What Causes Bladder Weakness?

When you start to notice a slight loss of bladder control, one of the first things you could be wondering is “Why did this happen to me? What’s happening to my body?”

Don’t panic – you are not alone.

Involuntary leakage when laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercising is the most common form of bladder weakness.

This leakage occurs simply because the pelvic floor muscles have been weakened (often as a result of child birth) and are now not strong enough to prevent urine escaping. Other causes of weakened pelvic floor muscles include poor health/obesity, constipation, various medications and menopause.

Talk to your doctor, health care professional or nurse continence advisor as they will help you determine the cause of your bladder weakness and ways in which you can control and improve your condition.

Be proactive and have a positive attitude. Don’t let bladder weakness change your lifestyle.
The last thing you want to do is let bladder weakness get in the way of doing things you love. So look for answers and find the course of action that will work best for you.

Health Tips to Manage Your Bladder Weakness

In addition to Pelvic Floor Exercises and Other Treatments listed in the previous section, there are several general health tips which will assist you in managing your bladder weakness.

* Watch your weight
This contributes to overall good health and excess weight can make the problem worse by putting extra stress on your pelvic floor muscles.
* Do not stop exercising
Recreational or sporting activities are of vital importance in keeping women fit and active. If this means wearing protection then use discreet protection from the Poise® range.
* Avoid constipation
Constipation can make your condition worse as you are straining your pelvic floor muscles to empty your bowels. This can have a very damaging effect on your pelvic floor muscles. Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet can reduce the likelihood of constipation.
* Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. This is of most importance as limiting your water intake may impact your health.
* Eliminate or reduce alcohol and caffeine intake
Avoid beverages such as coffee, tea or cola soft drinks as these can dehydrate the body and irritate the bladder.
* Avoid citrus fruits and juices, tomato based and spicy foods
These kinds of food may irritate the bladder and make your problem more difficult to manage and control.
* Practice good bladder habits
Try to get out of the habit of going to the toilet “just in case” as over time this can result in your bladder developing a smaller capacity. Try to hold on until you have at least 300 ml in your bladder (approximately 10 seconds of constant urine flow).
* Take care of your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Keep the tone in your pelvic floor muscles strong with regular pelvic floor exercises.

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Genetic counseling is the process of:

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Genetic tests are done by analyzing small samples of blood or body tissues. They determine whether you, your partner, or your baby carry genes for certain inherited disorders.

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Cesarean section is delivery by incision into the uterus.

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