Kegels: How Long Should You Keep Doing Them?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

This is a question that many women have, especially women who are doing Kegels as a conservative therapy for resolving symptoms of urinary incontinence.

It’s a good question.

Does forever sound too long? It does to a lot of women, especially since many of them can’t remember to do them daily. But think about it this way: your pelvic floor muscles are like any other muscle in your body … use ’em or lose ’em.

If you currently work out and are in great shape, and then suddenly stop going to the gym, do you think your body is going to stay fit and toned? Probably not.

The same is true of your pelvic floor muscles. If you have been doing Kegels to alleviate your urinary incontinence symptoms, and your symptoms are better, does that mean you should stop doing Kegels?

Nope.

Why not? Because your pelvic floor muscles, like the other more visible muscles in your body, are subject to aging and gravity over time. Unless you exercise your pelvic floor muscles, then they will begin to lose tone and sag over time, and flabby muscles are no good. In fact, saggy pelvic floor muscles may even encourage the return of your urinary incontinence symptoms.

According to Women’s Studies expert Susun Weed, “Every part of your body will age more gracefully if you work it out regularly … daily pelvic floor exercises tonify the vaginal tissues.” And who doesn’t want to age gracefully, inside or out?

Kegels and Women’s Urinary Incontinence
The good news about doing Kegels for the rest of your life is that you can do these exercises while you are doing other things … and who doesn’t love to multi-task? Once you have learned to do correct pelvic floor contractions, you can do them while chatting on the phone, gardening, or even sitting at your desk. No one will know and you won’t even break a sweat. Plus, there’s no need to go to the gym.

Doing Kegels for the rest of your life isn’t a big deal. You just have to remember to do them … and do them correctly. If you aren’t sure whether you are doing these exercises correctly, check out our free ebook for a quickie guide.

Otherwise, just incorporate Kegels into your daily routine and be done with it. If you stop at your local coffee shop to pick up a latte every day, add a set of Kegels while you wait for your coffee. Do Kegels while you read the morning paper. Or do ’em in the bedroom. Whatever floats your boat!

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Photo credit: Free Digital Photos

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: How Much Does it Really Cost?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Did you know that less than half of all women who suffer from urinary incontinence seek help?

This is according to Stacey Brewer, director of marketing and education for the National Association for Continence. When surveyed as to why they didn’t seek help, many women offered answers along the lines of: “It’s not a big enough problem. My quality of life isn’t that affected.”

OK, but how about your checkbook? 

It turns out that the cost of dealing with women’s urinary incontinence can be wickedly expensive in terms of out-of-pocket costs.

How Much Does it Cost to Deal with Urinary Incontinence?
Most studies indicate that women who don’t seek help for their urinary incontinence symptoms can spend upwards of $1,200 or more per year on adult pads and diapers alone. That expense can add up year after year, not to mention increasing one’s carbon butt print by a lot.

It is also silly, when there are less expensive options available … if you ask.

For instance, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Policy estimates that the average woman with urinary incontinence might spend the following amounts annually for these treatment options:

Doing Kegels: $0
Pelvic floor rehabilitation using pelvic cones: $100
Medication prescribed by a physician: $435-$500
Pelvic floor stimulation: $695

All of these options are easily available for women with urinary incontinence, and they cost less than using pads and diapers. Pads and diapers are like bandaids for women’s urinary incontinence; they help cover up the symptoms but they don’t solve the underlying health condition.

The above four options not only can help many women with urinary incontinence improve or resolve their urinary leakage, but also cost less in the long run. What’s more, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Policy, physicians are most likely to recommend Kegels, the least expensive therapy, as a first-line conservative treatment for women’s urinary incontinence.

Kegels Really Do Work
Add to that the fact that Kegels, done correctly, have been shown to improve women’s urinary incontinence symptoms. A review of recent studies on the effects of Kegel exercises indicates that women who did the exercises were anywhere from 2.5 to 17 times more likely to be cured of symptoms. Now you get an equation that now looks better for your checkbook than pads and diapers.

The same is true of pelvic floor stimulation, which is also a less expensive option than diapers and pads. The American Urogynecologic Society stated that in studies, this kind of stimulation cured 22% of women with urinary incontinence, and significantly decreased symptoms for a further 43% of the women.

