surprised woman

Startling Facts about Adult Diapers and Briefs

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

surprised womanDid you know that:

•Adult diapers and briefs currently make up 7% of our nation’s landfill?
•Baby diapers currently contribute just 2-3% of landfill waste?
•Diapers are the third largest type of landfill waste?
•The average adult diaper or brief will take up to 200 years to decompose (the same amount of time as an aluminum can)?

In the coming years, adult diapers will contribute an increasing percentage to our landfills. Not only are adult diapers and briefs larger than baby diapers, but the number of adults using diapers is on the rise.

Most diapers go into landfills, which exist on the edge of cities and towns and are eventually covered by dirt. As towns and cities expand over time, they appropriate and build on top of these landfills. Housing developments spread across these previous trash dumps, leading some to wonder what future archaeologists will think when excavating these sites. Will they wonder about the anthropological meaning of so much plastic-backed paper products?

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
If you or someone you know uses adult diaper products, there are two major ways to reduce your carbon footprint, or as some call it, your carbon “buttprint”:

  1. Use diaper boosters or diaper doublers. These are pads that go inside adult diapers, providing extra absorption and making each diaper last longer.
  2. Use long-lasting adult diapers. These diapers have been very popular in Europe and are available mostly online. While the average store-bought adult diaper lasts 2-3 hours, these long-lasting diapers allow users to go 6-8 hours before needing a change.

You can read more about ways to “go green” with adult diapers in Gary Hirsch’s blog.

Of course, the best way to reduce your carbon impact is to get out of adult diapers altogether by reducing symptoms of urinary incontinence. If you haven’t already, ask yourself the three questions we posed in our previous post to see if you have done everything you can to get out of diapers.

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.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

doctor

Solving Urinary Incontinence: Avoid Doorknob Conversations with Your Doc

by Find the Right DoctorGeneral Urinary IncontinenceResources and AppsWomen's Healthcare

doctorWhen it comes to female urinary incontinence, many women are doorknob conversationalists. What’s a “doorknob conversation”?

It’s where you avoid talking about urinary incontinence during the entire doctor’s appointment because you are too embarrassed to bring it up. Then, at the last moment, literally when your hand is on the doorknob and you are walking out the door, you raise the issue.

Those conversations usually start with, “By the way …” or “I forgot to mention this, but …”

You know what we’re talking about, right? We’ve all done it, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, these kinds of conversations prevent you from getting the help you need. Your doctor isn’t likely to have time at the end of your appointment to fully discuss your urinary incontinence issues, so you’ll end up having to come back for another appointment.

Three Steps to Avoiding Doorknob Conversations
Instead of waiting until you are walking out the door to ask your doc for help, get right to the heart of the issue at the beginning of the appointment. Here are three tips to help you avoid doorknob conversations.

1. Be Clear About the Purpose of Your Appointment
When you call to schedule your appointment, be sure to tell the staff at your doctor’s office that the purpose of your appointment is to discuss urinary incontinence. Be sure to use the words “urinary incontinence” so that your meaning isn’t lost in translation. Be firm with yourself about this!

2. Jot Down Your Symptoms and Questions
To be sure you get exactly the help you need, make a list of all of your symptoms. Include items like when you leak urine, how much urine you leak, triggers for urine leakage, and any other related symptoms. Make a list of all the medications you currently take, as some of these could be related to your symptoms. Finally, jot down any questions you want your doctor to answer.

3. Grab a Buddy
If you are afraid that you will chicken out at the last moment, either by skipping your appointment or failing to actually discuss your symptoms, take a buddy with you to your appointment. Ask your buddy to remind you of the purpose of your appointment, and ensure that you cover every item on your list during your appointment. A trusted friend can offer a lot of moral support and courage.

Need more tips? Check out these resources:

Using the Right Words – Don’t Let Your Symptoms Get Lost in Translation
Learn About the Different Types of Urinary Incontinence 
How to Keep a Voiding Diary

 
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.

Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Not Enough Beauty Sleep Can Lead to Women’s Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Many women are concerned about getting enough sleep so they can stay beautiful. Studies indeed show that getting enough sleep helps with healthy skin, hair, weight, and overall health.

But get this: getting enough beauty sleep (insomnia) can actually reduce your risk of having women’s urinary incontinence.

Now get this. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF):

  • at least 40 million Americans suffer from 70 different types of sleep disorders
  • at least 60 percent of those adults have sleep issues multiple nights of the week
  • 40% of adults have daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with daily activities a few days a month

That’s a lot of adults suffering from insomnia. For the many women affected by lack of sleep, this may lead to an increased risk for symptoms of urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage.

How Insomnia is Linked to Women’s Urinary Incontinence
If you already suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, then you already understand how symptoms like urinary urgency can interfere with your sleep, especially if you have to get up one or more times per night to urinate.

But did you know that the reverse is also true? Lack of sleep can also lead to women’s urinary incontinence. Here’s why.

1. Overall Physical Weakness
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body suffers as a whole, resulting in physical weakness. According to Frank Ervolino, N.D., L.Ac., “Staying up late at night is a big risk factor for urinary incontinence. Your body needs to rest and reset every night or it will get weaker over time, which can bring on urinary incontinence much quicker.”

2. Poor Food Choices
Certain foods and beverages can irritate the bladder. Specifically, these types of foods and drinks are likely to make your bladder unhappy:

  • acidic
  • contain caffeine
  • have alcohol
  • contain tyrosine, tyramine, tryptophan, aspirate, and phenylalanine
  • cause allergies in your body

When you are tired, you are less likely to make smart food choices. Instead of paying attention to what you eat and avoiding bladder irritants, you are more apt to reach for whatever food is handy. Or, you might reach for alcohol at night and coffee in the morning, both of which can irritate your bladder. Read more about bladder irritants HERE.

3. Emotional Distress
According to the American Psychological Association, getting less than eight hours of sleep per night, on average, can lead to emotional disorders and distress. Other studies indicate that emotional disturbances can cause or worsen certain symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency and frequency, or even urinary leakage.

Sleeping Beauty is a Healthy Woman
Are you starting to get the picture that getting enough sleep is a very important factor in preventing or reducing your risk of women’s urinary incontinence? Plus, getting enough sleep is just plain healthy for you. Getting enough sleep also reduces your risk of stroke, obesity and diabetes, anxiety and depression, cancer, and heart disease (read more HERE). So go ahead… sleep away. Not only is sleep a luxury that is good for you, but you are actually taking charge of your health when you get enough sleep!

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.

 

How to Lose Your “Mommy Middle Muffin-Top”

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

In our previous article  we discussed guidelines for healthy weight gain during pregnancy, and healthy weight loss after delivery. One of the main benefits of losing the extra baby weight post-partum is reducing the risk of women’s urinary incontinence. The joy of welcoming your new baby can be marred by always having to run for the bathroom, so making a plan to lose extra baby weight post-partum is a really good idea.

Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t receive the information they need from their healthcare providers on losing baby weight. A recent study (http://huff.to/13pfqxT) indicated that up to 85% of women had not received post-partum weight loss information 4 months after they had given birth!

If you are looking for ways to lose your “mommy middle muffin-top” hopefully the following tips will give you some good ideas.

How to Slim Down Post-Partum
The good news is that the delivery process itself pretty much guarantees you a 10-pound weight loss (the baby’s weight plus placenta and amniotic fluid). You can also expect to lose another 3 to 5 pounds of water weight in the first week after delivery.

To continue that weight loss trend–with every pound loss reducing your risk of women’s urinary incontinence–consider some of these tips.

1. Eat Right
Let your body tell you when you should eat. Another way to put it is, “Eat only when you are hungry.” Women who breastfeed will need more calories, as babies who are exclusively breastfed require between 500 and 800 calories per day. Focus on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. Eat small portions and consume small meals more frequently during the day. If you are not sure you can stick to a diet, consider joining a recognized weight loss program to support you through the process.

