Posts in category: Women’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!

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”!

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!

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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.”

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Millions of women in the United States and around the world are keeping a little secret:urinary incontinence

The irony of the situation is that millions of women are keeping their urine leakage problem a secret-all the while thinking that they are alone-when, in fact, they have a tremendous amount of company.

Some Statistics about Women’s Urinary Incontinence
If you suffer from urine leakage and feel that you are isolated, then these statistics should change your mind. Did you know that:

– Almost half of all women who have had children have stress incontinence by the time they are age 40

– Stress and urge urinary incontinence (also called overactive bladder) are highly prevalent, even among younger women

– In the U.S., stress incontinence affects over 15 million women while urge incontinence affects more than 16 million women

– 11% of women will have one pelvic surgery, while 29% will have more than one pelvic surgery

Do you still think you are alone? These statistics should convince you otherwise! More importantly, they should convince you of the need to seek attention for your urinary incontinence. While urinary incontinence isn’t exactly cocktail-party conversation, it should be a conversation you have with your healthcare provider

Don’t know where to start? Try digging into some of these resources on how to talk to your doctor and which questions your doctor may ask:

How to Talk to Your Doctor
Which Questions Will Your Doctor Ask About Urinary Incontinence
Preparing for Your Doctor’s Appointment

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Do you have women’s urinary incontinence? If so, then we have some strategies to help you deal with your urine leakage issues, especially if you are traveling or you simply want to keep an active lifestyle.

There is no need to limit your social activities because of your incontinence. Instead, check out these tips to keep you dry and comfortable.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Dealing with Medication Side Effects
Slushies for Urinary Incontinence Symptoms
Pack a Bag When You are Out and About
Tips for Long Distance Travel
3 Ways to Avoid Accidents
Minimize Urine Odors
Use the Right Absorbent Products

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If you are a woman dealing with urinary incontinence, then medication may be a very effective conservative therapy to help you prevent urine leakage accidents. Unfortunately, as you may have already discovered, many medications have side effects. These side effects can include dry mouth, dry eyes, constipation, and nausea.Taking medication for women’s urinary incontinence is often a balancing act between the positive benefits of the medication and the negative side effects. The good news is that there are ways you can soften the impact of these side effects. This articles covers the most common and effective ways to do that.

Methods for Dealing with Medication Side Effects
Many medications for women’s urinary incontinence have a drying effect on the body, which causes the common side effects of dry eyes, dry mouth, and constipation. In addition, some medications cause nausea. To handle these side effects, many women have found the following strategies to be effective.

Dry Mouth
If you experience a dry mouth as a side effect of your medication, it may seem natural to load up on fluids. Unfortunately, this can worsen your urine leakage symptoms. Instead, to moisten your mouth you can chew gum, suck on lozenges and hard candy, or melt ice chips in your mouth. You can also try some artificial over-the-counter moisteners like Biotene. Check with your health care provider or pharmacist for these kinds of products.

Dry Eyes
There are many over-the-counter eye drops that can alleviate the itchiness and irritation of dry eyes. Artificial tears and any preservative-free moisturizing eye drops should work well. If you have glaucoma, be sure to let your healthcare provider know since some medications are contra-indicated for people with glaucoma.

Constipation
Changing your diet to include more fresh fruits, vegetables, and fiber can make a big difference in preventing constipation. Also, be sure you are drinking enough water, usually between four and nine cups of water per day. Drinking too little water can actually worsen urinary leakage symptoms (as can drinking too much water), and will definitely contribute to constipation. If you can’t get enough fiber in your diet, taking a fiber supplement/stool softener can also help. Common over-the-counter fiber supplements, such as Metamucil, Miralax, Konsyl, and Citrucel, work well. You might also want to consider our own home-remedy for regular bowel movements. Simply mix ¼ cup freshly ground flaxseed, ¼ cup aloe vera juice, and ½ cup apple juice. Drink immediately. Note that it’s very important to grind the flaxseed fresh each time.

Nausea
Although this side effect is less common than the three mentioned above, it can sometimes occur. To alleviate feelings of nausea, consider drinking mint or ginger tea, or taking ginger capsules. Exercise can also sometimes help.