Is getting help for your urinary incontinence symptoms sounding better than a long dreary future of adult diapers and pads? We hope so! We want all women suffering from urinary incontinence to reach out and get help. Be your own best health advocate. Educate yourself about your condition, and call your doctor to get help. You deserve it … and so does your checkbook!

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: Can You Reduce Your Carbon “Butt Print”?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
These days people and companies alike starting to take care action to erase their carbon “foot print,” whether that means driving a hybrid car or going vegetarian.But if you have women’s urinary incontinence and you use adult diapers or pads, you have to worry about more than your carbon foot print. You have to consider your carbon “butt print.”

What is a Carbon Butt Print?
Your carbon butt print is the amount of waste that you create by using adult diapers. Like many other consumer products that include plastic, diapers take a long, long time to break down in land fills. Hence, every diaper you use and throw away contributes to your carbon butt print.

Consider this:
– 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)

Yowza … that’s a lot of carbon. And the number of adult diapers being thrown into landfills will only increase as baby boomers age.

What You Can Do to Reduce Your Carbon Butt Print
Naturally, the best thing for both you and the environment is to get out of adult diapers if at all possible. If you haven’t actually sought help for your women’s urinary incontinence (and about half of all women who have this condition have not), now is the time to do it.

Aside from that, you can reduce your carbon butt print by following the guidelines here:

Startling Facts about Adult Diapers and Briefs

Good luck and thanks for considering “going green” when dealing with your urinary incontinence!

 

Ladies: When are Wet Panties Good and When are They Bad?

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Wet panties can be good … under the right circumstances, like when things are about to heat up the bedroom. Wet panties can also be bad, especially for women who suffer from urinary incontinence.

When we panties are a good thing, women have no worries. It’s when wet panties are a bad thing, due to urine leakage, that the situation starts to go downhill.

Wet Panties and Women’s Urinary Incontinence: A Bad Thing
When women have the “bad” kind of wet panties, they start worrying about things like:

– whether they smell like urine
– when the next “accident” might happen
– where the nearest bathrooms are located
– whether to start buying pads, diapers, or other incontinence products
– how to keep their urinary incontinence a secret

Wow, that’s a lot of stuff to worry about. Luckily, for many women, conservative treatment can transform the “bad” kind of wet panties to the “good” kind.

Kegels: One Way to Go from “Bad” to “Good” Wet Panties
Did you know that according to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, 8 out of 10 cases of urinary incontinence can be improved? What’s more, a review of recent studies on the effects of Kegel exercises indicates that women who did the exercises were anywhere from 2.5 to 17 times more likely to be cured of stress urinary incontinence symptoms.

Toning your pelvic floor muscles with exercises like Kegels (pelvic floor muscle contractions) is a great way to transition from the icky form of wet panties to the sexy kind of wet panties.

Add to that the fact that studies indicate increased pelvic floor strength leads to more satisfying sexual sensation for many women, and you have more reason than ever to do Kegels. To top it off, having a healthy sex life can actually increase the tone of a woman’s pelvic floor, which decreases the risk for stress urinary incontinence.

Talk about things getting better and better! You do Kegels, which leads to better sex and decreased symptoms of urinary incontinence. More sex tones your pelvic floor muscles even more, which further decreases risks for stress urinary incontinence.

You can’t lose, right?

How to Get Started with Kegels
Right, except here’s the problem: many women do Kegels, but incorrectly. Instead of contracting their pelvic floor muscles, many women tighten their buttocks or other parts of their body. Some women even push down on their bladder while doing what they think are Kegels. None of these approaches will strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

To ensure that you are doing Kegels correctly, and to assess the actual strength of your pelvic floor muscles, download our free ebook. This ebook gives you specific step-by-step instructions for doing a correct pelvic floor contraction, and troubleshoots all the problem areas that most women encounter. Plus, the ebook has two great “quickie” tests to help you assess the strength of your pelvic floor right now. You can get the ebook here:

Download the “What’s Up Down There?” ebook here

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

 

Female Urinary Incontinence: Are You Afraid to Sit on Your Friend’s Couch?

