Bladder hacks: Here are some tips you need to know about to help with bladder control
Even when you are managing incontinence there are things you can do to support bladder health. These tips for bladder control may improve symptoms or prevent them from worsening. Experiment and see which strategies are most helpful for you and which tips for bladder control you should implement into your lifestyle.
Strengthen your pelvic floor
Kegel exercises aren’t just for women. Men can use them to regain some or full bladder control. There’s a bonus – pelvic floor exercises can also improve sexual performance. To do them, try stopping the flow of urine midstream to identify the right muscles. Once you have identified the muscle, practice contracting it for a few minutes each day.
Stay hydrated
Drink about half your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you are 200 pounds, drink 100 ounces of water. Drinking too little water can stress your bladder and kidneys. Dehydration can also contribute to constipation, which worsens the symptoms of incontinence. Water is your best bet for thirst. Alcohol, fizzy drinks, citrus and caffeinated drinks can tax your urinary system making incontinence more of a problem.
Aim for good health
Maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking if you smoke and exercise regularly. Better overall health can help improve incontinence.
Manage stress
When you are managing incontinence toileting can feel very stressful. Breathe deeply and relax. You’ll have a better chance of emptying your bladder. You may even try emptying your bladder as much as you can, waiting a few moments and then trying again. This practice is especially important before leaving home or turning in for the night.
Try bladder training
Start by toileting every three hours and extend by 15 minutes. Doing so can help you practice training your bladder to hold urine in for longer periods. Avoid holding too long though because doing so can weaken your bladder over time.
Protect yourself from infection
Urinate after sex and wear loose-fitting cotton underwear to allow for healthy air flow and to reduce the likelihood that bacteria will enter through the urethra.
Be confident with Men’s Liberty
Use the strategies listed above to help improve the symptoms of incontinence. If symptoms do not resolve completely, you may want to consider using Men’s Liberty. Our unique external collection system offers up to 24-hours of secure protection you can count on. Men’s Liberty is affordable too. You may qualify for little or no out of pocket costs if you are covered Medicare, TriCare / VA, Kaiser or by one of the 3,000 insurance plans we accept. Try the strategies and rely on Men’s Liberty to stay dry 24/7. Call us today to get started.