We hope these tips help you balance any negative side effects of medications you are taking for women’s urinary incontinence. Medication is a proven conservative therapy for urine leakage, so don’t bypass its benefits. Just learn to manage the possible side effects!

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If you have women’s urinary incontinence then you are probably familiar with a long list of things you can and can’t eat and drink. For instance, caffeinated drinks and acidic foods are definitely on the “don’t touch” list.On the other hand, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables top the list of foods you should eat. And while you may be very diligent about what you eat and drink, there are times when you may find yourself lapsing from your prescribed diet.

Don’t worry. If you just can’t help yourself and you “sin” at a party or chug a few too many cups of coffee, we have the perfect solution for you: a slushy!

The Bicarbonate Slush for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
When you think of the word “slushy,” you may think of a hot-pink icy drink you get from the local convenience store, but that’s not what we mean. When we say “slushy,” we mean a bicarbonate slush, otherwise known as a quick fix for when you veer off your bladder-healthy diet.

Making and drinking a bicarbonate slush can help reduce urine acidity and dilute any effects of specific food or drink irritants. It’s easy to make this slush. Here’s how:

1. Dilute one teaspoon of baking soda with 16 ounces of water.
2. Drink this slush and immediately
3. Drink an additional eight ounces of plain water.

If you are prone to salt retention or have high blood pressure, check with your healthcare provider before using bicarbonate slushes, as baking soda can be contraindicated.

Other Options for Dietary Indiscretions
If bicarbonate slushes don’t appeal to you (or you don’t have immediate access to baking soda), another option for alleviating your dietary indiscretions is simply to drink more water. Drinking plenty of water may reduce urine acidity and dilute any effects of these specific irritants.

If you have urinary incontinence, optimally you should drink four to nine cups of water daily. If your urine leakage or bladder symptoms get worse, you can immediately drink more water for dilution. If possible, keep your water intake to a minimum after 6 pm to prevent late-night urine leakage accidents.

Also, if you know you are going to be in a situation where you can’t avoid acidic or bladder-irritating foods, go with “the usual” coping mechanisms:

1. Wear dark clothing so that urine leakage won’t show
2. Pack extra incontinence pads or diapers
3. Stick with options to coffee (like Kava or sun-brewed tea), as well as low-acid food like apricots, papayas, pears, and watermelons

Hopefully, the slushy and these other options will help alleviate your urinary leakage symptoms in a simple and effective way.

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Did you know that getting a note from your doctor may help you handle your urinary incontinence at work? We’re not kidding. As silly as it might seem, many mature adult career women really are getting notes from their doctors to help them cope with urine leakage issues while on the job.While you might be thinking that the days of getting a “hall pass” to go to the bathroom ended in high school, if you have women’s urinary incontinence you might find that a note from your doctor will really help you at work.Let Your Doctor Do the Talking
Urinary incontinence is an issue that women have difficulty discussing, even with their own doctors. This health issue is also a very private matter, which means that you probably don’t want everyone you work with to know about your condition.At the same time, you still have to deal with urine leakage accidents and the need to visit the bathroom frequently, often at the most inopportune times. This can be embarrassing and potentially cause problems at work, especially if you have to suddenly leave an important meeting to run for the bathroom.

Getting a note from your doctor that simply explains that you have a medical condition which requires you to get up every two hours can solve the problem. May Wakamatsu, MD, chief of Vincent Urogynecoloy in Boston, indicates that it’s not necessary to tell your employer the exact details of your medical condition. Instead, she says, “All you need to say is, ‘I have a medical problem that requires treatment.'”

Dr. Wakamatsu has written notes to this effect for her women patients to give to their employers. This note gives women the freedom to go to the bathroom often without having to explain the frequency of their absences. Dr. Wakamatsu adds, “It’s a very private, personal problem – and I’m not sure you need to explain it at work.”

We agree. What’s up down there is a personal and very private issue. Getting a note from your doctor may be the perfect way to let your employer know that you have a diagnosed medical condition that requires you to step away from your work every couple hours. Then there’s no need to explain. Let the note from your doctor do all the explaining.

We encourage you to explore the option of getting a note from your doctor if the symptoms of your women’s urinary incontinence have been getting in your way at work. It is one more approach to help you simplify the way that you handle your urinary incontinence.