2. Return to Gentle Exercise
Check with your healthcare provider about when you can safely return to gentle exercise. Women who have straightforward vaginal deliveries can expect to return to light exercise within days of giving birth. Women with more complicated deliveries (including C-sections) will need to follow guidelines offered by their doctors. Of course, women can and should do pelvic floor muscle exercises during pregnancy and after delivery to keep those muscles toned and fit. Focusing on pelvic floor muscle exercises significantly decreases your risk of women’s urinary incontinence during and after pregnancy.

3. Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
In other words, get as much beauty rest as your baby allows. Studies show that women who got adequate rest were more likely to lose baby weight more quickly than women who had less pillow time.

4. Hydrate Regularly
Getting plenty of pure water is important post-partum, especially if you are breast-feeding. Hydration is also important as you return to your exercises program. As a bonus, water can also help you feel more full so you avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. Finally, if you don’t get enough water your urine will become more acid, which can irritate your bladder and worsen symptoms such as urinary urgency and frequency.

5. Set Realistic Goals
When slimming down after delivery, a healthy rate of weight loss is about one pound per week. This may seem slow to you, yet this rate of weight loss is healthy and tends to be more permanent. Be gentle with yourself, acknowledge that pregnancy and delivery equal major body changes, and be patient with the weight loss process. Trying to fit into your skinny jeans a few weeks after delivery isn’t realistic for many women. Often, healthy post-partum weight loss can take up to six months so set realistic weight loss goals so you don’t end up judging yourself too harshly.

Hopefully these simple tips on getting rid of your “Mommy Middle,” which definitely decreases your risk of urinary incontinence, will help you lose weight in a healthy manner post-partum. Most importantly, if you are able to avoid or minimize symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, you will be able to devote your full attention to your new baby!

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.

 

Is Your Pregnancy Weight Gain Contributing to Your Urinary Incontinence?

by General Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Almost every expectant mother has been warned to expect some symptoms of urinary incontinence during pregnancy–everything from urinary urgency and frequency to actual urinary leakage. As the baby grows and takes up more room in the abdomen, internal organs, such as the bladder, are pushed into an increasingly smaller space. The result? Urinary incontinence issues.

But new studies show that it’s not just baby who contributes to women’s urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is another issue to consider. Whether a woman is pregnant or not, she is at risk for urinary incontinence if she carries too much extra weight. Every extra pound below the collarbone and above the pelvis puts downward pressure on the bladder and urinary system, causing symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Gain the Right Amount to Reduce Risk of Urinary Incontinence
During pregnancy many women fall prey to the idea that they are “eating for two,” mistakenly believing that this means they can eat twice as much as they normally do. Not so.

In fact, women who have a normal body mass index (BMI), or who started at a normal weight before pregnancy do not need to increase their caloric intake during the first trimester according to the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The same organization recommends that women at a healthy weight increase calories by 350 calories per day during the second trimester, and 450 calories per day during the last trimester. Women who start out under or overweight should work with their healthcare providers to adjust these calorie guidelines accordingly.

Eating the right number of calories during each trimester should result in healthy rather than excess weight gain, which decreases a woman’s chance of urinary incontinence symptoms both during pregnancy and after delivery. According to the Institute of Medicine, underweight women (with a BMI of 18.5 or less) should gain between 28 and 40 pounds. Normal weight women (BMI between 18.6 and 24.9) should strive for an overall weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds, while overweight women (BMI between 25 and 29.9) need to gain only 15-25 pounds. Obese women (BMI of 30 or higher) are encouraged to gain just 11 to 20 pounds.

Studies show that women who gain more than the weight recommended by the Institute of Medicine tend to have more trouble losing weight post-partum (http://bit.ly/15o3ait). Again, the excess weight is a definite contributing risk factor to women’s urinary incontinence.

The Importance of Shedding Baby Weight
If you don’t think that a few extra pounds of baby weight puts you at risk for urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage, consider these studies. In one study, overweight women with urinary incontinence who lost 8 percent of their body weight saw a 47 percent decrease in leakage accidents. Other studies demonstrate that losing 5 to 10 percent of excess weight is as effective for alleviating urinary incontinence symptoms as any other form of conservative treatment.

