Urinary incontinence: exercises, physiotherapy and surgery

Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of incontinence the individual has, whether it is urgent, exertion or a combination of these 2 types, but it can be done with pelvic muscle exercises, physiotherapy, medication or surgery, in the most severe cases.

Below we indicate the treatment possibilities to be able to control the pee properly.

1. Kegel exercises

These are specific exercises for the pelvic floor muscles in which the individual must contract these muscles for 10 seconds and then relax them for another 15 seconds, repeating them about 10 times, 3 times a day.

As a way of progressing the difficulty after a few weeks, contractions can be started using small vaginal cones that help the woman to strengthen and contract the pelvic muscles.

Although it is possible to do the exercises at home, it can be useful to consult a physical therapist who will be able to personally instruct you how to perform these exercises correctly so that it has the expected effect. After learning how to contract the right muscles, you can perform the exercises at home daily, in a quiet and peaceful way.

2. Physiotherapy

Electrostimulation is another way of treating urine loss, and consists of introducing a small cone into the vagina that emits a small electrical current that leads to the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.

3. Remedies

Medicines for treating urinary incontinence can be used to relax the bladder, increase the bladder muscle tone, or strengthen the sphincter. Some examples are Oxybutynin, Trospium, Solifenacin, Estrogen and Imipramine.

The use of medicines is indicated when physical therapy and kegel exercises are not enough to control urine. Know the names of the remedies indicated for each type of urinary incontinence.

4. Food

Knowing what to eat can also be helpful in holding your pee more efficiently. Some tips are:

• Regulate the intestine by eating foods rich in fiber to avoid constipation and thus reduce the pressure on the abdomen, decreasing incontinence episodes; Avoid drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, especially coffee, as these drinks greatly stimulate the bladder; Losing weight through healthy eating and physical exercise, except in stress urinary incontinence; avoid consuming foods and drinks that may irritate the bladder, such as spicy, fizzy drinks, fruits and citrus juices.

See more tips in the following video:

5. Surgery

It serves to repair any urinary tract problem that is causing urinary incontinence. It can also be indicated when no other form of treatment has been effective and consists of placing a kind of tape to support the pelvic floor. However, in the long run it is possible for pain to arise during intimate contact and pain in the pelvic area.

Find out how the surgery is done, how is the recovery and the necessary care.

Tips to help with treatment

There are some tips for urinary incontinence treatment that the individual should perform, such as:

• Peeing before turning on the tap before getting out of the car, or before leaving work, school or elsewhere so that when you get home, there is no leakage of urine when you are at your door; When you feel a sudden urge to pee, do not rush to the bathroom immediately, but contract your pelvic muscles until the urge passes. When this happens, calmly go to the bathroom; Remember to contract the pelvic floor before lowering, running or doing any other exercise to avoid the loss of urine during them; Bladder training, in which the individual schedules urination times, even if he does not feel like it, to reduce episodes of urinary incontinence. First, it should start at intervals of 1-1 hour and when there is no leak at that time, gradually increase until an interval of 3 to 4 hours; Use disposable pads or diapers or special underwear for urinary incontinence that can absorb small amounts of urine, eliminating odor; Avoid smoking to reduce coughing and bladder irritation.

These tips are a complement to the treatment for urinary incontinence and help the individual to reduce episodes of urinary incontinence, also reducing the discomfort caused by this disease.

Changes that aggravate urinary incontinence

In addition to specific treatment, if any of these disorders are present, they must be controlled, as they all favor the involuntary loss of urine:

• Heart failure; Diabetes; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Neurological disorders; Stroke; Dementia; Multiple sclerosis; Cognitive disorders; Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea.

When these changes are present it is important to always keep them under control, with the treatment indicated by the doctor, but they do not exclude the need for specific treatment, done with drugs, exercises or surgery.

Also watch the following video, in which nutritionist Tatiana Zanin, Rosana Jatobá and Silvia Faro talk in a relaxed way about urinary incontinence: