Urinary incontinence is characterized by the uncontrollable loss of urine that can occur in variable amounts during the day or night.
This disorder can affect anyone at any age from children to the elderly, both women and men.
However, women are three times more susceptible, due in part to the physical stresses of childbearing and a drop in estrogen after pregnancy. menopause.
It is important to note that there are records indicating that cultures of the past were well aware of the problem. The ancient Egyptians developed incontinence products, and in Britain in the late 19th century, it was perfectly acceptable for a woman to hold what was called a slipper under her dress for relief during a long church service.
There are four basic types of incontinence:
total incontinence: It is characterized by a constant loss of small amounts of urine. Among its possible causes we have: Damage to the urinary sphincter that may be due to an anatomical abnormality or injury, nerve damage, infiltrative tumors or the presence of fistulas through which urine leaves the body.
Pressure or stress incontinence: It is characterized by the loss of urine drops when you cough, sneeze, lift a weight or do anything else that increases the pressure in the abdomen. This type of incontinence is more common in women than in men, especially in women who have had children, tight pelvic floor muscles, or have had surgery in the pelvic region.
Urge incontinence: In this case, there is an inflammation of the bladder or a neurological problem that can cause uncontrollable urges to evacuate causing urine to come out without giving time to reach the toilet.
overflow incontinence: When this condition occurs, the bladder is distended, so no additional urine can go in without some drop coming out. It is more common in older men with enlargement of the prostate.
Among the main causes of urinary incontinence are:
• Bladder irritants. Substances in the urine that irritate the bladder can cause the muscles in the bladder to malfunction. The presence of a urinary tract infection and excess caffeine They can act as irritants. Highly concentrated urine due to low fluid intake can also irritate the bladder.
• Constipation. He constipation can cause incontinence in some people
• Disease. The diabetes it can greatly increase the volume of urine, causing some people to become incontinent. Other conditions can temporarily affect the ability to recognize and control the sensation of urination or to reach the sink in time to urinate.
• Drugs and alcohol. Sedative medications, such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills, can interfere with the proper function of the urethral and bladder nerves. Both sedatives and alcohol can also affect the individual’s ability to recognize the need to urinate and act in this regard in a similar way. Other medications, such as diuretics, muscle relaxants, and blood pressure drugs, can also affect bladder function.
• Surgery. Men undergoing prostate surgery may experience temporary stress incontinence as a result of injury to the bladder sphincter in the urethra.
Below are several remedies and recommendations that are intended to alleviate and cope with this condition.
folk remedies
Remedy for urinary incontinence #1: Boil two tablespoons of fennel in a cup of water for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Take this infusion daily.
Remedy for urinary incontinence #2: Boil a handful of leaves raspberry, previously washed, in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Take 1 cup a day. This remedy is has strengthening properties of the pelvic muscles.
Remedy for urinary incontinence #3: Pour, in 2 liters of hot water, 1 head of crushed garlic and a good bunch of hawthorn flowers. Strain and pour into the bath tub. Take a warm bath, 2 times a day. This remedy must be accompanied by one of the infusions listed above.
Remedy for urinary incontinence #4: Pour a tablespoon of leaves bearberry per liter of infusion. One cup every three hours, not to exceed four or five cups a day. This remedy is contraindicated when there is inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis).
Remedy for urinary incontinence #5: Fill the bidet with lukewarm water and sit down. Then contract all the muscles in the genital region and count to five. Relax counting to ten and contract again. Repeat the exercise in the water up to a total of 10 times.
Also read: Remedies for peripheral neuropathy
Remedy for urinary incontinence #6: Practicing Kegel exercises or contraction of the pubococcygeus muscle:
- Passing urination (ie, urinating, stopping, and urinating again) in this way strengthens the bladder muscle and sphincters.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet slightly apart. Contract the rectum, the urethra, and in women, also the vagina. Then proceed forward as if you were trying to stop urinating. Hold the tension while slowly counting to three. Then slowly release the tension. Repeat five to ten times. Breathe evenly and comfortably and do not tense your stomach, thigh or buttock muscles, as you are exercising the wrong muscles. Check the abdomen with your hand to make sure the stomach area is relaxed.