If you are unsure of how much weight you should gain during pregnancy, and how much weight you should lose after delivery, ask your healthcare provider. We stress that you may need to ask your healthcare provider because some may not volunteer that information.

In one recent study, only 42% of women received information on appropriate weight gain from their healthcare providers, while 22% of overweight women were advised to gain more than the recommended amount of weight (http://huff.to/13pfqxT). According to Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D., many healthcare professionals may be hesitant to broach the subject of weight gain because of the sensitivity of the topic. Others may simply feel ill-equipped to handle the conversation. That is why it is important for you to ask for the weight gain and post-partum weight loss information that is appropriate for your situation.

Dr. Braunstein points out that asking for this information before your baby is born is important because chances are that you will be too busy or tired to raise the subject after delivery. Yet, excess weight is a significant risk factor for women’s urinary incontinence. If you don’t want urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage to interfere with the joy of mothering your new baby, get your weight gain and weight loss facts straight before delivery. Then, have a plan that will help you achieve a healthy level of weight gain during pregnancy, and lose the excess baby weight at a healthy rate post-partum.

Stay tuned for upcoming articles on how to shed the “Mommy middle” after delivery to reduce your risk of post-partum urinary incontinence.

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.

11 Reasons to Focus on Your Pelvic Health

by Pelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Floor WeaknessUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

While some women wonder, “What’s the big deal with pelvic health?” other women worry over the question, “What’s up down there?” Women at both ends of the spectrum are wondering whether pelvic health is a problem that should concern them or not. The answer? Yes. Absolutely. Without a doubt.

You may be surprised, but women’s pelvic health isn’t just about women’s pelvic health. Your pelvic health is actually linked to your overall level of health at all levels–physical, mental, and emotional. If you don’t have pelvic health, you are putting your overall health on the line. That is why in this article we give you 11 reasons you might want to focus on your pelvic health. You may be surprised at how much your pelvic health affects the rest of your life!

1. Healthy habits for your pelvic floor make you healthier all over
Surprise, surprise! The habits that lead to pelvic health are also the habits to contribute to your general health. Examples include weight loss, smoking cessation, moderating drinking, and maintaining healthy digestion to avoid constipation.

2. Having pelvic health means you can be social, and studies show that being social is healthy
According to a feature article by WebMD–read the full article HERE, being social is healthy for you:

“Conducted by the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University, the study followed nearly 1,500 older people for 10 years. It found that those who had a large network of friends outlived those with the fewest friends by 22%.”

Yet, if you are afraid to go out with friends because you might experience urinary urgency or a leakage accident, how can you be social? That alone is a good reason to focus on pelvic health!

3. Good pelvic health may mean a return to sex, which is also good for you
A surprisingly large percentage of women with urinary incontinence stop having sex because they leak urine during intimacy. Yet good sex is good for you. Studies show that women with higher sexual satisfaction also report a higher sense of life purpose. Sexually satisfied women are also reported to be happier than unsatisfied women, and women who look for ways to have a better sex life tend to get what they seek. So if good sex is good for you, and good pelvic health leads to good sex, focusing on your pelvic health becomes pretty important, right?

4. Pelvic health isn’t difficult to achieve even if you currently have pelvic issues
The Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy reports that for 8 out of 10 women with urinary incontinence, symptoms can be improved. Clinically, we have seen that many women can even cure their symptoms. While you may find that discussing your symptoms of poor pelvic health is embarrassing, you will probably be surprised at the ease of the solutions your medical professional can offer you. If you take the first step–seeking help–which is the most difficult, you’ll find the rest to be an easy slide!

5. Humiliation isn’t healthy!
This one doesn’t really need an explanation, does it? If you are constantly humiliated by leakage accidents, the fear of a leakage accident, the ever-present search for restrooms, and the bother of urinary urgency, then you’ve got a lot on your mind… none of which is relaxing, healthy, or contributing to your happiness.

