If you have blood in your urine or have other concerns you should seek medical advice.
How to Prevent Incontinence Drinking at least six to eight cups of liquid each day, unless a health professional has advised otherwise, can help you stay hydrated. Drinking less can make bladder problems worse.
Staying hydrated and reducing use of bladder irritants can also reduce the likelihood of developing a urinary tract infection.
Think about swapping out drinks that make you wee more often, such as caffeine or alcohol. You can switch to your favourite decaf teas or non-alcoholic equivalents of your chosen beverage.
Try to eat a healthy diet with plenty of fibre to prevent constipation, which makes urinary incontinence worse.
Think about how to regularly practise pelvic floor muscle exercises and try to get into the habit as early as possible.
Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce excess pressure on the bladder which can weaken pelvic floor muscles. Find support at Weight Watchers Hampshire if you need it.
Coughing caused by smoking puts a strain on pelvic floor muscles. SmokeFree Hampshire offer a variety of ways to help you quit.
Try not to regularly go for a wee ‘just in case’. Lots of us do this before long journeys, but regularly going to the toilet when you don’t need to, can teach your bladder that it needs to be emptied when it doesn’t. This can reduce your bladder capacity and increase the risk of incontinence.
How to manage incontinence You are not alone in your experience. In many cases, continence can be improved or resolved. Many people experience different levels of incontinence, and your GP Practice team will be very used to talking to people about it. If you are experiencing incontinence, seek advice from your General Practice Team or from your local clinic. Some simple tests may help you find the cause of your incontinence and get some support. Staying active without worrying: If you are experiencing incontinence, contact your local continence service to get the right support whilst trying some self-help options. It can be daunting to go out and not know where the nearest toilets are. Get planning and plot your route, use the Great British Toilet Map (or the Changing Places Toilet Map for fully accessible toilets) so you know in advance where you can access a toilet in a hurry. You can also get a Free Just can't wait Toilet Card https://www.bladderandbowel.org/help-information/just-cant-wait-card/
Pads are not a solution to incontinence but can be used to help stay active whilst seeking support from the continence service.
If products are used, they should be changed promptly when they're soiled to reduce the chance of developing a urinary tract infection.
Sources of support NHS have an overview of incontinence causes, diagnoses, treatments, and top tips. Contact your local clinic to talk through any concerns related to continence. Alzheimer’s Society offer a useful online guide to toilet problems, continence and dementia, including causes, solutions and how this might affect a person with dementia. The free-to-download CONfidence app provides practical health advice, self-care tips and links to support for people with bladder and bowel leakage (incontinence). See ‘Toilets and Accessibility’ on the Connect to Support Hampshire ‘Leisure’ information page for useful websites and resources to help you.
Bladder and Bowel Community
www.bladderandbowel.org At the Bladder & Bowel Community, we help support the millions of people in the UK who are living with conditions that affect their bladder or bowel. Whether you have a condition yourself or are a relative, friend or carer of someone who does then you’ll find all the support, information, guidance and help you need.