How To Regain Bladder Function

Bladder control problems can be distressing and embarrassing. A sense of urgency can cause frequent trips to the bathroom, and you find you cannot hold it in sometimes. You can do several things to improve your bladder function that involve medication and self-care measures. In some cases, surgery might be necessary. The Mayo Clinic and alternative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil offer several suggestions.

Instructions

• 1

  Avoid or reduce your intake of bladder irritants; they increase the need to urinate, worsen that uncomfortable sense of urgency, and contribute to leakage. Bladder irritants include caffeine, alcohol, acidic fruits, spicy foods, carbonated drinks, and food containing tomato and chocolate.

• 2

  Re-train your bladder. Bladder training involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom trips. This helps train your bladder to hold urine longer and reduce urgency. The end goal is to urinate every three to four hours. Your doctor can help you design a schedule.

• 3

  Space out your fluid consumption throughout the day. It is important to get the recommended eight, 8 oz. glasses of water daily, but drinking too much at once can worsen your bladder problems. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking two glasses with each meal while having the remaining two sometime between meals. Staying hydrated is important; concentrated urine can irritate the bladder and increase urgency.

• 4

  Avoid becoming constipated. It can aggravate the bladder. Eat at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily and drink lots of fluids.

• 5

  Maintain a healthy weight; excess pounds increase the incidence of urinary incontinence.

• 6

  Avoid feminine deodorants and other products in the genital area; they can irritate the urethra.

• 7

  Quit smoking. According to Dr. Weil, urinary incontinence is twice as common in smokers.

• 8

  Perform Kegel exercises---they strengthen the pelvic floor, which contains the muscles involved in urination. You can find these muscles by stopping the flow of urinating while going to the bathroom. If you stop the flow, you know you are using the right muscles. Ask your doctor for instructions.

• 9

  Talk to your doctor about medications and surgery if self-care appears to be ineffective. Certain medications like Detrol and Ditropan can relax the bladder. Follow all of your doctor's instructions regarding proper use. If all measures including medication fail, certain surgical procedures can reduce pressure in the bladder and enhance its ability to store urine.