Female Urinary Incontinence: Causes, Tips and Solutions


female urinary incontinence tips natural remedies

There are few things as uncomfortable and embarrassing as urinary incontinence, despite many of us know what it feels like. According to studies, more than 200 million people across the globe deal with urinary incontinence; 25 million of those people are American adults and of those, 80% are women. Needless to say, urinary leakage is predominantly a female problem and one that many of us accept as a normal side effect of being pregnant, giving birth or aging.  However, it doesn’t have to be a “normal” thing for anyone because regaining control of your bladder is a very real possibility. Yes, you can laugh, sneeze, cough or run again without a little trickle. There are a vast array of natural solutions, treatments, tricks and tips that are can address all types of urinary incontinence (including those that men experience) and at the root source to eliminate it for good instead of sprinkling some medicine on top of the real issue. Pardon the pun.

The 101 on Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the fancy term used to describe the loss of bladder control/urine leakage. If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence, this means that your bladder leaks urine by accident. Pretty straightforward.

There are several forms of urinary incontinence, which we will cover in just a moment. Regardless of the type, urinary incontinence is a fairly common problem that can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. However, it does occur more often in the elderly and women, due to the weakening of the muscles and nerves that help the bladder hold or pass urine. These muscles naturally weaken with age, pregnancy and giving childbirth, making urinary incontinence a fairly common issue that many people pass off as a normal part of pregnancy, childbirth, or just being a woman. But there’s nothing “normal” or okay about being this embarrassing problem that can make you avoid doing things you love to do, simply for fear of your bladder leaking. Even laughing or sneezing can make you feel ashamed and embarrassed.

Fortunately, there’s a vast array of treatment options available for urinary incontinence – from conventional medicine to natural relief and home remedies. And no, you don’t have to resort to wearing adult diapers or invasive surgery. Phew.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Despite being a fairly straightforward condition, there are a variety of different types of urinary incontinence, each of which typically has its own individual characteristics and causes. Understanding the different types can help you narrow in on the exact issue you’re facing and most importantly, what can be done to start regaining control of your bladder.

  • Stress incontinence is urine leakage caused by movements that put pressure on the bladder, such as coughing, laughing, jumping, lifting, etc.
  • Urge incontinence is when you have a sudden, intense urge to urinate, typically followed by an involuntary loss of urine
  • Overactive bladder is when you experience frequency and sudden urges to urinate that is difficult to control
  • Overflow incontinence is when you’re unable to empty your bladder completely, resulting in urine leaking
  • Total incontinence is when the bladder is unable to store urine
  • Function incontinence is when the urine leakage occurs when you can’t reach the bathroom in time (could be due to a mobility issue)
  • Mixed incontinence is a combination of different types

Causes of Urinary Incontinence for Women

Anyone can experience urinary incontinence, which is the of the muscles, tissue and nerves that control the bladder weakening. This weakening can occur for a variety of reasons, including poor posture, lifestyle habits, medications, high impact activities, physical health conditions, and can even be the result of life’s greatest blessings, pregnancy and childbirth. It can be caused by certain foods and drinks that stimulate your bladder or increase your volume of urine and sometimes, there is seemingly no reason at all.

The causes can also vary depending on the type of urinary incontinence you’re experiencing. For example, stress incontinence, which is caused by movements that put pressure on the bladder, is caused by things such as bending, lifting, laughing hard, etc. On the other hand, urge incontinence can be caused by a minor infection or by a more severe condition, such as diabetes or a neurological disorder. As such, it’s important to seek a proper diagnosis from a health care professional if you are experiencing any form of urinary incontinence.

In the meantime, you may wish to identify the possible triggers on your own. This can help you determine the type of urinary incontinence you’re experiencing and what can be done to help. For example, you may discover that your urine leakage is caused by temporary triggers, which can be eliminated to regain control of your bladder or perhaps you’ll find that pregnancy and childbirth are the culprits. Either way, understanding the possible triggers of urinary incontinence can help you find the proper treatment needed to get you back in control.  

