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Can I Help Overactive Bladder Without Taking Medicine?

An overactive bladder, also known as urge incontinence, consists of sudden urges to urinate, without warning, that can often end up in the loss of urine before being able to reach a bathroom. According to the National Association for Continence, 17 percent of women and 16 percent of men over the age of 18 in the United States have problems with an overactive bladder.

  1. Bladder Training

    • Bladder training is one of the best ways to learn bladder control without using medication. When you feel the urge to use the bathroom, try to hold it, starting with 10 minutes and then slowly increasing by 10- to 20-minute intervals until you reach three or four hours. This will slowly help increase the strength of the supporting bladder muscles. Be sure that you are close to a bathroom when practicing this method.

    Toilet Schedule

    • Scheduling specific times each day to use the restroom can also help control an overactive bladder without using medication. Setting bathroom breaks in two- to three-hour intervals can help ensure that your bladder does not get full enough to cause an urge accident.

    Liquids

    • Changing the times and the amounts of liquids you drink can also help you control an overactive bladder. For example, avoiding a lot of fluids before a car ride or before you go to bed can help prevent accidents. According to the Mayo Clinic, alcoholic and caffeinated beverages may increase bladder urgency. Cutting these beverages out of your diet may help.

    Double Voiding

    • Double voiding may also help those with an overactive bladder. Double voiding is a process in which after urinating, you wait five or 10 minutes, and then try urinating again. This can help ensure that the bladder is completely empty, which may help relieve later problems with urges to urinate.

    Surgery

    • In some serious cases, surgery may help a patient avoid having to use medication to treat his urge incontinence. According to the National Institutes of Health, surgery can help relieve pressure on the bladder, or may be used to increase the capacity of the bladder.

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