Smoking Is Also Hazardous to Your Urologic Health.

It is given that smoking is deleterious to your lungs and heart causing lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease, just to name a few of the common medical conditions causes by smoking.  There are also urologic conditions that are affected by smoking.

Bladder cancer is 4^th most common cancer in men with nearly 80,000 new cases each year in the united States.  Smoking causes harmful chemicals and drugs to collect in the urine.  These toxic chemical affect the lining of the bladder and increase your risk of bladder cancer.

Nearly 30 million American men have erectile dysfunction or impotence  This is usually due to a reduction of poor blood flow to the penis.  Smoking can harm blood vessels, when decrease the blood flow to the penis.  As a result, men will have difficulty obtaining and keeping an erection adequate for sexual intimacy.

Kidney cancer is in the top ten most common cancers in both men and women with nearly 60,000 new cases every year.  Smoking puts noxious chemicals from the lungs into the blood stream where it is filtered into the kidneys and can cause kidney cancer.

Kidney stones affect 1 million Americans and smoking is a known cause of having kidney stones and also for having recurrent kidney stones.

Painful bladder syndrome affects 12% of women.  The condition is irritated by smoking and produces more symptoms of pain and discomfort in the pelvis.

Overactive bladder (OAB) affects more than 30 million American men and women.  Smoking irritates the bladder and increase the frequency of urination.  Smoking also is associated with coughing that can increase urinary leakage.

Infertility caused by male factors affects 50% of all problems related to difficulty with achieving a pregnancy.  Smoking can harm the genetic make-up in eggs and sperm.  The infertility rate for smokers in nearly twice that for those men who do not smoke cigarettes.

Bottom Line:  Most people are looking for reasons to stop smoking.  There are so many medical conditions that are caused by or are made worse by smoking.  Talk to your doctor about some of the effective ways to achieve smoking cessation.

Things To Avoid If You Have Urge Incontinence

Overactive bladder is common problem affecting millions of American men and women. The condition impacts a person’s quality of life and can make them miserable. This blood will discuss non-medical solutions that won’t cure the problem but will help control OAB.

Urge incontinence is one of the four main types of urinary incontinence.
It involves the loss of urine as a result of strong, uncontrollable urges to urinate. Certain foods, drinks and medications can worsen those urges and therefore increase the severity of your incontinence.
Consider reducing your intake of these 6 things if you suffer from urge incontinence:

1. Caffeine

A number of studies have shown caffeine to worsen urinary incontinence. Caffeine is a diuretic which means it can increase your need to urinate. For those who suffer from urge incontinence, caffeine may make the urges worse, Health24’s resident GP Dr Owen Wiese explains.
Try limiting your intake of caffeine by cutting down on coffee, certain teas, energy drinks and caffeinated fizzy drinks.

2. Spicy foods
Spicy foods are commonly known to irritate the stomach and bowel but they have been found to have a similar effect on the bladder, Dr Wiese explains. Try to avoid cooking with chilli and other spices for a while to test if your symptoms improve.

3. Certain medication

There are a number of different medications that can increase the frequency or urgency to urinate. These include:
Hypertension medication:
– Diuretics such as Hydrochlorothiazide (Ridaq) and Furosemide (Lasix)
– ACE inhibitors such as Enalapril maleate (Pharmapress; Renitec) and Captopril (CaptoHexal; Zapto)
– Alpha-antagonists including Doxazosin maleate (Cardura) Prazosin (Pratsiol)
Muscular pain medication:
– Muscle relaxants including Baclofen (Lioresal) and Orphenadrine (Norflex, Disipal)

4. Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame that are commonly found in diet drinks and sugar-free foods can also cause incontinence. Like spicy foods, sweeteners are known to irritate the bladder. Try adding honey or agave syrup to your tea instead of sweeteners to prevent uncontrollable urges.

5. Alcohol

If you suffer from incontinence, alcohol intake is another lifestyle factor that could be aggravating your symptoms.
Like caffeine, alcohol is a diuretic and therefore increases your need to urinate. Also, being intoxicated can prevent you from realizing that you need to go to the bathroom or from getting to the bathroom in time.
Try to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume to better control your urges.

