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| Managing Incontinence |
It can seem overwhelming to anyone who is diagnosed with
urinary incontinence. However, it should be stressed that while incontinence
can be a serious physical issue that can also affect the patient emotionally,
there are things that can be done right away to help reduce and sometimes even
eliminate symptoms. Many people mistakenly believe that when they are diagnosed
with incontinence they will not be able to do the things that they normally do.
However, the reality is that with the right urinary incontinence product and
some lifestyle changes if you are diagnosed with incontinence you can manage it
and go on with your normal life. Here is what you need to know about using
urinary incontinence products and lifestyle changes to help you manage
incontinence-
- Find the right urinary incontinence product-The first step is to find the right urinary incontinence product. This may seem like a more complicated task then you would have thought. The sheer volume of urinary incontinence products that are available can seem overwhelming. However, when you take into account the size, gender, severity of the incontinence and the lifestyle needs of the incontinence sufferer it can narrow down the choices into a more manageable selection. Almost all urinary incontinence products from incontinence pads to adult diapers are sold online at sites that offer adult incontinence products. This makes shopping for the incontinence supplies that you need easier and more discreet. Once the person with incontinence has the right urinary incontinence product whether it is a incontinence pad, incontinence undergarment or adult diaper then they can begin to make lifestyle changes that can help to reduce or even eliminate incontinence.
- Make dietary changes-Another major step in taking control of the incontinence and beginning to manage it is to make dietary changes. Many people are surprised to learn the influence that diet has on incontinence. However, there are a number of different things that you should avoid if you want to manage your incontinence. Health and nutrition experts recommend staying away from alcohol, coffee, tea, and other beverages that have caffeine. In addition, citrus of any kind, spicy foods, and chocolate can all be bladder irritants that make incontinence much harder to manage. It can be helpful to consult with a registered dietician in order to learn what food and beverages should be avoided and what can help make incontinence easier to manage.
- Stop smoking-The bottom line is that if you smoke and you have incontinence you need to stop today. Smokers tend to have a much higher rate of incontinence. This is due to the effect that the smoke has on the bladder and the fact that many smokers develop a deep cough that can make incontinence worse. If you need help to stop smoking consult with your doctor for recommendations for smoking cessation programs. Most of all if you don’t smoke-don’t start.
- Lose weight and exercise-One of the first recommendations that doctors make when their patients come to see them with symptoms of incontinence is to lose weight. This is because extra weight not only puts pressure on your heart and lungs but also your bladder and the surrounding muscles. This can contribute directly to incontinence. Losing weight will help to take some of the pressure off of the pelvic floor muscles and help to lessen the symptoms of incontinence. In addition, regular exercise has been shown to improve the symptoms of incontinence. Your doctor may also recommend that you begin doing Kegel exercises in order to strength the muscles that take care of bladder control. If you are unsure how to do these consult with your health care professional for specific instructions.
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