If you are a man, you may find that as you age you begin having problems with urinary incontinence, and while this condition certainly becomes more common as the years pass, it should never be considered a normal side effect of ageing. Of course muscles weaken with age, and your bladder and pelvic muscles are no exception. So whether you are just starting to deal with urinary incontinence, or if you have been managing it for a while, here are five things that you can do to stack the continence deck in your favor and limit the effects of bladder weakness in men.
1.Drink Plenty of Liquids
As your bladder muscles begin to weaken it is tempting to cut back the amount of liquids that you consume. Unfortunately while this idea may make sense on paper, it will not work in practice, and here is why. As you drink less water, your urine becomes more concentrated, and this concentrated urine further aggravates the bladder increasing the likelihood of adult incontinence. However, you do not want to drink too much water either, because this will increase the amount of urine that your body makes, which also increases the chances of incontinence. So the best rule of thumb is to drink in response to your natural thirst signals.
2.Stay Away from Party Drinks
There are certain foods and drinks that can aggravate the bladder, and it is a good idea to stay away from them if you are noticing a weakening in your bladder. Carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks and caffeinated drinks all act as diuretics, which make you go the the bathroom even more. So if your bladder is already weakening, you will simply overtax your system by eating and drinking things that irritate your bladder.
3.Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight is a sure way to make everything a little harder on your body, so if your bladder is already weak, eating too much and drinking too much is just making your bladder work that much harder. If you are noticing some symptoms of urinary incontinence, this may be the perfect time to start eating a little healthier.
4.Stop Smoking
If you smoke, stop. Of course this is easier said than done, but if you are suffering from urinary incontinence, the effort will be well worth it. While smoking itself is bad for many other systems in your body it does not directly affect your bladder. The cough that comes along with smoking, however, puts undue pressure on your bladder and can contribute to urinary incontinence.
5.Exercise
As you age and your muscles weaken, your pelvic floor muscles are no exception, and just like the rest of your muscles you can keep them in shape by exercising them. Up to three quarters of mild to moderate cases of incontinence can be dramatically improved and even cured by doing pelvic floor muscle exercises. You will have to be patient for the these exercises to pay off, because the results of your hard work will probably not be realized for three to six months. However, all of the hard work is certainly worth it when you regain full bladder control. Regardless of how old you are or how weak your muscles are, you can improve your condition by regularly exercising these muscles to keep them functioning properly.
Bladder weakness in men is more common as you age, and you can find incontinence products that will go a long way towards making managing your problem much easier. At DryForLife we have been helping people find just the right products for their lifestyles, and we are always happy to help. You can order online and have your purchase delivered directly to your front door, quickly, conveniently and discreetly.
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