6. Citrus fruit

Citrus fruits cause the same problem as spicy foods and sweeteners. The acidity caused by the vitamin C in the fruit irritates the lining of the bladder which can increase the urge to urinate.
Try replacing citrus fruits with less acidic alternatives such as apples, watermelon and apricots.
While these different foods, beverages and medications can worsen urge incontinence, they can also have little affect on your incontinence at all. Some people are affected by alcohol and caffeine but not by citrus fruit or spicy foods.

Bottom Line: Urge incontinence is common problem but you can decrease the incontinent episodes by monitoring your foods and fluids. You don’t have to completely eliminate the culprits I’ve listed above you should decrease the consumption of these bladder irritants.

Foods and Fluids That Worsen Overactive Bladder

One of the most devastating problems affecting many men and women is the problem of overactive bladder. This is the bladder that has a mind of its own. When the bladder decides to empty its liquid contents and doesn’t wait for the owner’s permission, it is called overactive bladder.
There are some foods and beverages that you should avoid, since they could worsen your condition.

Water (too much or too little)
You might think that drinking less water will make you want to pee less often, but that theory backfires in reality. Drinking too little water causes your urine to become more concentrated, which can irritate your bladder. On the other hand, drinking too much water can be a problem as well. Try to find the right balance to meet your needs and avoid drinking a lot of water after 6 pm, so that you don’t keep waking up to go to the bathroom at night.

Caffeine
Coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks all contain caffeine, which is a diuretic that causes your body to produce more urine. Drinking less caffeine will give you better control over your bladder.

Chocolate
Chocolate is another source of caffeine that can worsen your bladder control. If you don’t want to give up chocolate, try to consume it earlier in the day, or switch over to white chocolate.

Spicy foods
Spicy foods also irritate your bladder, so try to dial down the amount of chilli you add to your meals and avoid spicy snacks and sauces.

Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits and limes are all acidic. Acidic foods irritate your bladder and worsen urinary incontinence, so try to limit your intake of these fruits
Pineapples
Most people aren’t aware of this, but pineapples are actually acidic fruits as well. Limit your intake of pineapple and avoid drinking pineapple juice.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes also worsen urinary incontinence, since they are also acidic. They will be pretty hard to cut out of your diet, since tomato-based foods also have the same effect, so you would have to avoid sauces, gravies, ketchup, and other tomato-based items.

Onions
Onions can also irritate your bladder, so try to cut down your onion intake and avoid eating raw onions. You can even switch to a milder vegetable like shallots instead.

Cranberries
Cranberries are an effective remedy for urinary tract infections, however they are pretty acidic so they could reduce your control over your bladder.

Alcohol
All forms of alcohol dehydrate your body, but they do so by increasing the amount of urine, which means you need to visit the bathroom much more frequently. Alcohol also interferes with the signals that the brain sends to the bladder about when to release urine, so if you suffer from urge incontinence, where you sometimes lose control of your bladder, you should avoid alcohol as much as possible.

Sugar
Both sugar and artificial sweeteners affect the bladder. Try to cut sugar out of your diet for a few days and see whether it makes a difference to your bathroom habits.

Carbonated drinks
Avoid carbonated drinks like soft drinks, soda, sparkling water and fizzy juices. The fizz irritates your bladder, and makes you need to pee more often.

Sauces
Certain condiments like mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and chili sauce can all worsen your condition, so consume them sparingly. Switch over to healthier chutneys and spices instead.

Processed foods
The artificial colors, flavors, additives and preservatives in processed foods could also be adding to the problem. Try to cut them out of your diet and eat more home-cooked meals instead.

Bottom Line: By modifying your diet you cannot cure overactive bladder but you certainly can use these techniques to help control the problem. It may not be necessary to eliminate completely all of these dietary irritants but if you can use them in moderation, your bladder will thank you!

Help For An Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Nothing is more distressing than losing urine and unable to reach a toilet in a timely fashion. It is a source of embarrassment, anxiety, and even depression.

Your bladder can start to present problems at menopause as sneezing, laughing, increased urgency and frequent night calls can disturb your sleep and your peace of mind.

