Urinary incontinence can occur as one ages, or as a result of childbirth. This problem is often embarrassing, but there are a few incontinence treatments you can try at home. If your incontinence is caused by an enlarged prostate, a blockage, or a neurological disorder, however, then it is best to seek treatment from your physician right away.
Watch What You Eat and Drink
Certain drinks and foods contain diuretics, which make a person have to urinate more frequently and with a higher volume. Start off eliminating caffeinated beverages from your diet, as well as alcoholic drinks. These are the biggest culprits. Next, move on to the foods that are known to irritate the bladder. The Cleveland Clinic lists these as spicy foods, cheese, and raw onions. Also, citrus fruits, fava and lima beans, and vinegar should be avoided. When your bladder is irritated, it can spasm, which leads to leaked urine.
Create a Timed Voiding Program
Timed voiding is an excellent at home incontinence treatment, as it works to keep your bladder from becoming so full that leaks occurs. You can purchase a special watch that will vibrate at set intervals. If you'd rather, you can also accomplish the same result using the alarm on your cell phone. Once the alarm goes off, head to the restroom and empty your bladder. Do this even if you don't feel an urge to go. Over time, you can extend the intervals and train your bladder to wait a little longer before emptying.
Start Doing Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises, also sometimes called pelvic muscle exercises, work to strengthen your muscles so that you can hold your urine in when you need to. This prevents leaks when you may be on the road traveling and not near a bathroom, or in an important business meeting that you can't miss a minute of. The National Association for Continence recommends starting out with 5 reps of squeezing the pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds and then relaxing them for 5 seconds. You can slowly work your way up to contracting the muscles for 10 seconds at a time. The association shares that a person's ultimate goal should be for 3 sets of 10 repetitions per day.
Add Magnesium and Vitamin D to Your Diet
Incorporating magnesium and vitamin D supplements into your daily vitamin regimen is another way you can participate in incontinence treatments at home. Magnesium works by helping your muscles to relax so that they do not spasm and cause leakage. The Vitamin D increases muscle strength, including your pelvic muscles, so that you can hold your urine in a little longer.
For more information, contact a business such as Advanced Urology Associates.
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