Drugs/Therapy

It’s Possible to Reverse Incontinence

By David Thompson | Update Date: Jan 28, 2022 12:23 PM EST
It’s Possible to Reverse Incontinence

(Photo : Naomi August via Unsplash)

Urinary incontinence is a condition where a person cannot control the release of urine. It is a condition common among many older people. Incontinence is a urinary problem where one has difficulty controlling the bladder. As a result, there's always a need to pee, even in the middle of sleep. Worse, people with severe issues couldn't hold it and end up wetting themselves.

The idea of reversing this illness is a dream for many people. But, the good news is it's possible. There are ways to stop it. Here are some of them. 

Change your lifestyle

The best way to prevent incontinence is to change your lifestyle. For example, if you're a smoker, you must stop right away. Smoking makes you cough, and coughing is terrible for people with incontinence. You can also prevent tons of other potential diseases if you let go of smoking. 

You must also exercise regularly. Try pelvic floor exercises, but do have someone teach you how to do them properly and do it gradually, perhaps for a few seconds in the morning and before going to bed. Avoid high-impact exercises since they're not good for you. Try not to lift weights since they put too much strain on your pelvic muscles. Instead, consider low-impact exercises like Pilates that can strengthen your core. 

Be selective with what you eat. Make sure it's always rich in fiber since it aids in digestion. Avoid anything oily or spicy. Stay hydrated all the time, and bring a bottle of water with you, if possible.

Consider doing surgery

No one wants to go through this option, but it helps people under immense pain due to incontinence. There are breakthroughs in incontinence treatment that's good news for people who wish to end what they're going through. An excellent option is mid-urethral sling surgery. It's a procedure for women where a sling is placed around the urethra, which lifts it up. The sling also pressures the urethra to retain urine better. You can find other surgery and other procedures for treating incontinence, but consult your doctor first before pursuing anything. If you have pre-existing conditions, you must also be careful with this option. 

Manage your medications

If you have some underlying conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and you take different prescription medicines including antidepressants, antihistamines, diuretics, muscle relaxants, and calcium channel blockers, you should discuss with your doctor about alternative medicines to prevent the aggravation on your weak bladder. 

Consider therapies 

Medical interventions are possible apart from lifestyle changes. You can use creams on the vaginal mucosa to stop incontinence. Women may also choose to take medications that can slow down the bladder from regular squeezing. For men, medications are available to help the bladder and prostate. They will work closely to prevent incontinence. 

Hopefully, you can stop incontinence from happening. Sacrifice your lifestyle if you wish to avoid the embarrassment of wetting yourself in front of many people. If you're getting older, urinary incontinence isn't the only medical issue you must worry about. Try to end it and gradually deal with other health conditions. 

 

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* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of counselheal.com

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