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor MusclesStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Although this may seem silly to women who don’t have urinary incontinence,it is nevertheless true.

According to a landmark study conducted by the National Association for Continence (NAFC) the fear of soiling a friend’s furniture with urine leakage ranks as one of the top fears for women with urinary incontinence.

Here are the top fears of women who have urinary incontinence:

– 78% of women surveyed said that one of their greatest sources of potential embarrassment would be leaking urine on a friend’s upholstered furniture

– 78% said they feared that they smelled like urine

– 76% were afraid that other people would know they had urinary incontinence

Is it any wonder that women with urinary incontinence become more and more isolated? Is it any surprise that these women cut off social contact and refuse to venture out?

More importantly, do these fears resonate with you?

What to Do If You are Afraid to Sit on a Friend’s Couch
If you are one of the women who share the fears listed above, here are some tips to help you feel safer about sitting on your friend’s couch. If you haven’t already, you need to seek help from a qualified health professional to get a correct diagnosis and explore your treatment options. In addition, here are some conservative steps you can take on your own to prevent urine leakage while sitting on your friend’s couch.

1. Avoid Bladder Irritant Food and Drinks
Although your friend is likely to offer you everything from coffee to wine during a social visit, both of these are bladder irritants, and are likely to increase your chances of a urine leakage accident. Stay away from acidic food and drinks, as well as caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Ask for plain water or herbal tea instead. Learn more about the food and drink to avoid here.

2. Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Doing exercises like Kegels, which are pelvic floor muscle contractions, can strengthen your pelvic floor and prevent leakage accidents. If you are not sure how to do a Kegel (or are not sure you are doing Kegels correctly), download our ebook for some quick instructions. 

Start by doing Kegels at home. Once you are proficient at doing them, take then on the road with you. Practice Kegels while waiting in line at a fast food joint or while idling in your car at a stoplight. More importantly, if you feel a urine leakage accident about to happen, do a couple of quick Kegels. This often buys you some time so you can make it to the bathroom before the accident.

3. Limit Fluid Intake and Practice Bladder Training
If you know you are going to visiting with friends, limit your fluid intake before you leave your house. You might need to experiment with this to find out how long before you leave the house you need to decrease fluid intake. Don’t stop drinking fluids altogether, as this can actual worsen urinary incontinence symptoms, but do learn your body’s reaction to fluids so you can time your fluid intake correctly.

Also, you can practice bladder training, starting at home. When you feel the urge to urinate, hold off visiting the bathroom for a few minutes. Work you way up to a 10 minute delay. This bladder delay technique will serve you well if you are visiting friends and feel the sudden urge to urinate.

Stay Social to Avoid Isolation and Depression
The whole point here is that you shouldn’t be afraid to sit on your friend’s couch, even if you do suffer from symptoms of urinary incontinence. With a little planning and some practice at home, you should be able visit all of your friends. In fact, it is important to stay socially connected with your friends and family.

Women with urinary incontinence typically decrease their social connections over time, and begin isolating themselves. This can often lead to depression, weight gain, and worsening urine leakage … it’s a vicious cycle. Staying socially and physically active are major factors in helping you keep your urinary incontinence symptoms at bay.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.
Photo credit: Free Digital Photos

Travel Tips for Women with Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

Ladies … just because you have urinary incontinence doesn’t mean you have to be home-bound. In fact, with a little careful planning, traveling can be a pleasure rather than a chore. Here are some travel tips to help you get from home to your destination, all while staying high and try.

Travel Tip#1: Scope Out Bathrooms and Carry Spare Change
If you have urinary incontinence, chances are that you are accustomed to noting the location of restrooms. When you’re traveling, just be sure to carry some spare change with you because some establishments only allow paying customers to use their restrooms. Being able to buy a pack of gum can often mean the difference between quick access to a restroom and having to wait until the next rest stop.

Travel Tip #2: Opt for Easy Access
If you are traveling by plane, train, or bus, choose an aisle seat close to the bathroom. This way, you avoid having to climb over and around your traveling companions every time you need to use the restroom. Also, wear clothes that are easy to get on and off … that will save you time in case you need to go in a hurry.

Travel Tip #3: Be Aware of What You Eat and Drink
You know best the triggers for your urinary incontinence, including what foods and drinks can cause urine leakage. While traveling, completely avoid all food and drink that you know irritate your bladder. Limit your fluid intake before getting on a plane, bus, or train. If you experience dry mouth, suck on mints or hard candy.

Travel Tip #4: Pack Backup Supplies
To avoid an accident while on the road, pack plenty of absorbent pads and liners in your carry-on. Also pack an extra change of clothes that are easy slip into in close quarters. Airplane bathrooms are notoriously small. Finally, depending on your mode of travel, you may want to bring a scented plastic bag for wet clothing or pads.

Travel Tip #5: Don’t Think About Your Urinary Incontinence
Pack plenty of books and magazines to keep your mind off your bladder. While you want to be prepared to handle any symptoms of urinary incontinence, you don’t want to dwell on your condition. If you feel a sudden urge to go, try to relax and do a Kegel or two. This sometimes helps to delay the urge.

Women with urinary incontinence shouldn’t have to stay home just because they are afraid of having an accident while traveling. With a little planning and some careful packing, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to travel anywhere you want, despite your symptoms. You might also consider speaking with your doctor before you travel to see if she has any additional suggestions or options to ease your travels.

Happy trails!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our ebook, or follow us on Twitter.
Photo credit: Free Digital Photos

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Discreet Online Resources

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessWomen's Healthcare

While urinary incontinence is becoming a more prevalent condition than more well-known ailments like Alzheimer’s or diabetes, people suffering from this condition are less likely to seek treatment. In fact, experts estimate that between 50% and 75% of the cases of women’s urinary incontinence are never reported. Why?

Either because it’s too embarrassing or because women just think urinary incontinence is a normal part of aging.

Knowledge is Power: Learn about Urinary Incontinence Discreetly
If either embarrassment or lack of knowledge is preventing you from seeking help for your urinary incontinence, then we’ve got news for you!

First of all, urinary incontinence is not normal at any age, so don’t accept it as simply a normal sign of aging. Instead, learn more about women’s urinary incontinence so you can get the help you need, rather than just coping with your symptoms.

Second, if you do feel too embarrassed to ask your doctor for help at this point, it doesn’t mean you can’t help yourself. You can help yourself by learning about urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power! Today there are thousands of resources online where you can learn about the symptoms of, treatments for, and options available for women’s urinary incontinence.

And you can learn all of this without leaving your home. Just turn on your computer and start clicking the links below. There is a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be uncovered and discovered … all without embarrassment.

Ready? Then dive in!

Online Resources for Women’s Urinary Incontinence

Free Ebook: “What’s Up Down There? A Quickie Guide for Evaluating and Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor Muscles”

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

American Urologic Association Foundation

Gilbert Guide: Adult Incontinence

Medline Plus: National Library of Medicine

National Association for Continence

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What’s Up Down There? Ebook Tells if You are Loose as a Goose or …?

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessWomen's Healthcare

Kegels. Most women have heard of them. Some women do them. Very few women actually do them correctly!

Yet, doing correct Kegels on a regular basis can have a huge positive impact on a woman’s pelvic floor health, sex life, and even self confidence.

Correct pelvic floor exercises are especially important for women suffering from urinary incontinence, since toning the pelvic floor muscles can often improve or even cure symptoms.

But Kegels and other pelvic floor exercises only help if you do them correctly, and to help more women do better Kegels, we’ve developed an educational and fun quick guide for women who want to know:

“What’s up down there?”

Are You as Loose as a Goose or a Pelvic Floor Goddess
Believe it or not, quite a few women are “as loose as a goose” down there and don’t even know it. Some women are simply born with less-than-toned pelvic floor muscles while other women lose tone down there as a result of giving birth or aging.

Our short no-cost ebook guide gives you two self-tests you can perform to determine your pelvic floor status: loose as a goose, pelvic floor goddess, or somewhere in between.

In addition, we offer detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do a correct pelvic floor contraction, or Kegel. We also “troubleshoot” the problem areas most women have while doing Kegels, ensuring that you are engaging the right pelvic muscles during a Kegel.

Easy as pie … To download this free ebook written especially for women’s pelvic floor health, just visit our download page:

Download the Ebook Here

By downloading the ebook you are taking the first step to becoming a pelvic floor goddess! Plus, we’ll keep you informed of any new women’s health and pelvic floor resources we develop just for you.

