At some point in life, we all have laughed so much that we’re on the verge of peeing. But have you actually peed yourself when laughing, sneezing, coughing, or anything that puts slight pressure on your bladder? While this is a fairly common problem, especially in women, it isn’t something that you should ignore as an obvious sign of aging.

This condition is known as urinary incontinence. It occurs when your pelvic floor muscles are stretched or weakened because of childbirth, weight gain or age. And it doesn’t have to become a permanent hindrance in your everyday life.

In this post, we’re sharing some ways you can manage and treat urinary incontinence. Let’s take a look.

Kegel Exercises
Pelvic muscles play a crucial role in supporting the bladder, uterus, small intestine, and rectum. In addition to your regular workout, you should incorporate Kegel exercises in your fitness regime. These exercises are specifically focused on strengthening the pelvic floor muscle.

Kegel exercises are one of the easiest, accessible, and affordable ways to control urinary incontinence. These exercises typically start showing results in a few weeks or months.

Before trying any kegel exercises, make sure your bladder is empty. Next, sit or lay down on the floor, tighten your pelvic floor muscles for 3-5 seconds and relax. Repeat this ten times, three times a day. You can find a number of other variations on Youtube.

Bladder Control Training
If you are unable to control your bladder, your doctor might recommend bladder control training. You will be provided with tactics to delay the urge to urinate. You can start by delaying for 5 minutes and gradually increase the delay time.

Weight Loss
If weight gain is the prime cause of your urinary incontinence, then you can get it under control by focusing on losing weight. Consult a physician to find out the best course of action.

Losing weight takes time. So don’t sign up for a crash diet or other unhealthy practices to quickly reach your goal. Eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly is the way to go.

Devices
There are a number of devices available for females. Most of these devices are inserted into the vagina to prevent urine leakage. There are short-term devices such as Urethral Inserts that can be taken out when the patient wants to pee. On the other hand, you can also choose long-term devices such as Pessaries, which can stay upto three to six months.

Absorbent Pads
If you’re looking for a temporary fix, you can easily purchase absorbent pads in supermarkets or online.

Injections
Collagen injections are a treatment option that’s less invasive than surgical procedures. Collagen or a bulking material is injected around the urethra to narrow it and stop leakage.

Surgery
For patients with severe urinary incontinence, exercising or bladder training may not prove to be effective. In such cases, patients may need a surgery to add support to their urethra. This procedure involves placing a sling under the urethra that keeps it close even if pressure is added on the bladder. However, this option should only be explored if nothing else has worked.

Final Words
If you had a urine leak while doing a normal activity like coughing or laughing, don’t be embarrassed about it. Talk to your doctor and find a treatment that works for you.