Urinary incontinence is a common problem. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for those who suffer from bladder weakness, including home remedies, medications and surgery as a last resort. Urinary incontinence treatment options have come a long way!
Self-help remedies are often all that is needed to improve or cure urinary incontinence. Self-help remedies may be suggested by your physician. Self-help remedies for urinary incontinence treatment are safe and often effective. They may include the following:
Avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which may irritate the bladder and also act as mild diuretics
Avoiding foods that may irritate the bladder, such as citrus fruits and juices
Decreasing fluids consumed before bed, which may decrease the likelihood of nighttime incontinence
Quitting smoking (coughing may worsen stress incontinence)
Losing weight, which decreases the amount of stress on the bladder
Bladder retraining, in which the time between voids is gradually increased
Kegel exercises, which help to strengthen pelvic floor muscles
Medications for urinary incontinence treatment may include antibiotics if infection is present and is contributing to incontinence symptoms. Medications that decrease bladder spasms may also be prescribed for urge incontinence. For men, medications that decrease swelling of the prostate or prevent further swelling are often prescribed. Although there are many medications that may be tried, they are not without side effects, such as dry mouth, drowsiness and constipation, therefore self-help remedies are often tried first.
Surgery may be performed as a last resort when self-help remedies and medications fail or when incontinence is severe and adversely affects quality of life. Before considering surgery as a urinary incontinence treatment option, possible complications should be discussed, as well as success rates. No surgery is without risk, and individuals should be fully informed before considering surgery.
Urinary incontinence treatment options should be tailored to the individual suffering from incontinence and may also be dependent upon the type of incontinence that is present (urge, stress, overflow or a combination of these). For this reason, it is a good idea to visit your physician so that the type of incontinence can be determined and the most effective urinary incontinence help can be prescribed.
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