Solving Urinary Incontinence: Avoid Doorknob Conversations with Your Doctor

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

When 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 the 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 

 

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. Here are some resources to help you get started on the road to recovery … and drier panties:

Lost in Translation? Getting Treatment for Urinary Incontinence

Dealing with Urinary Incontinence? Be Your Own Healthcare Advocate

How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence

 

Female Urinary Incontinence – Is It a “Good Girl-Bad Girl” Problem?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Get this: urinary incontinence affects more people than diabetes or Alzheimer’s, yet 50% of women who have urinary incontinence never seek help.Now get this: The Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy reports that 8 out of 10 cases of urinary incontinence can be improved.So why don’t more women get help?

Female Urinary Incontinence and the “Good Girl-Bad Girl” Problem
For many women, the simple answer is, “embarrassment,” which is understandable. However, it turns out that there is often a deeper issue involved. Some call it the “Good Girl-Bad Girl” syndrome. This syndrome is basically associated with the cultural taboos we pick up early in life, usually during potty training.

In a recent seminar co-sponsored by the National Association for Continence, experts explained how shame is associated with bathroom issues from an early age, during the potty-training stage. Young children are taught that they are either “good girls” or “bad girls,” depending on whether they “performed” well in potty training.

Later in life, these subliminal messages of “good girl” or “bad girl” still haunt many women, even if they are not conscious of these thoughts. As a result, these women feel embarrassed to discuss bathroom-related issues, so don’t seek the help they need for their urinary incontinence symptoms.

The Good News About Female Urinary Incontinence
Luckily, once you become aware of these subliminal messages or your embarrassment about discussing urinary incontinence, you can start to overcome those feelings. For more on how to overcome embarrassment, or to find out more about female urinary incontinence, click the links below.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Embarrassment
Is This You? The Different Kinds of Urinary Incontinence

 

Is Urinary Incontinence Ruining Your Fashion Sense?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
We all like to look our best. Nothing makes us feel prettier than a sexy dress, a slimming pair of designer jeans, or just a good-looking outfit.But if you suffer from urinary incontinence, then you know how it can really interfere with your fashion sense!

If you have urinary incontinence, then fashion may have less to do with the way you dress than it used to. Instead, you choose clothes based on other factors.

Here are some examples:

– Pants that are easy to get on and off for those times when you just “have to go.” Forget fancy button-down jeans … think elastic waistbands!

– Tights instead of pantyhose. Pantyhose rip way too easily when you’ve got to go, whereas tights are much more resilient

– Clothes that don’t wrinkle. When you have to pack a change of clothes everywhere you go, you need clothes that can be stuffed into a shoulder bag, not clothes that have to be hung on hangers
.
– Baggy pants that accommodate pads and diapers. Forget those slimming tight jeans!

Yuck!

Want to Retrieve Your Fashion Sense?
If baggy pants, wrinkle-free clothes, and pants with elastic waistbands really offend your sense of fashion, then maybe it’s time to stop dressing down to accommodate your urinary incontinence symptoms. Maybe it’s time to address your urinary incontinence.

Here’s a question for you: 

Would you rather go around embarrassed for the rest of your life because you have to wear clothes you hate, or would you rather be embarrassed for 30 minutes … the time it takes to tell your doctor about your urinary incontinence and get help?

Amazingly enough, 50% of women suffering urinary incontinence choose the first option. They never seek help, and choose to simply “cope” with their urine leakage rather than getting help from a healthcare provider.

But that doesn’t have to be you. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases, many times with conservative therapy.
Isn’t it time to stop committing fashion suicide? Get help now.

 

Urinary Incontinence: Not How Much but What You Drink That Matters

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

The first reaction many women have to urinary leakage is to cut back significantly on their fluid intake. After all, it does make sense that what goes into your body must come out. That means the less fluid you take in, the less likely you are to leak urine, right?

Not necessarily.

Actually, decreasing your fluid intake too much may actually irritate your bladder, which can cause more urine leakage, not less. To avoid this you need to drink enough fluid to stay hydrated, usually between four and nine cups of water per day. To improve symptoms of urinary incontinence, focus on what and when you drink. This applies to stress, urge, and mixed urinary incontinence.