6. Insomnia from nocturia (getting up to go at night) isn’t healthy
Getting a solid chunk of sleep each night is important to many factors of health, including memory, longevity, decreased chronic inflammation, and much more (read the full article HERE).

7. There are lots of approaches to try before going “under the knife”
One of the reasons women with urinary incontinence don’t seek help is that they are afraid their doctor will suggest surgery–right away. This simply isn’t true for most women, especially if they seek help as soon as the first symptoms appear. There are many conservative therapies to assist women with symptoms of poor pelvic health, including pelvic floor retraining (at home or with the help of a physical therapist), lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation, diet modification, timed fluid intake, weight loss, acupuncture, and more. Read a full list in THIS BOOK.

8. If you opt for surgery, success rates are high
If you are one of the women for whom surgery is the best option, you will be relieved to hear that most surgeries for women’s pelvic health have a very high success rate, and the majority are minimally-invasive. For a discussion about the most common surgeries related to women’s pelvic health, read the article HERE.

9. Your pelvic muscles count, too, even if they are out of sight!
The old adage “out of sight, out of mind” is very true when it comes to women’s pelvic health. Because women can’t see their pelvic muscles the way they can see their biceps, they tend to think they are fit all over, even if their pelvic muscles are not! However, you can develop healthy pelvic floor muscles. You just need to get into the Kegel habit. Read about how to gain the necessary knowledge, skill, and desire HERE.

10. Poor pelvic health is not normal at any age
So many women simply accept urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency as they age, thinking, “Oh, it’s just a normal part of aging.” Guess what? It isn’t! Poor pelvic health is not normal at any age. If you experience symptoms of urinary incontinence or other signs of poor pelvic health, get help now. Not sure about the state of your pelvic health? Read these stories to find out more–click HERE.

11. You will be a happier woman
Healthy women are happy women. It is really as simple as that! If poor pelvic health is keeping you from being happy, check out the book that may change your life HERE.

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 Urinary Incontinence: How to Cope with Medication Side Effects

by GeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Medication is one of the foremost conservative therapies for treating women’s urinary incontinence, and yet the number of women who will actually take–and keep taking–medication for their urinary incontinence is shockingly low. Many women will start on medication but fail to continue taking it.

This is surprising since medication has been shown to be an effective form of therapy for women’s urinary incontinence. For instance, in cases of urinary urgency, antimuscarinic medication is effective in reducing wetting accidents by about two-thirds. That is quite a high rate of success for a conservative therapy!

So why don’t more women keep taking medication for their urinary incontinence? Two reasons: lack of initial effectiveness and side effects.

Why Medication Doesn’t Always “Work” for Women’s Urinary  Incontinence
The first and most immediate reason women fail to keep taking medication for their urinary incontinence is because they feel that the medication “doesn’t work.” It turns out that these women are somewhat justified in their feelings. For most women with urinary incontinence, medication can often significantly improve symptoms, but most often will not completely “cure” urinary leakage. Most women will experience a significant reduction of urinary leakage accidents, but only when the appropriate medication is taken.

If you have decided to work with your doctor to find a medication to alleviate your urinary incontinence symptoms, know that the first–or even second–type of medication you try may not prove immediately effective. You and your doctor may need to experiment with a number of different medications before you find one that produces noticeable reductions in your urinary leakage and urinary urgency symptoms. Knowing this ahead of time will allow you to be patient during the “trial and error” process.

In addition, since medication alone does not usually produce a strong enough effect, you may work with your doctor to create a customized conservative therapy plan that combines a number of types of therapy. For instance, many women find success in combining medication with weight loss, pelvic floor retraining, bladder retraining, and/or diet modification. Be patient … and persevere!

Coping with the Side Effects of Medication for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
The second reason that women stop taking medications for urinary incontinence, even if the medications prove effective, is because the side effects outweigh the benefits. The most common side effects from medications prescribed for women’s urinary incontinence include:

  • dry mouth
  • drowsiness
  • skin irritation from gels or patches

Dry mouth is the most common side effect from these medications. Fortunately, with a little planning you can alleviate this side effect. Try sucking on sugar free candies, rinsing your mouth, chewing sugar-free gum, or taking small sips of water to lessen the feeling of dryness. You can also try spraying your mouth with over-the-counter forms of “artificial saliva.” Do not drink a large amount of water, as this may worsen your urinary incontinence symptoms.

