Maintain or regain a healthy weight

This helps to avoid the constant pressure that the extra weight puts on the body. bladder and the muscles around it. To find out your body mass index, take our test: Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

Strengthen the pelvic floor muscles

Pregnant women should do Kegel exercises (see Treatments section) to prevent weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. Following childbirth, those with urinary problems should also do these exercises and, if necessary, undertake pelvic floor rehabilitation (also called perineum) with a physiotherapist or specialized physiotherapist.

Prevent and Treat Prostate Disorders

Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), benign prostatic hyperplasia, or prostate cancer can cause incontinence.

• We can prevent the prostatitis by using the condom (or condom) and by quickly treating any urinary or genital infection.
• As soon as there is difficulty in urinating (for example, difficulty in initiating urination or reduced urinary flow) or, on the contrary, urgent and frequent need to urinate (for example, getting up at night to urinate ), you should be examined to see if you have benign prostatic hyperplasia. You can use various treatments (drugs and plants).
• In the case of prostate cancer, incontinence can be a direct result of the disease. However, more often than not, it is a side effect of treatments, such as surgery or radiation therapy.

No smoking

A chronic cough can lead to occasional incontinence or worsen existing incontinence from other causes. See our Smoking sheet.

Prevent constipation

In both men and women, constipation can cause incontinence. The rectum being located behind the bladder, blocked stools can put pressure on the bladder, causing urine loss.

Monitor your medication

Drugs from the following categories can cause or worsen incontinence, depending on the case: blood pressure medications, antidepressants, heart and cold medications, muscle relaxants, sleeping pills. Discuss it with his doctor.

Drink adequately

Reducing the amount of fluids you drink does not eliminate incontinence. It’s important to drink enough, otherwise the urine becomes very concentrated. This may irritate the bladder and trigger urge incontinence (urge incontinence). Here are a few tips.

• Avoid drink a lot in a short time.
• In case of nocturnal incontinence, reduce fluid intake at night.
• Do not drink too much in risky circumstances (away from home, away from the toilet, etc.).

Beware of irritating foods

This measure concerns people with urinary incontinence.

• Reduce the consumption ofcitrus and citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, tangerine, for example), chocolate, drinks containing sugar substitutes (“diet” drinks), tomatoes and spicy foods, which are among the products that irritate the bladder. They therefore stimulate its contraction.
• Reduce or avoid the consumption ofalcohol.
• Reduce or avoid the consumption of coffee and other drinks containing caffeine (tea, cola), as they irritate the bladder.

Prevent urinary tract infections

A urinary tract infection in someone who has or about to have urinary incontinence can cause urine loss. Better to be careful to prevent UTIs or treat them quickly.