This is particularly true at menopause when up to 40% of women are affected by OAB. Unfairly perhaps, but women do suffer urinary incontinence four to five times as often as men.
Some of that has to do with pregnancy and childbirth, which can weaken the vagina, the pelvic floor muscles, and the ligaments that support the bladder. This can cause the bladder to be pushed out of place, making it harder for the muscles to perform. That’s why you may leak a little urine when you sneeze, cough, or laugh.

Symptoms of OAB:
* increased urinary frequency
* a sudden urge to urinate
* the need to urinate during the night
* difficulty getting to the bathroom without leaking

Types of Incontinence
There are two separate types of incontinence:
Type 1: Stress incontinence leads to leakage of urine when the pressure in the abdomen is higher than the sphincter pressure. Normally, contraction of the pelvic floor muscles compresses the urethra [bladder outlet] and prevents loss of urine and stress incontinence. Loss can happen with sneezing, coughing and during exercise such as lifting, jumping and walking.
Type 2: Urge incontinence is when an uncontrollable need to pass urine occurs due to over activity of the bladder wall muscle. Typically this occurs as you put the key in the front door or when water is running. There is generally no weakness in the pelvic floor muscles or muscles controlling the bladder outlet. This is also known as overactive bladder syndrome.

Mixed incontinence occurs when there is muscle weakness and and uncontrollable urge to go to the toilet together.

The hormone factor
For women, the bladder and urethra have hormone receptors and it is estrogen that affects the health of the pelvic muscles and the urinary tract. It is estrogen that helps to preserve the strength and flexibility of supportive pelvic and bladder tissues so low levels may be part of the reason these supportive tissues sometimes weaken as a woman ages and may also contribute to muscular pressure around the urethra.
Estrogen can improve the flow of blood and strengthen the tissue around the urethra so women who are low in body weight at menopause may not be producing sufficient for this purpose. Often prescribed are low-dose topical estrogen creams or patches but according to the Mayo Clinic, scientific evidence to support this treatment is lacking.
Low estrogen generally indicates even lower progesterone levels so a combination cream of both hormones can be effective.

When to get help
Bladder weakness can affect many areas of your life from disturbed sleep, to your sex life and embarrassment in public over urinary accidents. This can make it hard to enjoy everyday activities and so many women don’t seek help but these signs indicate you have a problem:
• urinate more than eight times in a 24-hour period
• get up in the night to urinate
• experience frequent leaking
• have changed your activities to accommodate your symptoms

How to help yourself
There are many types of surgery for stress incontinence and although this can be helpful, as time goes by a number of women will get a return of their urine leakage between 5 to 10 years after surgery. It is better to try and manage the condition by first trying pelvic floor muscle exercises which are an inexpensive and effective method of treating mild stress incontinence.

Often referred to as Kegel exercises you could follow the plan below. First you need to be able to identify your pelvic floor muscles and learn how to contract and relax them. To do this, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Then practice this as below:
* Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles, empty your bladder and lie on your back. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
* Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
* Repeat 3 times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
More information:
Unfortunately at menopause women tend to put on weight, and being overweight can make bladder problems more common. Sleep at menopause is also often disturbed for this reason and for this progesterone does help aid sleep and rebalance hormones to help with any weight loss.
However for women who do need additional estrogen as well as progesterone and are not overweight a combination cream is usually more effective for the bladder.

Bottom Line: Incontinence and OAB are common maladies affecting millions of American women. You don’t have to depend on Depends! Help is available. Speak to your doctor.

Urinary Incontinence-When It Gets Wet Down There

Urinary incontinence affects millions of American men and women. It is a condition that is a source of embarrassment, depression, and lead to social isolation. This blog will review urinary incontinence and what can be done to help those who suffer from this condition.

People suffering from urinary incontinence — loss of bladder control — have been advised to seek prompt medical advice as simple lifestyle changes or medical treatment can cure some men and women with the problem and most can have improvement in their voiding symptoms.



Some patients may feel uncomfortable discussing incontinence with their doctor. But if incontinence is frequent or is affecting their quality of life, it is important to seek medical advice because urinary incontinence may also indicate a more serious underlying condition. 

