Incontinence is a condition in which loss of bladder occurs. It can affect women as well men in any age. Women are more likely to get affected with this condition as compared to men. There are four types of incontinence viz. stress incontinence, urge continence, mixed incontinence and overflow incontinence. Urinary incontinence is a condition in which one leaks urine during laughing, coughing and sneezing.
It can occur for short period or for indefinite period. Bladder control problem, involuntary contraction of muscles, partial blockage of urethra and complications from unrelated physical problems are some of the causes of incontinence. In women, causes of incontinence include weakness from childbirth, menopausal problems, chronic constipation or chronic pelvic floor. Stress and nervousness are also some of the causes of incontinence.
Top Natural Cures for Incontinence
Exercise
Exercise is beneficial for the patients suffering from incontinence. Kegel exercise is useful in the early stage of incontinence as it involves flexing the muscles which are required to stop the flow of urine. This exercise is also beneficial after the surgical repair which is helpful to maintain pelvic floor tone over time.
One should consult the physical therapist to know when and how to do this exercise. Continuing using this exercise for a period of six to twelve weeks would help in the improvement. Also, one should keep on doing this exercise on a regular basis to maintain the benefits. Doing this exercise for a period of at least three months can be helpful in providing relief from pelvic floor weakness.
Foods To Avoid
Patients suffering from incontinence should avoid the consumption of foods that can worsen the conditions of incontinence symptoms. These foods include spicy foods, highly acidic foods and foods that contain caffeine.Other than these foods, fluids like alcohol, carbonated drinks, caffeinated beverages and citric juices should also be avoided by the patients.
Magnesium
Magnesium is useful for the treatment of incontinence. It is one of the important minerals which are useful for proper functioning of muscle and nerve. It helps in reducing bladder muscle spasms and also helps in emptying the bladder completely.Foods rich in magnesium are beneficial for the patients.
These include potato, corn and banana that can be included in the diet. It is also available in the form of supplements. It is better to consult the doctor before consumption of magnesium supplements.Studies have shown that those women who consumed magnesium hydroxide in the form of pills two times per day had shown improvement in urinary continence.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a good way for reducing incontinence. Consult physical therapists for using biofeedback which is helpful for patients suffering from incontinence. During this method, muscles are monitored using electrical sensors. This method also helps the patients to get a sense of what is happening inside the body.
During biofeedback training sessions, physical therapists help the patients in understanding what muscles should be contracted using kegel exercise and how the performance of muscles are improved by providing a visual feedback to the patients. This method is a bit costly one and requires perseverance on the part of patients.
Lose Weight
Losing weight would be helpful for the treatment of incontinence. It is especially beneficial for those who are overweight. This natural cure helps in reducing the severity of incontinence. Excessive belly would put pressure on bladder as well as pelvic muscles. Losing some weight would help in restoring the bladder control.
Training The Bladder
Training the bladder would be helpful for the treatment of incontinence. It requires a lot of patience for training the bladder though it looks very simple. In this training, it is learned how to put off the need to rush the nearest bathroom. For this, first try to delay urinating by ten minutes and build up this process slowly by twenty minutes.
Thus, in this way, increase the time required to urinate so that it becomes comfortable to use the restroom every four hours. One can also use a diary to keep track of the bladder training and show it to the doctor.
Acupuncture & Hypnotherapy
Acupuncture is one of the natural methods for treating incontinence. It takes into account the thing that imbalance stems arise not only from kidney and bladder but also from other parts of the body which includes lungs and heart. Acupuncturists have suggested that this method has been very helpful in treating incontinence.
Hypnotherapy is another natural cure helpful for the treatment of incontinence. Patients should consult the hypnotherapists for better treatment. It has been shown that this method provides the patients high level of concentration and deep relaxation.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is useful for the patients suffering from incontinence. It helps in promoting calcium intake which is beneficial for bone health. Studies have shown that it is helpful in reducing the risk of incontinence.
Patients should make sure that they meet the daily requirement of vitamin D along with egg, fortified milk and fish. Consumption of six hundred international units of vitamin D on a daily basis is recommended especially for women.
Avoid Smoking
Patients suffering from incontinence should avoid smoking as nicotine can cause irritation to the bladder. It has also been found in the studies that heavy smokers are more likely to get affected with incontinence than those who do not smoke.
Smokers are more likely to suffer from chronic coughing than non-smokers which is known to be one of the risk factors of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapsed.
Avoid Caffeine
Patients suffering from incontinence should avoid the consumption of caffeine as it worsens the conditions. It acts as a diuretic and can cause bladder irritation. It also stimulates contraction of muscles which can result in incontinence. Caffeine can excite the brain which is responsible for the controlling the bladder.
Drink Water And Fluids
Drinking water and fluids is beneficial for the patients suffering from incontinence. Drinking plenty amount of water is helpful for managing incontinence. It helps in staying hydrated in the absence of which one can suffer from constipation and bladder irritation that can result in incontinence. Consumption of six to eight cups of fluids on a daily basis is recommended.
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