Also, check out our free “What’s Up Down There” ebook for more information on pelvic floor health and how you can improve yours!

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

If you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, then no doubt one of your primary goals in daily life is to avoid urine leakage accidents. Whether you carry extra changes of clothes around or constantly scope out the location of bathrooms, sometimes accidents simply seem unavoidable.Dealing with the embarrassment, mess, and smell of urinary leakage accidents can literally be a pain in the rear. That’s why most women with this condition do everything they can do to avoid accidents. Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent urine leakage. Below are three that help many women stay dry.

Three Steps to Avoid Urinary Leakage Accidents
While there are many ways to avoid leaking urine while you are out and about, here are three of the simplest steps that will help you stay dry.

Step 1: Stick to a Bathroom Schedule
By now scouting bathroom locations might be second nature for you. Since you have taken such pains to find bathrooms everywhere you go, maximize the “map of bathrooms” in your head by using those bathrooms on a schedule.

To make use of a bathroom schedule, you first have to figure out how long you can go between bathroom visits. To find out, time yourself during the day. If you can hold your urine for about an hour before you absolutely must go, then start with a bathroom schedule that has you going to the bathroom every hour, whether you feel the need to go or not.

Once you can stick to the hour-long bathroom schedule, your next goal is to extend the gaps in your bathroom schedule by 10 minutes. For instance, if your current bathroom schedule is on an hourly basis, extend the time between visits by 10 minutes, so that you are visiting the bathroom every 70 minutes. Keep extending the gaps between bathroom breaks in this way until you are going to the bathroom every 2-3 hours.

Finally, be sure to stick to your schedule. Congratulations, you have just trained your bladder by using a bathroom schedule. As a result, you should be able to avoid embarrassing urine leakage accidents.

Step 2: Take Your Time in the Bathroom
Once you’ve got a bathroom schedule down pat, the next step is to take your time in the bathroom and practice something called “double voiding.” To double void, urinate and then relax for a bit. Then urinate again. This is double voiding, and ensures that you really empty your bladder. You may be experiencing leakage accidents because you don’t fully empty your bladder when you urinate. Taking your time when you are in the bathroom and practicing double voiding will help you avoid urine leakage accidents.

Step 3: Try the Tampon Trick
This last step is as simple as it is effective – just wear a tampon to decrease urine leakage. A tampon exerts pressure on the urethra, and adds a little extra support “down there.” Wearing a tampon is especially useful to avoid leakage accidents when you jog, exercise, or participate in activities that usually cause leakage.

Simple Solutions for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
Conservative tips like the ones mentioned in this article help many women with urinary incontinence avoid leakage accidents. Of course, not all tips works for all women all the time, but these simple tips are worth a try. Remember, with conservative therapies for women’s urinary incontinence, you might have to try a variety of options (or combination of options) before you find what works for you. The key is to be persistent and not give up!

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If you suffer from urinary incontinence, then you probably know that protecting your skin is really important. Women with urinary incontinence have a higher risk of rashes and skin problems than normal. This is because skin is normally acidic, which keeps harmful bacteria away, but when skin comes in contact with urine it becomes moist and more alkaline.The resulting moist alkaline environment can no longer keep bacteria and yeast away, which can eventually lead to rashes and skin infections. That’s why it is important to take extra care of your skin if you have urine leakage.

How to Protect Your Skin After Urine Leakage
Protecting your skin is especially important after a urine leakage accident. To care for your skin right after urine leakage, take the following steps:

• Use mild soap and cool water to wash your skin. Be thorough, including cleaning skin folds well.
• Rinse well with cool water, and be sure to rinse off all the soap residue (soap residue causes dry skin, which can cause further irritation).
• Pat your skin dry with a clean cloth or air dry. Resist rubbing, as this can chafe your skin.
• If you wash your skin frequently, you might want to consider using disposable wipes or a perineal cleanser. These products contain milder cleansing agents, some are also pH-balanced for the skin and have antimicrobials that act against harmful bacteria.

Finally, if you have frequent urine leakage, you want to consider putting a moisture barrier on your skin. Products that contain lanolin or petroleum jelly work well. Other products to consider include cortisone cream to guard against rash and skin irritation, and anti-fungal powder to keep your skin dry.