What Should You Drink to Avoid Urine Leakage?
It turns out that what you drink, along with when you drink, has more effect on symptoms of urinary incontinence than how much you drink. Any fluids that irritate your bladder should be avoided, while water is always a good choice.

It may surprise you how often you drink fluids that may irritate your bladder. For instance, do you chug a couple cups of coffee or tea to wake yourself up in the morning? Or maybe you slurp down a soda with lunch, and drink another in the late afternoon to help yourself stay awake. Finally, you drink a glass of wine with dinner to relax at the end of a long day.

Unfortunately, all of these are on the “do not drink” list for women with urinary incontinence. Coffee, tea, and most sodas have caffeine, which irritate the bladder. Ditto for the carbonation in the soda and the arylalkylamines in the wine. You might be surprised at how much your urinary incontinence symptoms will improve just by cutting these drinks from your daily menu. Choose water or decaffeinated teas instead.

When Should Your Drink Fluids to Avoid Urine Leakage?
When you drink fluids can also significantly impact urinary incontinence symptoms. To reduce urine leakage, drink the majority of your water in the morning. Reduce fluid intake after 6 p.m. (or two to three hours before bedtime) to decrease nighttime voiding and incontinence.

Making just a few simple changes in what and when you drink fluids can significantly improve your symptoms of urinary incontinence. If you don’t believe it, keep track of your leakage accidents for a week before making any changes. Then, change your fluid intake habits and track your results. You will surprise yourself!

 

Can Stress at the Office be Causing Your Stress Urinary Incontinence?

by General Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Nope. Not really.As logical as it might seem that stress at work could lead tostress urinary incontinence, that’s not how it really works. Even so, one-fourth of women surveyed believed this myth to be true.Stress at work is one thing. With urinary incontinence, the word “stress” refers to a different kind of stress – basically any stress on the abdominal cavity.

For instance, you place stress on your abdominal area when you cough, sneeze, or lean down to pick up your toddler. In short, any increase in abdominal pressure equals stress, which causes you to leak urine.

What does all of this mean to you if you have stress urinary incontinence? It means that a bad day at the office won’t cause your symptoms to get worse. That’s pretty reassuring, since most of us are under a lot of stress these days!

Want to know more? Separate the facts from the myths about female urinary incontinence by clicking the links below. In these articles, we tell you what is factual and what is merely an “old wives tale.” You might be surprised by what you read!

Debunking Myths About Stress Urinary Incontinence
Debunking Yet More Funky Myths About Urinary Incontinence

 

Urinary Incontinence: Stopping the Runaway Weight Train

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
If think about it, the connection between female urinary incontinence and weight gain is obvious. A woman suffering with symptoms of urinary incontinence is likely to leak urine when she jogs, leading to that embarrassing “wet crotch” look. So she stops exercising.She starts to feel bad about herself so she reaches for the tub of ice cream in the freezer to calm her nerves, which makes her gain weight. Now her urinary incontinence symptoms are worse than ever, especially if she tries to exercise … and the runaway weight train has just left the station.

Does this sound familiar?

What You Should Do if You Are Riding the Runaway Weight Train
As a passenger on the runaway train, your first step is to put the ice cream (or chips or whatever) down. Just step away.

Next, go back to exercising. Exercise is so important because losing even just a few pounds can significantly ease urinary incontinence symptoms. In one study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, women who lost 8 percent of their body weight, or about 17 pounds, reduced their leakage incidences by almost half. That’s a lot!

If you are concerned about leaking while you exercise, it’s time to consult a healthcare professional and research your options. There are many conservative therapies that can help you reduce or eliminate urinary incontinence symptoms. Even if you have sought help before to no avail, keep looking. Healthcare has come a long way in recent years when it comes to ways to ease urinary incontinence symptoms.

Finally, read up on urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about urinary incontinence, the easier it will be for you to get the kind of help you want and need.

Here are some excellent resources from national institutions dedicated to solving the problem of incontinence.

