Urinary incontinence is not something that is guaranteed as you age. However, your chances of urinary incontinence increase the older you get. This is for a number of health-related reasons. Some of which we have control in delaying, easing, or stopping symptoms altogether.
Maintaining good urinary health as you age is certainly possible. Here we explore not only why it happens but how to address it. Most of the time, incontinence underwear & diapers for adult women is your perfect solution.
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the leakage of urine. It could be because of a number of factors. When we are older, certain types are more common. Urinary incontinence has a relatively wide rage in terms of severity of leakage.
While both men and women deal with it, women are more susceptible to it.
The different types of urinary incontinence include:
1) Stress incontinence refers to leakage during motions or activities that increase abdominal pressure.
2) Urge incontinence is associated with a strong urge that comes on suddenly, followed by leakage.
3) Overflow incontinence is when the bladder struggles to empty completely.
4) Functional incontinence is physical impairments that prevent the person from making it to the bathroom on time.
5) Mixed incontinence includes a combination of all the above.
For older folks, mixed incontinence is very common. Thankfully there are a number of ways to address this.
How To Maintain Good Urinary Health
There is no one-fix-all solution. But a combination of the below practices can make a major difference.
Strengthening Your Pelvic Muscles
Continuing to work on the strengthening of your muscles as you age is critical for so many reasons. Your overall health and wellness is certainly one of them. But when you focus on your pelvic floor muscles, you can make a major impact on assisting your urinary health.
When your pelvic muscles are weak, your body has a hard time contracting and holding your urine. When they are weak, leakage occurs during stress incontinence. You may find after coughing, sneezing, or lifting heavy objects cause urinary incontinence.
Because of this, most people think exercising will make matters worse. But when you strengthen your glutes, legs, core, and back, you help your pelvic floor muscles to prevent future urinary incontinence issues. Strength training through weights and resistance is one of the best approaches.
Taking Care of Your Diet
Diet plays a crucial role in two different ways. Those who are overweight are more likely to experience urinary incontinence. In fact, for every five units more in Body Mass Index, you increase your chances by 60% minimally.
Another reason to pay attention to what you’re eating is that certain foods and liquids can trigger urinary incontinence.
- Caffeine, such as coffee, soft drinks, tea, and even chocolate, can be a trigger. Opt for having your caffeine intake in the morning rather than at night.
- Acidic foods and liquids such as pineapple, oranges, and more can be a nuisance to your bladder. This includes tomatoes too.
- Spicy foods do not mix well if you have an overactive bladder.
- Alcohol can make anyone have to pee, let alone someone who may be more susceptible to urinary incontinence. It’s a direct effect on our bladders.
These are just a few things you can do to assist and maintain your urinary health. When you watch your diet and cut back on certain foods and liquids, tremendous results can occur.
Being Prepared
As you age, it can be harder to maintain your urinary incontinence. This is why it’s important to be prepared in case it were to happen. There are a number of products that can assist with different levels of urinary incontinence.
- Urinary incontinence briefs that support your daily activities even if there is leakage is a great option. Today, there is a wide range of styles and fits to meet everyone’s needs. The focus should be on quality products that are odor-resistant and leak-free.
- Creams and oral medications can be prescribed by seeing a gynecologist or a doctor. These creams can ease conditions that may worsen urinary incontinence.
- In more extreme cases, medical devices can be inserted to prevent leakage.
Sometimes the best solution is to use a combination of methods because urinary incontinence can be eased or intensified depending on a number of factors.
Being Proactive
No matter what, it’s important to be proactive about your urinary health as you age. Urinary health is highly impacted by our other areas of health, which is why motivation can be pulled from a number of directions.
A second layer of defense from using different products provides the ultimate protection. It allows anyone affected by urinary incontinence to continue their lifestyle.
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