If you’ve been noticing a little pee leak when you sneeze or cough, you may be experiencing urinary incontinence.  No, this doesn’t mean you need medication or surgery.  In many cases you can perform bladder control treatments naturally at home with some basic techniques and lifestyle modifications.

What Are the Best Bladder Control Treatments?

Improving your bladder control can be achieved without medical intervention with a little consistency and dedication.  Here are a few tips for bladder control treatments that will help you to manage leaks and live a more comfortable life.

1. Start with Kegel’s: The pelvic floor muscles act like a hammock, supporting your bladder and urethra. When they become weak, you may experience incontinence or leaking. Kegel exercises can strengthen these muscles, improving bladder control. To perform a Kegel, you contract the muscles that would stop urine mid-flow.  Doing this repeatedly several times a day. You can also consider using a pelvic floor trainer like Elitone.  Elitone is an external device that uses small electrical pulses to target and tone the pelvic floor muscles, ensuring you’re performing the exercises correctly.
2. Bladder Training: Bladder training involves retraining your bladder to hold urine for longer periods of time. This can be done by gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits. Start by going to the bathroom every hour, even if you don’t feel the need to go. As your bladder control improves, you can work on increasing the time between bathroom visits.
3. Stay Hydrated: If you’re struggling with incontinence, it may seem like you should avoid drinking fluids, but the opposite is true.  Being dehydrated can actually irritate the bladder and cause symptoms to get worse.  Aim for 6-8 glasses of water a day.  You may find that you need more or less than this to be adequately hydrated.
4. Dietary Adjustments: Certain foods and drinks can irritate your bladder and increase the urge to urinate frequently.  Common culprits include alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks.
5. Empty Completely: If you are noticing leaks, it may be because you are not completely emptying your bladder.  After using the bathroom, try leaning forward and coughing a few times to expel any remaining urine.