between. In fact, the most useful one we found was Sit or Squat.. At that time, this appeared to be an independent app that worked a lot like any public domain app—you took what was helpful, and hopefully left some helpful information, too.

Since then, the app has been taken over by Charmin, which makes sense if you think about the integral role that toilet paper plays in women’s urinary incontinence! The name has changed, but the features remain the same or better. You can still access restroom locations, review restrooms, and add comments.

Restroom-Finder Apps: Then and Now
Restroom-finder apps have come a long way since we last blogged about them. Could this be because there are so many more baby boomer’s suffering from women’s urinary incontinence? Could this be because urinary incontinence and other symptom of poor pelvic health are becoming more prevalent than diseases such as asthma or diabetes? Could these reasons be driving the need for these kinds of apps? We think so!

In any case, if you have urinary incontinence and need to know the location of bathrooms wherever you are, rest assured that these days you can choose from several different apps. The most commonly downloaded ones are:

Sit or Squat: free for iPhone and Android
Find Toilets: free for Android and 99 cents for iPhone
Have2P: free for iPhone
Toilet Finder: free for iPhone and Android (Nokia and Windows Phone versions also)

Each of these apps has its own unique features. Sit or Squat allows you to add new locations and also review the quality of the pit stop (“Sit” means high-quality while low-quality rates a “Squat”). Find Toilets helps you out with GPS directions, and Toilet Finder tells you how long it will take you to get to the nearest toilet! Have2P also allows reviews of the restroom, but only seems to be available on iPhone for now.

As technology improves we will surely continue to see an improvement in the apps available to people who need to go while on the go. If you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence you can help yourself by downloading these apps to assist you when you are out and about. If you haven’t called your doctor yet for solutions, you can definitely alleviate your symptoms by asking for help (click here if you need help talking to your doctor).

You can also help others who have women’s urinary incontinence by adding restroom locations, reviewing restroom locations, and generally giving feedback to app developers. You never know when having that app is going to make the difference between having an accident and staying high and dry!

7 Tips for Coping with Urine Leakage During Exercise

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Do you have to bring an extra towel with you to your cardio class to “mop up” the urine you leak when you jump, step, or kick?That can be embarrassing, not to mention discouraging to even the most optimistic of women. Yet women’s urinary incontinence keeps many ladies from exercising as much as they would like.Luckily, you can take some simple steps to avoid urine leakage during exercise. Using some or all of these tips can get you back on your exercise program before you know it. Plus, you’ll be staying high and dry during your workout, without any embarrassing pauses for “mopping up”!

Preventing Urine Leakage During Exercise – 7 Tips
Tip #1: Exercise Your Body Inside and Out
Being able to work out at the gym without urine leakage may depend on how regularly you exercise your pelvic floor muscles. Regularly exercising these muscles can keep you toned and fit internally, which prevents urine leakage. For the scoop on pelvic floor muscle contractions (also called Kegels) check out our free informational ebook.     Download the “What’s Up Down There” ebook here.Tip #2: Take Your Prescribed Medication for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
If your doctor has prescribed medication that eases your urinary incontinence symptoms, be sure to keep taking your medication. If you have stopped taking your medication because of the side effects (such as dry mouth, constipation, or dry eyes), try some of our strategies for coping with these side effects. You’ll find it much easier to deal with medication side effects than with urine leakage—plus you get to keep up with your exercise program. Check out our strategies for coping with medication side effects here.

Tip #3: Limit Fluid Intake
While it is important to stay hydrated when you exercise, limiting your fluid intake just before your exercise session can help prevent urine leakage. You are the best judge of how much fluid you need to drink before and during your workout to stay hydrated while preventing leakage accidents. Experiment with different levels of fluid intake until you see some level of improvement in your urinary incontinence symptoms. Normally, women need to drink between four and nine cups of water per day to stay hydrated. Timing your fluid intake to avoid exercise times can reduce urine leakage during workouts.

Tip #4: Avoid Bladder Irritating Food and Drinks
Did you know that certain food or drinks can irritate your bladder, which can worsen your symptoms of urine leakage? One of the ways to avoid a urine leakage incident during your workout is to avoid these food and drinks at all times, and especially on days when you plan to exercise. Click here for a list of bladder irritants to avoid.

Tip #5: Urinate Just Before Working Out
Emptying your bladder before your workout can prevent leakage accidents. You can go a step further by practicing double voiding. Double voiding means urinating until you feel that your bladder is empty. Then, wait a few seconds, and urinate again. This allows your bladder to empty completely, which can help prevent symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, which is also called overactive bladder.