The condition may restrict their activities and limit social interaction while it also poses an increased risk of falls in older adults as they rush to the toilet at night when the lighting is poor.



Common symptoms of urinary incontinence are occasional minor leaks of urine or wetting clothes frequently. Types of incontinence include stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, mixed incontinence, and problems with emptying the bladder. Bladder irritants such as alcohol, caffeine, decaffeinated tea and coffee, carbonated drinks, and artificial sweeteners could cause urinary incontinence. 

 Foods high in spices, sugar or acid, especially citrus fruits, as well as medications can act as diuretics, or water pills, and by increasing the volume of urine result in urinary incontinence.



Urinary incontinence may also be caused by some easily treatable medical conditions, such as urinary tract infection, which irritates the bladder, causing strong urges to urinate, and sometimes incontinence. Other signs and symptoms of urinary tract infection include a burning sensation when urinating and foul-smelling urine.



Constipation is another cause as the rectum is located near the bladder and the two organs share many of the same nerves. Hard, compacted stools in your rectum cause these nerves to be overactive and increase urinary frequency and sometimes urinary retention.

Urinary incontinence can also be a persistent condition caused by underlying physical problems or changes, including pregnancy, childbirth, changes with age, menopause, hysterectomy, enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, obstruction and neurological disorders.



Urinary incontinence isn’t always preventable but certain factors can help decrease the risk of having the condition, such as maintaining a healthy weight; practicing pelvic floor exercises, especially during pregnancy; avoiding bladder irritants, such as caffeine and acidic foods; and eating more fiber, which can prevent constipation, a cause of urinary incontinence.


Urinary incontinence could be diagnosed by examining the bladder’s dynamics through an examination conducted with a device that assesses the bladder function. This can be done by taking an X-ray of the bladder at various stages in order to further support the diagnosis.



Bottom line: Don’t let incontinence get you down. See your doctor as you don’t have to suffer in silence

Kegel Exercises For Men- Non-Medical Treatment of Overactive Bladder

For decades, women have been doing Kegel exercises (named after the gynecologist who invited the exercises) to help control urinary incontinence. Now we know that regular, daily exercising of pelvic muscles can improve, and even prevent, urinary incontinence even in men.

Kegel or pelvic muscle exercises are discrete exercises that work the perineal or pubococcygeus muscles. In the past, Kegel exercises have been largely promoted by physicians to their female patients in an effort to aid with stress incontinence following childbirth. However, these same exercises are now being promoted to men in an effort to improve urinary incontinence, fecal continence, and even sexual health such as the treatment for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Unlike typical exercise routines, these exercises don’t require the participant to buy any weights or expensive machines. You don’t need a trainer, a gym membership, or any special equipment.

Kegel exercises primarily aid men with urinary incontinence. Besides preventing embarrassing urine leakage, they also decrease the urge to void. Secondly, they have been shown to help male sexual health by allowing some men’s erections to last longer when affected by sexual dysfunction and premature ejaculation. These benefits all equate to a better quality of life.
These exercises are often recommended to patients with weakened pelvic floor muscles such as patients with diabetes, patients having had a prostate surgery in the past such as a radical prostatectomy, or obese patients. It should also be mentioned that these exercises have not been scientifically proven to increase penis size and are thus not recommended solely for this purpose.

How can men perform Kegel exercises?
Prior to beginning the exercises, it is important to correctly localize the pubococcygeus muscles. To achieve this, one can simply attempt to stop his urine flow midway through. The muscles allowing for the pause in urination are the ones targeted by the Kegel exercises.
There are many different techniques that can be used to efficiently strengthen one’s pelvic floor muscles. Women often use Kegel balls or Kegel weights to perform the exercises, but those are unnecessary for men.

The first technique requires a contraction of the anus muscles as if trying to hold in gas. The feeling of a pulling or lifting sensation on the anus tells you that you are performing the exercise correctly.