Medline Plus on Urinary Incontinence 

National Association for Continence

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Clearinghouse

Simon Foundation for Continence

 

Triggers for Women’s Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
If you suffer from symptoms of urinary incontinence then knowing how to prevent leakage accidents probably tops your list of important things to know.There are many ways to treat the various types of urinary incontinence–stress, urge, and mixed–and sometimes knowing what triggers your incontinence symptoms can help you prevent accidents.

Triggers for Urinary Incontinence
Depending on what form of urinary incontinence you have, the events that trigger urine leakage will vary. With stress urinary incontinence, triggers include anything that increases pressure on or inside your abdomen, usually some form of physical activity or exercise. For some women the trigger can be as slight as stepping off a curb or walking vigorously. For others, the trigger may be more extreme, such as sneezing, picking up a heavy object, or doing aerobic exercise.

If you have urge urinary incontinence, your triggers are different. For most women, hearing the sound of running water or feeling the sensation of water on their hand can trigger the uncontrollable urge to urinate. Spicy foods, carbonated beverages, caffeine, and other foods and drinks that irritate the bladder can also trigger urge urinary incontinence.

For women with mixed urinary incontinence, any of the above triggers may bring on a leakage accident.

Finding Your Triggers for Urinary Incontinence
If you are not sure what triggers your urinary incontinence, keep a journal for a week or so. Track your food and water intake, as well as any events that seem to trigger urine leakage. You can also experiment with some lifestyle habits to see whether they improve or worsen your symptoms. Some good places to start experimenting include:

– decreasing your intake of caffeinated, alcoholic, and carbonated beverages
– stopping or decreasing smoking
– increasing your fiber intake to reduce constipation

You will also want to record the times and amounts of urine leakage, as well as how often you make it to the bathroom to urinate. All of this information will help your doctor determine your type of urinary incontinence and the best ways to treat it.

The more you know about your urinary incontinence, the more empowered you will be as an advocate for your own health and well-being. No matter how long you have dealt with urinary incontinence, it’s never too late to start improving your situation. So get some pen and paper, and start tracking your triggers!

 

How a Woman’s Urinary Incontinence Can Affect Her Man

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Women with urinary incontinence can be quite preoccupied. They have to worry about wet panties. They keep track of the location of the nearest bathroom. A majority of these women, 78%, worry about smelling like urine. And that’s only a short list of issues these women grapple with on a regular basis.In short, many women with urinary incontinence are deeply affected by their condition. Unfortunately, so are the men in their lives. Together, the dynamic between how women deal with their condition and how their men handle the situation create a vicious cycle that can cause even the most stable relationships to deteriorate.It’s all about sex.

Urinary Incontinence: The Woman’s Story
Urinary incontinence and sex often don’t mix, since many women are afraid that their spouses or lovers will be “turned off” by urinary leakage during sex. The woman is too embarrassed to discuss it with her spouse, so she avoids sex. Her spouse, unaware of the situation, feels hurt and rejected.

Says one woman, Riesa Gusewelle, suffering from urinary incontinence:

“I felt unattractive and unappealing. It stressed my sexual relationship with my husband, even though he reassured me that everything was fine. I was depressed and always felt that I could smell urine.”

That’s the woman’s story … now let’s take a look at the man’s side of the story.

Urinary Incontinence: The Man’s Side of the Story
The spouse or significant other of a woman with urinary incontinence can consider himself lucky if he even knows about her condition, since almost half of all women with this condition don’t discuss their situation with anyone.

But knowing about the situation doesn’t always help. Even if a man repeatedly assures his wife that her urinary incontinence does not “turn him off,” his wife may not be able to hear him. One man described the situation this way:

“I’ve never found her urinary incontinence to be offensive but it affected our sex life anyway. I’m not sure how much her incontinence affected our sex life, but I know it had a definite effect.”

Breaking the Vicious Cycle
Can you see how a vicious cycle starts to form around the issue of a woman’s urinary incontinence? The woman is embarrassed about her condition, despite reassurance from her spouse, so she avoids sex. The man does his best to reassure his wife, to no avail, and becomes frustrated with the situation. Relationship issues arise, and when the couple does have sex, the encounter is less than enjoyable.

 

Think Wet Panties are Just a Sign of Aging? Think Again!

by General Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

A lot of mature women are walking around with wet panties when they shouldn’t be.

