How To Deal With Incontinence

Learning how to deal with incontinence can be difficult and embarrassing. Incontinence is an involuntary loss of bladder control that can be caused by a number of different factors. One common type is stress incontinence, where activities such as coughing or laughing cause you to urinate. Another is urge incontinence or "overactive bladder," where your bladder contracts without warning. A third is overflow incontinence, where your bladder fills beyond its capacity because you can't sense that you have to urinate. Both medical treatment and managing your condition can help you deal with incontinence.

To deal with incontinence, you will need:

• voiding chart
• incontinence pads
• washcloth
• powder
• coca butter
• medication

1. Keep track of when you urinate using a voiding chart. See if you can determine a pattern that will help you avoid incontinence. For example, if you tend to experience urges every two hours, schedule bathroom breaks ahead of time.
2. Wear incontinence pads to absorb urine leakage. This is especially helpful if you have stress incontinence and know you'll be participating in a triggering activity, such as lifting heavy objects.
3. Avoid foods and beverages that can aggravate incontinence. Reduce your overall fluid intake and stay away from caffeine, alcohol and acidic foods.
4. Perform exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Stronger pelvic floor muscles will give you better control over your bladder.
5. Wash and powder your genital area to avoid irritation from urine. You can also use coca butter as a protective barrier against future irritation.
6. Talk to your doctor about medication to treat incontinence. You should also make sure that your incontinence isn't being caused by a more severe medical condition, such as an enlarged prostate.