The second exercise is used to observe the movement of your penis vertically without moving the rest of your body. An elevator analogy can be used to illustrate the exercise. The anus, in this case, can represent an elevator. The goal of the exercise is to bring up the elevator over 5 seconds to its maximal level and then to bring it gradually back down to the resting level.
The techniques are interchangeable. Men can perform a different technique each day. However, the important thing is to always use only the pelvic muscles. When men first start performing these exercises, they may use other muscles to help them. Often, they may use their abdominal or gluteal maximus (buttocks) muscles. It is thus important to become aware of which muscles are being contracted. It is also important to avoid holding the breath or crossing the legs.

Arguably, one of the strongest points of Kegel exercises is that they can be performed anywhere without anyone but the participant noticing. Unlike typical core exercises for men requiring sit-ups, planking, or other unusual positions, Kegel exercises can be performed during a variety of activities such as shaving, sitting at one’s desk, or even while driving. This feature allows them to be universally accepted by men.

Men are accustomed to exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups. However, a very small proportion of them know how to efficiently perform Kegel exercises. This is unfortunate since many doctors recommend incorporating these into one’s core routine.

Unlike typical workouts for men, when it comes down to Kegel exercises, there is no magic number of sets one should do in a day. It is recommended, however, for men to perform at least two sessions of Kegel exercises every day. To keep things simple, men should perform their first session in the morning and their second at night. A session comprises of 10 to 30 individual contractions and relaxations exercises. Each exercise should last 10 seconds divided into 5 seconds of contraction and 5 seconds of relaxation. Once a man excels at performing these, he can do them in different positions. Of the 10 to 30 exercises, he can do one-third while laying down, one-third while sitting, and one-third while standing. Counting out loud certainly helps and as time goes by many men are surprised at the ease with which they can perform the exercises that at first seemed unnatural to them.

This is of greatest importance for men undergoing prostate surgery, either for prostate cancer needing radical prostatectomy (complete prostate removal) or for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) needing transurethral resection of the prostate. Both of such surgeries reduce the resistance to the bladder, which can result in postsurgical urinary incontinence. As we can see from the following image, the anatomic changes reduce bladder outlet resistance. As such, strengthening the pelvic floor and sphincter are of paramount importance and Kegel exercises can help.

Kegel Exercises For Men- Non Medical Treatment of Overactive Bladder

For decades, women have been doing Kegel (named after the gynecologist who invited the exercises) to help control urinary incontinence. Now we know that regular, daily exercising of pelvic muscles can improve, and even prevent, urinary incontinence even in men.

Kegel or pelvic muscle exercises are discrete exercises that work the perineal or pubococcygeus muscles. In the past, they have been largely promoted by physicians to their female patients in an effort to aid with stress incontinence following childbirth. However, these same exercises are now being promoted to men in an effort to improve urinary incontinence, fecal continence, and even sexual health such as the treatment for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Unlike typical exercise routines, these exercises don’t require the participant to buy any weights or expensive machines. You don’t need a trainer, a gym membership, or any special equipment.

Kegel exercises primarily aid men with urinary incontinence. Besides preventing embarrassing urine leakage, they also decrease the urge to void. Secondly, they have been shown to help male sexual health by allowing some men’s erections to last longer when affected by sexual dysfunction and premature ejaculation. These benefits all equate to a better quality of life.
These exercises are often recommended to patients with weakened pelvic floor muscles such as patients with diabetes, patients having had a prostate surgery in the past such as a radical prostatectomy, or obese patients. It should also be mentioned that these exercises have not been scientifically proven to increase penis size and are thus not recommended solely for this purpose.
Kegel exercises are harmless if performed correctly. Chest and abdominal pain have been reported in some, but these occurrences are the result of inappropriately performed exercises.

How can men perform Kegel exercises?
Prior to beginning the exercises, it is important to correctly localize the pubococcygeus muscles. To achieve this, one can simply attempt to stop his urine flow midway through. The muscles allowing for the pause in urination are the ones targeted by the Kegel exercises.
There are many different techniques that can be used to efficiently strengthen one’s pelvic floor muscles. Women often use Kegel balls or Kegel weights to perform the exercises, but those are unnecessary for men.

The first technique requires a contraction of the anus muscles as if trying to hold in gas. The feeling of a pulling or lifting sensation on the anus tells you that you are performing the exercise correctly.