With medications that cause drowsiness, try taking your medication dose at night. The medication will help you sleep, and may actually decrease nighttime urinary urgency (nocturia). If you experience skin irritation with patches and gels, try changing the location where the patch or gel is applied. If all else fails, change to the oral form of the medication.

By knowing and planning for the side effects of medication, you can actually prevent most side effects–or at least alleviate them enough so that the medication can be effective without becoming an irritant. As always, work with your doctor. Don’t be afraid to raise the issue of side effects, ask questions about prescribed medications, or ask for a different medication if your current medication isn’t working as well as you would like. Your doctor can’t help you unless he or she knows what is working for you and what isn’t. Be your own best health advocate and keep working with conservative therapies until you find a “recipe” that is right for you and 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.

 

Is Your Women’s Urinary Incontinence Temporary?

by GeneralUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Women’s urinary incontinence is more common than you may think. Studies indicate that at least 25% of women over age 25 have experienced urine leakage at least once. That’s a lot of women!

Let’s say that you’ve just experienced your first (or second) episode of urinary leakage. At that point, you might start to wonder whether the leakage episode was just a random and temporary event, or if urinary leakage is going to become a regular part of your life. Good question. After all, you can easily ignore an isolated incident of urine leakage–after all, who among us hasn’t tried to “hold our water” while we finish some important task? On the other hand, if urinary incontinence is here to stay in your life, then you need to take your condition much more seriously. The key is to discover whether your urinary incontinence is temporary or persistent.

Causes of Temporary Urinary Incontinence
There are multiple causes of temporary urinary incontinence, all of which are related to lifestyle habits. Read through the following list and see if any of these lifestyle habits are present in your life, and may be causing your urinary incontinence:

Bladder Irritants
Many foods and beverages can irritate your bladder. These include coffee and tea (with or without caffeine), caffeinated beverages, carbonated beverages, spicy foods, sugary foods and beverages, acidic foods (such as citrus foods), and artificial sweeteners.

Drinking Too Little or Too Much Water
Drinking a lot of water in a short period of time can cause your bladder to go into overdrive. At the same time, drinking too little water can cause your urine to become acidic, irritating the bladder and causing temporary urinary incontinence. To discover the appropriate amount of water for your body weight, read this article.

Alcohol
Like caffeinated beverages, alcohol acts as a diuretic, which can cause you to feel like you need to urinate urgently and frequently. To find out if alcohol could be causing your urinary incontinence on a temporary basis, significantly reduce or eliminate your intake of alcohol for a week or two. If you don’t have any leakage accidents during that time, alcohol could be one of your triggers for temporary urinary incontinence.

Medications
Some medications are also diuretics, just like alcohol or caffeinated beverages. Likely culprits include heart medications, sedatives, muscle relaxants, and blood pressure drugs. Check with your healthcare provider about whether any of your medications (both prescription and over-the-counter) might be causing your temporary urinary incontinence.

Do any of these lifestyle habits ring a bell for you? If so, you may only be experiencing temporary urinary incontinence. This is good news because this means that you can resolve your urinary leakage by simply eliminating any lifestyle habits that are causing your leakage!

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.

 

Diet Modification for Women’s Urinary Incontinence, Part III – What Happens When You “Whoops”?

by General Urinary IncontinenceResources and AppsUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

This blog is part 8 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.

For some women, diet modification alone is enough to relieve their symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency. For other women, this conservative therapy works best when combined with other lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and bladder retraining. Regardless, most women who modify their diets to avoid bladder irritants, such as caffeine and acidic foods, do find some relief from incontinence symptoms such urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage.