- Repeat this exercise while sitting on a low stool that supports your lower legs. Raising the legs helps the pelvic floor muscles to relax for the exercise.
- Repeat the second exercise while kneeling on the floor with your elbows resting on a pad. In this position the stomach muscles are completely relaxed.
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recommendations
Know the cause of incontinence with the help of the specialist and remedy if possible (as in cases of stressanguish, nervousness or infections of the genital tract).
avoid meals such as tomato-based soups, sugars, such as honey and corn syrup, chocolate, curry powder and chili con carne and all spicy seasonings as these can irritate the bladder.
Do not reduce fluid intake below normal for fear that the urine will come out without warning, as it can lead to dehydration, which would worsen urinary problems and cause other serious ailments. Instead, it is advised to schedule when to drink fluids.
In this sense, experts suggest a total consumption of six to ten cups of 8 ounces (240 milliliters) per day, which should be distributed, as much as possible, during the morning and afternoon, leaving only one cup between dinner and bedtime. in order not to have to constantly wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
Avoid constipationas it could contribute to incontinence. Therefore, a high fiber diet should be preferred in conjunction with adequate amounts of fluids.
Lose weight. It is necessary to avoid obesity, since it can cause muscles to droop, including the muscles of the pelvic floor, which facilitates the appearance of incontinence.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both drinks increase the frequency of toilet visits. Therefore, its consumption is not recommended
Watch the medications you take There are drugs that can increase the amount of urine and, therefore, aggravate the problem of urinary inconsistency. It is recommended, in this case, to consult with the doctor in order to evaluate the possibility of changing it to another medication that does not produce this effect.
No Smoking. Nicotine can irritate the bladder which contributes to pressure incontinence.
keep a diary. It is suggested to keep a record of each urination or loss (time and amount urinated in ounces), the possible circumstances that caused it, and the amount of fluid consumption that preceded it, in order to determine which foods or drinks could increase the problem of the urination. incontinence and thus avoid them.
Prepare before bed. It is advised that the person affected by incontinence keep a portable urinal near their bed.
To anticipate. If you feel like sneezing, coughing or lifting a weight, it is recommended to squeeze the sphincter first to avoid accidental urine loss.
urinate before going out. It is recommended to empty your bladder before going outside, whether you feel like going or not. If the person will spend a long time on the street, he should use disposable diapers or absorbent pads.
Wear easy-to-remove clothes. Clothing can be particularly a problem if you are incontinent. Items like bodysuits and leggings can complicate the urination process as they are not easy to get off. For this reason, clothing that can be easily opened by pressure on the chest is recommended. crotch. Likewise, it is recommended to bring extra clothes in case the urine comes out before reaching the toilet.
Try to completely empty your bladder. When urinating, it is advised to stay on the toilet until the bladder feels empty. Then it is necessary to get up and sit down again, bending forward a little, bending the knees and trying to urinate again.
retrain the bladder It is recommended to empty the bladder at regular short intervals (for example every hour) and gradually increase the duration of the interval. In certain types of incontinence, this method is extremely effective for the bladder to function normally.
Do not suppress the desire to go to the bathroom too much. Prolonged retention can cause an infection in the bladder and expand it excessively. Also, if your bladder is too full and your sphincter muscle is weak, your incontinence problem will increase.
Perform hypopressive gymnastics This type of exercise, like the Kegel, also helps to strengthen the pelvic floor. Here is an example:
- Standing, open your legs to hip width and tilt your pelvis forward, slightly bend your knees to avoid overloading them. Place the arms stretched out in front of the body and raise the palms of the hands.
- In that position, contract the abdomen 3 times with a short breath. Then contract the abdominal wall again, this time to the limit, while expanding the ribcage. Take deep breaths, as if with each inhalation you wanted to fill the lungs completely, without leaving a single hole.
- When releasing the air it is very important to do it slowly and rhythmically, not suddenly. This will help the abdomen to move slowly, thereby enhancing the work…