Some common causes of urine leakage are:

  • Temporary triggers
    • Alcohol
    • Caffeine
    • Carbonated drinks
    • Chocolate
    • Foods high in spice, sugar or acid
    • Heart and blood pressure medications
    • Muscle relaxants
    • Stress factors, such as coughing
    • Vitamin C (large doses)
  • Treatable medical conditions
  • Lifestyle/Persistent Incontinence
    • Age
    • Childbirth
    • Menopause
    • Obesity
    • Pregnancy

Possible Risks Factors for Developing Urinary Incontinence in Women

There are certain things that put you at a higher risk of developing urinary incontinence. These risk factors can also help you determine the type or reason for the urinary incontinence you’re experiencing if it has seemingly come out of nowhere, and for no rhyme or reason. And when you’re able to identify the possible causes and type of urinary incontinence you’re experiencing, you can also narrow in on the best type of treatment for you.   

Some common risk factors for developing urinary incontinence include:

  • Age: Your muscles in your bladder start to weaken as you age and how much your bladder can hold also changes with age
  • Gender: Women are far more likely to experience stress incontinence due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and the basic female anatomy
  • Weight: Extra weight can increase the pressure on your bladder and the surrounding areas, resulting in the areas weakening and allowing urine to leak out with a sneeze or cough
  • Family history/Genetics: This risk factor pertains more to urge incontinence than the others
  • Some diseases: Diabetes and neurological disease can increase your risk of developing urine leakage problems
  • Smoking: Using tobacco may increase your risk

In addition to these common factors, if you are pregnant or have given birth, you are also more likely to experience urinary incontinence as these two things commonly weaken the muscles that control the bladder.

Preventing Female Urinary Incontinence

Getting in front of urinary incontinence is ideal, as it allows you to prevent the symptoms before ever having to deal with them. Prevention can also be used to stop urine leakage at the first warning signs, to prevent symptoms from getting worse and to make sure it doesn’t come back once you’ve healed.

Here are some things you can do to prevent urinary incontinence:

  • Avoid things that irritate or stimulate your bladder, such as alcohol and caffeine
  • Eat a diet rich in fiber
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Do pelvic floor exercises
  • Avoid heavy lifting
  • Quit smoking and other unhealthy lifestyle habits
  • Treat constipation
  • Keep your pelvic floor muscles strong
  • Stay hydrated

Managing Female Urinary Incontinence Naturally

Perhaps you’ve already been experiencing urine leakage and are past the point of prevention. There are several natural treatment options, home remedies and tips you can do to effectively heal all forms of urinary incontinence. These can help tackle the issue at the source to eradicate it all together and prevent urine leakage moving forward.

  • Quit smoking to eliminate this risk factor
  • Do daily pelvic floor exercises that are designed to strengthen the muscles and surrounding areas that control urination
  • Reduce alcohol intake to eliminate this potential trigger
  • Complete bladder training exercises, such as delaying the bathroom or having set times for your bathroom breaks to help train the bladder to release only when you want it to
  • Treat constipation promptly to eliminate this potential cause
  • Cut down on drinks that increase urination or stimulate the bladder, such as coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Avoid unhealthy habits, such as going to the bathroom “just in case”
  • Get 30 minutes of exercise in 5 days of the week
  • Avoid processed foods
  • Eat a clean diet, free of sugary snacks and rich in fruits and vegetables
  • Practice yoga that tightens the areas responsible for bladder control (this tip also helps the mental and emotional symptoms that come with urinary incontinence)
  • Keep a bladder diary and track how much you drink, when urination occurs, and the number of episodes of incontinence
  • Manage your stress with mindful activities, such as meditation, yoga, mindfulness, journaling, etc.
  • There are follow-along exercise programs that can help tackle the issue. Pelvic Floor Strong System and the Female Vitality Blueprint programs are some of our recommendations.

The most important thing about urinary incontinence is that it can be fixed and you can regain control of your bladder again. You don’t have to resort to conventional methods, adult diapers or invasive surgeries either. With a few simple lifestyle and diet changes, mindfulness and regular exercise, you can strengthen the muscles and tissues that are responsible for bladder control and eliminate urine leakage altogether. Here’s to laughing, coughing, running, and doing all that fun stuff without having to worry about ‘peeing a little’. 

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