Prevention of Incontinence, urinary

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A |

| B |

| C |

| D |

| E |

| F |

| G |

| H |

| I |

| J |

| K |

| L |

| M |

| N |

| O |

| P |

| Q |

| R |

| S |

| T |

| U |

| V |

| W |

| X |

| Y |

Men and women can do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. If you have strong pelvic floor muscles you may be less likely to experience incontinence as you get older.

Pregnant women can start pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy and continue after they have given birth. Some women find that taking additional oestrogen (female hormone), given in HRT (hormone replacement therapy) keeps the muscles strong and flexible after the menopause.

Men can do pelvic floor exercises to avoid leaking after urinating. There is also a technique in which you squeeze the urethra after urinating to get any excess urine out. Your GP, nurse or incontinence advisor will be able to advise you. Also avoid any heavy lifting as this weakens the pelvic muscles.

People who smoke are more likely to experience urge incontinence. So, if you smoke, try to give up. Avoid alcohol and drinks with caffeine in such as tea, coffee and cola. These are diuretics which means they make your kidneys produce more urine. Do not cut down on the amount of water you drink. This will only make your urine more concentrated and may make urinating more painful. You could try not drinking any fluids three hours before going to bed.