YUA Health Message –

Overcoming an overactive bladder

Overactive Bladder is a common condition often due to one’s bladder contracting at any time without warning.

This bladder contraction can give rise to the symptoms of urgency, frequency (daytime and nighttime) and urgency incontinence.

The key symptom is urinary urgency to urinate which is difficult to postpone. 

The goal of these tips is to re-establish control of the urinary bladder

  • Try to sensibly restrict your fluid intake in order to decrease the volume of urinary output. Caffeine present in tea, coffee, colas, some energy drinks, chocolate and alcohol increase urinary output and are urinary irritants, so it is best to limit intake of these beverages/foods. 

  • Physical activities can help maintain general fitness and improve urinary control. Lower impact exercises like yoga, pilates, cycling, swimming can best help alleviate pressure on the urinary bladder by boosting core muscle strength and tone and improving posture and alignment.

  • Reacting to the first sense of urgency by running to the bathroom needs to be substituted with urgency inhibition techniques. Stop in your tracks, sit, relax and breathe deeply. Pulse your pelvic floor muscles rhythmically to deploy your own natural reflex to resist and suppress urgency.

  • Bladder relaxant medications. A variety of medications are useful to suppress symptoms. It may take several trials of different medications or combinations of medications to achieve optimal results.

Source: This information was brought to you by the Urology Care Foundation www.urologyhealth.org