Tip #6: Use a Tampon or Urethral Insert
Both tampons and urethral inserts increase pressure on the urethra and support the bladder. Both of these actions can help prevent urine leakage during while you exercise, especially if you suffer from stress urinary incontinence. If you are interested in using a urethral insert, ask your doctor or urologist.

Tip #7: Use Absorbent Pads or Diapers
While this option seems unattractive for many women, since pads and diapers can be bulky and uncomfortable, you might be surprised at the advances in these products. Trying different absorbent products until you find the one that works for you may allow you to return to an active lifestyle without worrying about that embarrassing “wet panty” look. Check out the different kinds of absorbent products on the market today, and see which ones fit your needs.

Get it? Got it? Good! Go forth and exercise freely!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Do Herbal Remedies Work for Urinary Incontinence?

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
With the array of herbal and botanical formulas on the market today for women’s urinary incontinence, there is a strong temptation to “go natural.”After all, what could be better than using products from nature to deal with women’s urinary incontinence?

There is certainly nothing wrong with using herbs and other natural products. The question is whether these products actually help with urine leakage symptoms, or simply are a waste of time and money.

The best way to discover the effectiveness of herbal products for improving urinary leakage issues to read scientific peer-reviewed studies of the products. Here are just a few products that have been reviewed by the scientific community, as opposed to simply tested by “in-house” teams employed by the companies that make the products.

A Review of 5 Natural Products for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
Some of the more common natural products that have been touted for improving urinary incontinence symptoms include pumpkin seeds, cornsilk, buchu, bromelain, and magnesium. Let’s see how these products act to improve women’s urinary incontinence.

#1: Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds have actually been under significant clinical investigation for treating urinary incontinence. Studies have shown that certain ingredients in pumpkin seeds, including essential fatty acids and compounds like “phytoesterol,” do support a woman’s bladder, especially after menopause. In fact, in one study 75% of postmenopausal women taking pumpkin seeds achieved better bladder control after six weeks.

#2: Cornsilk
Corksilks are the long silky fibers found at the top of an ear of corn. High in flavonoids and polyphenols, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties, cornsilk is believed to reduce inflammation in the bladder. As a result, some women experience a reduced urge to urinate, especially if their urine leakage is related to inflammation.

#3: Buchu
Many herbalists currently prescribe this South American herb for recurring urinary tract infections and overall bladder health. Many doctors point out that urine leakage issues are often related to bladder inflammation, or even mild infections. Even mild inflammation of the bladder can cause a continuous urge to urinate and prevent you from completely emptying your bladder. Since buchu has mild antiseptic properties, it is believed that this herb prevents inflammation.

#4: Bromelain
Bromelain comes from the pineapple plant, and is commonly known to be an anti-inflammatory. As with some of the other herbs mentioned in this article, bromelain is believed to have a healing effect on bladder inflammation.

#5: Magnesium
Athletes know that magnesium is essential to muscle health, and studies indicate that people with Parkinson’s disease find relief from urine leakage symptoms when taking this supplement. Doctors also recognize that magnesium may be useful in controlling bladder spasms, which can cause incomplete emptying of the bladder. In addition, some women find that taking magnesium before bedtime can relieve nighttime wetting issues.

If you suffer from women’s urine incontinence, exploring all your options are key to finding relief. This can include the natural remedies mentioned in this article, medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, and even surgery. The point is that not all solutions work for all women, but there is a solution out there for your urinary incontinence issues. Keep looking until you find a solution that works for you!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

 

Good Sex and Women’s Urinary Incontinence

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneral Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Get this: According to a 2001 Harris survey of folks with overactive bladders (also called urge urinary incontinence), about fifty percent were sexually active … and about two-thirds of those people reported that urine leakage got in the way of their sex lives!Of course, this isn’t all that surprising. Sexual activity can irritate the bladder, which can cause urine leakage. That can be a real show-stopper!

Says Melody Denson, MD, a board-certified urologist with the Urology Team in Austin, Texas, “When you’re being intimate, you’re used to secretions and moistness, but the thought that it’s actually urine leakage is really upsetting and uncomfortable.”

How to Have Good Sex Despite Urinary Incontinence
The truth of the matter is that women with urinary incontinence can (and should) have good sex. Good sex just takes a little more preparation.

1. Do Your Kegels
Not only do Kegels, which are pelvic muscle floor contractions, keep urine where it belongs during sex, but these exercises can also enhance your sexual experience in other ways. Kegels are simple to do. The trick is remembering to do them … regularly! If you are not sure how to do a Kegel correctly, or how to integrate these simple exercises into your daily routine, read our free ebook on the subject. It’s called “What’s Up Down There?” and it covers the basics, plus helps you with troubleshooting.

