Six tips to help you deal with incontinence the right way

If you are struggling with urinary incontinence, you aren't alone. This is one of the most common health problems that men face since it can be triggered by so many things. People using certain medications have reported incontinence. Sometimes, it is caused by a birth defect in the bladder. In other cases, it can be due to a disfigured bladder, a result of spinal injuries, or even be caused by stress.

The net effect of all these things is that the natural process of the urinary tract is disrupted and you need a solution. There are some surgical solutions for this problem, but before you try those, consider the following alternatives. If these work well for you, in at least reducing the incontinence to a degree that it is manageable, you may not need surgery at all.

1). DO THE RIGHT EXERCISE:
In many cases, the nerves and muscles in the pelvic region and especially those that are controlling the bladder and the urinary tract have weakened. This means the individual has less control over the movement of the urinary tract, which leads to episodes of incontinence. This is a common issue with older men but it can be resolved through proper exercise.

The best solution, in this case, will be pelvic floor exercises. However, these can be tough to do initially when your muscles are extremely weak so it will take some time to just regain control of your muscles. In most cases, it will take at least 10-15 weeks to see any good results. The more frequently you do these exercises the better it is.

2). LOSE WEIGHT:
Being overweight can lead to a range of problems and incontinence is one such issue. The fatty tissue around the organs in your body places excess pressure on the pelvic base.

Such is the impact of the pressure that the bladder doesn't have the strength to properly operate. Simply losing weight can help reduce this pressure and help the muscles regain their natural performance. You can use a BMI calculator to figure out what your ideal weight should be according to your age and height and start working towards that goal.

3). STOP SMOKING:
Smoking can, directly and indirectly, cause incontinence. Indirectly, smoking causes irritation in your throat which causes you to cough more and coughing can often result in random incontinence.

As a direct cause, smoking impacts the health of your organs, muscles, nerves, and all other components of your body. As it weakens all these systems and places extra stress on your body, it can cause incontinence because the overall system is less capable of doing what it needs to.

4). MANAGE CONSTIPATION:
Your pelvis region is filled with muscles that are instrumental in both urinating and defecating. When you are constipated and you have to strain yourself, this is weakening the same muscles that you need to urinate.

This is why it is important that you never resist the urge to use the bathroom as the pressure will weaken the muscles further and cause increased incontinence rather than strengthening the muscles. If you are facing digestive issues, then you should consider changing your diet and also making some healthy changes to your lifestyle.

Being a bit more active can help your body digest food more effectively. You can also consult a physiotherapist to get a better idea of how you can treat your indigestion and constipation.

5). DRINK LESS ALCOHOL:
Alcohol is not only bad for your health, but it also irritates your bladder and urinary tract. Alcohol is a diuretic and even a person with a healthy bladder and normal urinary tract need to urinate more after consuming alcohol. Moreover, the alcohol also dehydrates the body which draws water away from muscles.

This can cause the already weak muscles in the pelvis to spasm or not function at all which will cause further incontinence. Cutting down on alcohol or eliminating it completely will be a good change.

6). DRINK MORE WATER:
Many people make the mistake of limiting their water intake. Again, this can dehydrate your muscles and cause a problem with the urinary tract. You need to be drinking between 6 and 8 glasses of water per day, but not too much more than this. This will ensure that your muscles are hydrated and have the energy they need to operate.

The best solution is to take a holistic approach and use a mix of solutions to treat the issue. Start with exercising, improving your diet, working on your fluid intake, and developing a healthier lifestyle. Collectively, this could completely remedy your incontinence and help you get relief without having to opt for an invasive procedure.