Diet Modification: What Happens When You “Whoops”?
The woman who has never experienced a “whoops” while on a diet is a rare woman indeed! After all, what woman isn’t occasionally tempted by that towering piece of chocolate cake or that steaming cup of espresso? The result? A “whoops” in the diet. For a woman who doesn’t suffer from urinary incontinence, such a slip is no big deal. An extra workout on the treadmill or more careful monitoring of the diet will most likely take care of any side effects from that diet slip.

But for the woman who does have urinary urgency or leakage as a result of eating or drinking bladder irritants, such a dietary slip can create a bigger problem. In fact, ingesting bladder irritants can have immediate and unwanted effects … namely, a bladder leakage accident! So what do you do if you find that you have accidentally fallen prey to a tasty treat and irritated your bladder? You use this emergency recipe to reduce urine acidity: a bicarbonate slush.

What is a Bicarbonate Slush?
Don’t let the word “bicarbonate” scare you–it is just a fancy name for baking soda, that powdery white stuff that many of us keep in our refrigerators. In fact, baking soda does pretty much the same job in the refrigerator as it does for you when you have eaten something acidic that irritates your bladder. Baking soda, being alkaline (having a pH higher than seven), tends to neutralize acidic substances. In the refrigerator, baking soda neutralizes the smells caused mostly by acidic foods. When you drink a bicarbonate slush, made by mixing baking soda and water, the baking soda neutralizes the offending acidic food you just ate.

To make a bicarbonate slush, simply mix one tablespoon of baking soda with 16 ounces (or two cups) of pure water. Drink the slush right away, and immediately drink eight more ounces (one cup) of additional water. You should begin to feel your urinary urgency and other symptoms subside fairly quickly. Do not use this slush without first checking with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or are prone to retaining salt.

The good news about the bicarbonate slush is that it is simple to make. Even if you are at a party when you experience a dietary slip, your host  most likely has baking soda on hand. Just whip up a slushy cocktail, chug it down, and consider yourself relieved!

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.

 

American Women Shy When Discussing Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

American women are usually known for their directness, forthrightness, and brashness. We live in a society where sex sells everything from cars to television shows. We climb corporate ladders with ease and are not afraid to challenge corporate glass ceilings. But we American women have one area where we are very shy. According to women’s health experts, American women are very hesitant to discuss urinary incontinence.

Why Urinary Incontinence is Taboo for American Women
According to Caryn Antos of the National Association for Continence (NAFC), our culture is partially responsible for women’s reluctance to discuss urinary incontinence. She says, “The United States is one of the more reserved countries when it comes to this topic. In Europe, tons of organizations band together for educational purposes–and there’s no privacy barrier to break through.” She adds that at trade shows and other educational events, most women are afraid to approach the NAFC booth to pick up brochures, concerned that they’ll be pinned with a “scarlet letter.”

Missy Lavender, executive director of the Women’s Health Foundation, experienced a similar sense of cultural reserve. Having published educational material about women’s urinary incontinence, Missy was asked by the editor of a local women’s magazine: “Why is a nice girl like you talking about things like this?”

If this is the kind of reception being given to advocates of education about women’s urinary incontinence, is it any wonder that the average woman feels shy about asking for help with her bladder control issues?

Additional Reasons Women Don’t Ask for Help
In addition to the general reserve in this country surrounding women’s urinary incontinence, experts point out numerous other reasons that women are hesitant to seek help. Two of the most prominent are age and lack of information.

Age
A large percentage of older women suffer from urinary incontinence, and women in this population are less comfortable than younger women discussing this area of their anatomy. They may also be unaware of the progress that has been in made in the last 30 years in treating urinary incontinence. Finally, they may simply feel that urine leakage is a normal part of aging.

Lack of Information
Some women know that “something is wrong,” but lack knowledge about their own anatomy and feel uncomfortable discussing their problem with a male doctor. This is where seeking help from a female urologist, gynecologist, or physical therapist can help.

Don’t Be Shy–Get Help for Your Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence, while not life-threatening, can definitely affect the quality of your life. It can also be a symptom of other health conditions, so it’s important to raise the issue with your healthcare provider. Read through this blog for more resources to help you get started on the road to recovery … and drier panties!
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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!

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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: 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!

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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

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