2. Skip the Wine and Other Bladder Irritants
While wine may sound like the perfect accompaniment to a romantic dinner, it can also ruin an intimate moment after dinner. Wine can irritate the bladder, which can cause urine leakage. To prevent urine leakage, stay away from all bladder irritating foods and drinks, such as caffeinated beverages, acidic foods, and spicy dishes. Get a more complete list of bladder-irritating foods and drinks HERE.

3. Be Ready
Getting ready for intimacy without urine leakage means taking the same steps as avoiding urine leakage at night. Limit fluid intake a few hours before and practice double voiding. And if you haven’t had “the talk” about urinary incontinence with your partner, take the time to do so before getting intimate. It will save both you embarrassment later. Not sure how to talk to your partner? Find out HERE.

Hopefully, these simple steps will help you have a great sex life, despite urinary incontinence symptoms!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Putting Your Women’s Urinary Incontinence to Bed

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Do you ever curl up in bed after a long day’s work, ready for a restful night’s sleep, only to find that you have to leap out of bed again to pee? Then two hours later, you have to pee again. Two hours later? Ditto …so much for beauty rest!But rest easy. Your problem isn’t insolvable. By making a few conservative lifestyle changes you can sleep solidly for six to eight hours at a time-with no interruptions!

Getting Beauty Rest with Urinary Incontinence
If you are up and down all night, running to the bathroom, then you are not alone! Sixteen percent of people over the age of 18 have the same trouble getting a good night’s sleep. What’s even worse is dealing with the wet sheets when you don’t make it to the bathroom on time.

To avoid all of this hassle, here are some steps you can take to guarantee future nights of beauty rest:

1. Limit Fluid Intake
Stop drinking fluids after 6 pm, or at least 3 hours before bed. To stay hydrated, you need to drink at least four to nine cups of water daily. Just be sure to drink those fluids during the morning and afternoon. Limiting fluid intake in the evening will decrease your need to urinate at night.

2. Double-Void Before Bed
Double-voiding is the practice of urinating twice before you go to bed. First, urinate until you feel that your bladder is empty. Then, go through the rest of your evening routine, such as washing your face or brushing your teeth. Afterwards, urinate again. This ensures that your bladder is truly empty before you go to bed. Alternately, you can double-void by urinating, relaxing on the toilet for 10-20 seconds, and then urinating again.

3. Avoid Bladder-Irritating Food and Drink
If you suffer from urinary incontinence, preventing nighttime wetting accidents means avoiding certain foods and drinks. Caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, acidic foods and juices, spicy dishes, and artificial sweeteners can all worsen urinary incontinence symptoms. Stay away from these items and you should experience better sleep at night.

These three simple lifestyle-changing steps can go a long way toward transforming you from a sleep-deprived grump to Sleeping Beauty!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.

When Women’s Urinary Incontinence Messes with Your Intimacy

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Does this sound familiar?You excuse yourself several times during a dinner date to go to the bathroom. You avoid sex to prevent the embarrassment of leaking urine at “the big moment.” You keep postponing a romantic trip because you are afraid you won’t be able to find bathrooms when you really need them.

All of these situations may seem perfectly normal to you if you are coping with urinary incontinence, but they may cause your significant other to wonder if the relationship is headed for a breakup.

Yikes! What’s a gal to do? Don’t panic. Instead, spend some time talking with your significant other about your urinary incontinence problem.

How to Talk with Your Significant Other
While talking to your partner about urinary leakage certainly isn’t the most romantic topic in the world, it can certainly put your mind at ease … not to mention keep your partner from wondering why you are acting so strangely! There are two things you can do to make the conversation easier:

1. Choose the right moment to raise the issue
2. Be careful, thorough, and patient in your explanation

Choosing the Right Moment
Let’s take the first point-choosing the perfect moment. Since discussing your urinary incontinence issue an important topic, you want to pick a time when you have your partner’s undivided attention. For instance, a quiet walk in the park or a private lunch at home would both be good times to raise the issue. You might want to avoid bringing up the subject as you head into the bedroom. Also avoid raising the topic over the phone because silences are difficult to interpret if you can’t see your partner’s face!

Explain Carefully
Once you start the conversation with your partner, describe your symptoms carefully and simply. Explain how these symptoms impact your life, and how you cope with these symptoms. You will also want to tell your partner about the steps you are taking to treat your urinary incontinence, whether you are participating in physical therapy, using medication, or considering surgery.

If you feel embarrassed discussing the subject, write a list of talking points. This will help you get through the conversation without skipping any important information. Finally, give your partner a chance to ask questions, and answer as honestly as you can.

Honesty Helps
While talking about women’s urinary incontinence isn’t very romantic, having the discussion can really deepen your relationship with your partner. You’ll probably be surprised … urinary leakage is most likely “no big deal” to your partner. And, as they say, “Honesty is the best policy.”

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.