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The urinary incontinence affects in Spain a 24% of womenaccording to data from the Urinary Incontinence Observatory, increasing its incidence up to a 50% from the age of 60. However, the figures show that only one in three women consults a specialist about the problem. It’s about a underdiagnosed and silenced disorder which often becomes a taboo.
Many women admit to having frequent urine losses, but of little amount and if their quality of life is not affected, they do not take action or do not ask their doctor for help. Normally it is believed that it is a disorder that appears with age, but there are also many factors that can cause its appearance in young women. Being able to talk about it and asking for help is key to prevent the problem from getting worse and reduce discomfort that may affect quality of life.
These will continue ten keys to take into account to prevent or improve urinary incontinence:
1. Normally it usually appears by hormonal changes at menopause or after pregnancy. But aging, genetics, or high-impact sports may be other risk factors. Some medications such as diuretics, antidepressants or treatments for hypertension, which can also trigger urinary incontinence.
2. Keep a balance diet it will also help prevent urinary incontinence. Being overweight increases the pressure on the pelvic muscles that support the bladder and urethra, which can favor its appearance.
3. In most cases, incontinence is caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. Regularly performing exercises such as Kegel’s will help strengthen this area and prevent or reduce incontinence.
4. The constipation It can also end up causing urine loss, due to the overexertion that is carried out in that area.
5. You have to take care of the hydration, but control excessive fluid intake. Reducing beverage consumption in the afternoon or before going to sleep helps control losses.
6. It is convenient to keep a few proper habits. Holding back the urge to go to the bathroom can cause bladder distension, loss of muscle tone and elasticity. Although we should not accustom our body to urinate too frequently, since the bladder will become lazy, it will not be able to retain normal amounts of liquid and we will feel the urge to urinate more frequently.
7. It is convenient to reduce the consumption of those foods that are more diuretic or that can irritate the bladder by increasing the frequency and urgency to urinate, such as alcohol, caffeine or exciting drinks, chocolate, spicy foods, citrus fruits or carbonated drinks.
8. Smoke It is a habit to eliminate to combat urinary incontinence. On the one hand, tobacco can irritate the bladder causing incontinence and, on the other hand, the chronic cough caused by smoking can end up causing damage to the urinary sphincter due to continuous efforts.
9. Take some dietary supplement it can help. Some plant extracts such as those from pumpkin seeds may be of interest to contribute to the normal functioning of the urinary system.
10. It’s important consult with the doctor at the first symptoms. It is a disorder that in the early stages can be treated to prevent its evolution and, in some cases, even correctable and transitory. In addition, if we let time pass, it tends to increase with age and its treatment can be more complicated as the degree of incontinence increases.