You don’t have to live with bladder leakage; talk with your health careprovider today about your options for staying dry and healthy.

Patient Page

AWHONN

Do You Ever Leak Urine?

Practicing Self-Care

Lifestyle Changes

See Your Doctor

Links:

• Association of Women’sHealth, Obstetric andNeonatal Nurses:www.awhonn.org

• National Associationfor Continence:www.nafc.org

• National Institute ofDiabetes & Digestive &Kidney Diseases:www.niddk.nih.gov

• The Simon Foundationfor Continence:www.simonfoundation.org

To maintain optimal bladder health, try thefollowing strategies as appropriate:

• Keep a diary or journal of how often you emptyyour bladder: For three to five days, write downwhen you urinate, how much and your fluidintake. Also keep track of any leakage you haveand the activity at that time

• Be aware of what you drink and eat: Avoidcarbonated drinks and caffeinated drinks, alsohigh-acid juices and alcohol. Sugar and hot andspicy foods may make the urinary incontinenceworse

• Drink water every day: Four to eight cups ofwater a day should be sufficient depending onyour activity

• Do not postpone urinating: Delaying voiding canmake the bladder overdistended resulting inpoor functioning and increasing your risk ofurinary tract infections

• Medications: Review the medications you aretaking with your provider and determine if theycan be contributing to your urinary symptoms

• Avoid constipation: A full bowel can placepressure on the bladder and contribute toincontinence

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Permission is granted to reproducethis page for educational purposes.

UTips for Staying Dry & Healthy!

Urinary incontinence is an involuntary leakage ofurine; it’s common but it’s not an inevitable partof aging. It’s treatable, often curable, but defi-nitely manageable. Many women are affected bythis embarrassing problem. Your health care

provider can help you determine the cause of theproblem as well as advise you of options regard-ing treatments, medications, devices, pelvicmuscles exercises, bladder training or sometimessurgery.

The following lifestyle changes are helpful in maintainingcontinence:

• If you smoke, quit

• If you have a chronic lung disease or chronic cough, get treatment

• Maintain a healthy weight; lose weight if you’re overweight

• Avoid heavy lifting