Have you ever laughed so hard you thought your bladder might burst? Was there actually a little leakage of urine? You are not alone! According to a study published by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 13 million people are incontinent. The National Association For Continence estimates that as many as 25 million people experience temporary or chronic incontinence. Incontinence is not a normal result of aging. It affects people of all ages.

Unfortunately, the topic is embarrassing. It shouldn't be. Failure to be able to control your bladder is a medical condition, not a personal failure. Incontinence could be a symptom of a muscular or neurological problem, or could be the result of an infection or surgery.

There are three common forms of incontinence:

• Stress urinary incontinence allows urine to leak when you do anything that stresses the abdomen, such as coughing, sneezing or laughing.

• Urge incontinence results when the bladder contracts without your wanting it to.

• Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder is too full.

There's no need to isolate yourself if you are experiencing incontinence. Most people who are affected by urinary incontinence can see marked improvement through treatment. Treatment choices might include a combination of medicine (or changes in medicine), behavioral modification, dietary changes, or pelvic muscle training. In some situations, surgery is appropriate. See your physician to determine what treatment might be appropriate for you.

The staff at Dynamic-Living.com offers the following suggestions to make yourself more comfortable and confident:

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Change your toileting patterns

If you find yourself waiting a long time to urinate, go more often instead of waiting for a signal from the bladder. This will keep the bladder emptier and stress accidents less likely to occur. Conversely, for people experiencing an over stimulated bladder, it might be necessary to slowly increase the time between bathroom trips.

Make sure that toileting is not difficult.

Clothing should be easy to remove quickly. Assistance for sitting and standing should be available if needed, such as raised toilet seats, safety frames and grab bars. Make sure the path to the bathroom is free of obstacles, there is adequate lighting and the bathroom door is easy to open.

Retrain the pelvic muscles.

Kegel Exercises tighten and release the pelvic muscle, strengthening the muscles that control the flow of urine. This exercise can be done anywhere and should be repeated about 30 times a day for eight weeks. Some people also find other forms of pelvic muscle therapy helpful.

Adjust your medications.

Under the guidance of your physician, review the drugs you are currently taking as they might contribute to your incontinence. If this is the case, an alternative medication might put less of a strain on the bladder. There are also medications that physicians can prescribe to help control incontinence.

Be prepared for accidents.

There are a myriad of absorbent products to choose from that can contain minor accidents. Although disposable paper products have been around for some time, absorbent underwear and pads can now be found in combinations of fabric and vinyl. These reusable products are more comfortable and don't 'rustle' like paper products. Also consider keeping a change of clothes available in a gym bag or desk drawer at the office. If your problem continues at night, a waterproof pad on the bed can spare you from having to change the sheets every day and a non-chemical air cleanser can help diminish residual odors safely.

Consider your diet.

Some common bladder irritants include alcohol, soda, coffee and tea. Highly spiced foods or very sweet foods can also contribute to incontinence. Make gradual changes to your diet and keep a food journal to see which ones might be affecting you. Also note if consumption of liquids or foods at a particular time of day is more difficult for you. Like that bowl of ice cream just before bed time.

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If you struggle with incontinence, don't let it take over your life! It shouldn't prevent you from going out and enjoying yourself in the company of others. Try some of the suggestions above, see your physician and don't be afraid to laugh - a lot!

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© Copyright 2005 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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