Incontinence can happen to anyone, though it’s more common in women than men. Many people use products like Washable Incontinence Pads by Vive to manage both urinary and bowel incontinence.
The upside is that urinary incontinence is often a temporary issue caused by medication, illness, or other changes in the body. It shouldn’t just be accepted as a part of aging. If incontinence is due to an illness like Parkinson’s, there are medications that can help control the bladder.
Here are ten things that can make stress incontinence worse and how to deal with them:
1. **Too much or too little fluid**: Cutting back drastically on fluids isn’t the answer, even if it might seem like a good idea. Dehydration can irritate the bladder, leading to more accidents. Plus, it can cause constipation and kidney stones, which put extra pressure on the bladder. Aim for a balanced intake of fluids, about six to eight glasses of water a day, increasing gradually under medical guidance.
2. **Cut out alcohol**: Alcohol can make incontinence worse as it increases urine production. Reducing alcohol intake to just one drink a day can significantly help.
3. **Limit caffeine**: Drinks like coffee and tea contain caffeine, which acts as a diuretic and bladder irritant. Gradually reducing caffeine can help minimize withdrawal symptoms like headaches.
4. **Watch out for chocolate**: Even chocolate can contain caffeine, which might worsen incontinence. Always check the labels on chocolate treats.
5. **Reduce sugar intake**: Although not as widely studied, sugar can also irritate the bladder. Reducing consumption of foods high in fructose, like honey and fruit, might help.
6. **Avoid fizzy drinks**: Carbonated drinks often contain caffeine and the carbonation itself can aggravate the bladder. It’s best to stick to natural products like water.
7. **Cut back on spicy foods**: Spicy dishes can irritate your bladder. Scientific research has shown that spices are common irritants, particularly in women.
8. **Limit citrus fruits**: Citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, limes, tomatoes, and grapefruits are high in acids, which can irritate the bladder and increase the need to urinate.
9. **Be cautious with cranberry juice**: While cranberry juice is recommended for urinary tract infections, it can worsen incontinence.
10. **Check your medications**: Some medications, like certain heart medications, blood-pressure tablets, muscle relaxants, and sedatives, can make stress incontinence worse. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your medication.
Managing incontinence with products like those from HARTMANN can make life a bit easier. However, by taking these steps to reduce or even eliminate incontinence, you can improve your quality of life significantly.