And we’re not talking about the “sexy” kind of wet panties; we’re talking about the wet panties you get from urinary incontinence.

Why are these women walking around with wet panties?

Because many of them (34%) think it’s a normal sign of aging, so they just shrug it off rather than getting help from a health care professional.

Well we’ve got news for you: urinary incontinence is not normal or healthy at any age.

The idea that female urinary incontinence “just happens” as we age is one of the biggest myths about this condition. For instance, many women believe that the average age at which women experience stress urinary incontinence symptoms is 50 and older.

That simply isn’t true.

In fact, 40% of women first experience stress urinary incontinence symptoms before they are 40, and 23% had symptoms before they were 30.

Still think that urinary incontinence automatically goes hand in hand with aging? It doesn’t. So much for that myth!

Want to know more about urinary incontinence? Click the links below to get the facts about female urinary incontinence, debunk the myths, and learn where to get help for your wet panties!

Debunking Myths About Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Debunking Yet More Funky Myths about Urinary Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence – Not Just a Problem for Mature Women
How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence

 

What Do Orange Juice, Bananas, and Urine Have in Common?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Aside from the fact that all of these items are yellowish in color, they also share a common link to a condition that affects 1 in 4 women:Female urinary incontinence.

Orange juice and bananas, like coffee and cheese, should be avoided by women suffering from urinary incontinence symptoms. Why? Orange juice and coffee are both acidic, while bananas and cheese contain arylalkylamines. Food and drink that are either acidic or have arylalkylamines can worsen urinary incontinence symptoms in women.

That’s bad news unless you want to walk around with wet panties all the time. 

But don’t worry. This doesn’t mean that a chunk of cheese can never cross your lips again. It just means that if you suffer from urinary incontinence, you need to pay attention to what you eat and drink.

You don’t have to avoid foods and drinks that are acidic or contain arylalkylamines, altogether. Just eat or drink these items in moderation.

Want to know more? Get a list of foods and drinks to avoid, and learn what you can do to ease urinary incontinence symptoms if you go overboard. Read the full article about this topic by clicking the link below:

Healthy Bladder: Foods and Drinks to Avoid

 

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Embarrassment

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

If you are a woman suffering from urinary incontinence, here are three things you should know:

1. Only about 50% of women with urinary incontinence ever seek help
2. Embarrassment is one of the primary reasons preventing these women from asking for help
3. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases

Does this sound crazy to you?

Why Urinary Incontinence is Embarrassing
Despite the fact that urinary incontinence affects more people than conditions like diabetes or Alzheimer’s, half of all women with urinary incontinence won’t seek help. Those who do seek help wait, on average, almost seven years. Why?

In a recent seminar co-sponsored by the National Association for Continence, experts discussed how cultural taboos prevent people from talking about this topic. These experts explained how shame is associated with bathroom issues from an early age, during the potty-training stage. Young children are taught that they are either “good girls” or “bad girls,” depending on whether they “performed” well in potty training.

Years later, the same “good girl” and “bad girl” language subconsciously haunts women, and keeps them from discussing their problems of urinary incontinence with healthcare providers.

How to Overcome the Embarrassment
While discussing urinary incontinence is embarrassing for many women, there are ways to overcome that emotion. After all, most of us have learned to overcome embarrassment about other situations in our life, why not about urinary incontinence? If you are ready to get over your embarrassment and get help, here are two simple steps you can take:

Discuss Your Situation with the Right Person
Chat with a close woman friend who has had urinary incontinence and sought help. Not only will she understand and sympathize with your situation, but she will be able to offer you guidance and advice based on her own experiences. You need not feel embarrassed talking to someone who has had the same experiences as you.

Learn More About Your Condition
Knowledge is power. Learning more about urinary incontinence gives you the knowledge and power you need to ask for help from a healthcare provider. Learn more about the different kinds of urinary incontinence and the available treatment options. Knowledge about your condition helps you understand that there are solutions available, and gives you the words you need to comfortably discuss your condition with your doctor.

People say that it’s never too late to have a happy childhood. We say that it’s never too early to seek help for your urinary incontinence. The earlier you address your condition, the faster you will see positive results with the right treatment.