The second exercise is used to observe the movement of your penis vertically without moving the rest of your body. An elevator analogy can be used to illustrate the exercise. The anus, in this case, can represent an elevator. The goal of the exercise is to bring up the elevator over 5 seconds to its maximal level and then to bring it gradually back down to the resting level.
The techniques are interchangeable. Men can perform a different technique each day. However, the important thing is to always use only the pelvic muscles. When men first start performing these exercises, they may use other muscles to help them. Often, they may use their abdominal or gluteal maximus (buttocks) muscles. It is thus important to become aware of which muscles are being contracted. It is also important to avoid holding the breath or crossing the legs.

Arguably, one of the strongest points of Kegel exercises is that they can be performed anywhere without anyone but the participant noticing. Unlike typical core exercises for men requiring sit-ups, planking, or other unusual positions, Kegel exercises can be performed during a variety of activities such as shaving, sitting at one’s desk, or even while driving. This feature allows them to be universally accepted by men.

Men are accustomed to exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups. However, a very small proportion of them know how to efficiently perform Kegel exercises. This is unfortunate since many doctors recommend incorporating these into one’s core routine.
Unlike typical workouts for men, when it comes down to Kegel exercises, there is no magic number of sets one should do in a day. It is recommended, however, for men to perform at least two sessions of Kegel exercises every day. To keep things simple, men should perform their first session in the morning and their second at night. A session comprises of 10 to 30 individual contractions and relaxations exercises. Each exercise should last 10 seconds divided into 5 seconds of contraction and 5 seconds of relaxation. Once a man excels at performing these, he can do them in different positions. Of the 10 to 30 exercises, he can do one-third while laying down, one-third while sitting, and one-third while standing. Counting out loud certainly helps and as time goes by many men are surprised at the ease with which they can perform the exercises that at first seemed unnatural to them.

This is of greatest importance for men undergoing prostate surgery, either for prostate cancer needing radical prostatectomy (complete prostate removal) or for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) needing transurethral resection of the prostate. Both of such surgeries reduce the resistance to the bladder which can result in postsurgical urinary incontinence. As we can see from the following image, the anatomic changes reduce bladder outlet resistance. As such, strengthening the pelvic floor and sphincter are of paramount importance and Kegel exercises can help.

Bottom Line: Kegel exercises are not just for women with incontinence. They work for men, too. Results aren’t immediate so stick with it and you will be amazed at the results.

Urinary Problems Can Impact Your Sex

Overactive bladder or urge incontinence can have a significant impact on a man or woman’s quality of life include their ability to engage in sexual intimacy with their partner. This blog will discuss the concept of the overactive bladder and what can be done to tame the bladder and improve the intimacy of those who suffer from this condition.

OAB can take its toll in many areas of your life, including your romantic relationships. Women with OAB worry about urine leakage during sex or orgasm.

OAB or urinary incontinence can cause physical symptoms as well as fear, anxiety, and shame about sex and intimacy.
Unfortunately, many women with OAB will avoid sex altogether.
Unless you have a prolapsed bladder, sex is not dangerous and will not cause your bladder to become damaged.
Women may feel embarrassed by leakage during sex or orgasm, and even if their partner knows and says ‘It’s OK,’ it certainly can stop you from allowing oral sex.

Once you are open with your partner, you can face the situation together. For example, if there is urine incontinence during sex or orgasm, you may need a special sheet or towel.
Non-medication treatment for OAB

Natural Treatment for Overactive Bladder
Bladder training and pelvic floor exercises are just two natural treatments for overactive bladder. Research suggests that these non-drug remedies can be very effective for many women, and they have almost no side effects.
Before starting any OAB treatment, however, it’s important to understand bladder function and what factors may cause overactive bladder.
• Bladder training. This is the most common OAB treatment that doesn’t involve medication. Bladder training helps change the way you use the bathroom. Instead of going whenever you feel the urge, you urinate at set times of the day, called scheduled voiding. You learn to control the urge to go by waiting — for a few minutes at first, then gradually increasing to an hour or more between bathroom visits.
• Pelvic floor exercises. Just as you exercise to strengthen your arms, abs, and other parts of your body, you can exercise to strengthen the muscles that control urination. During these pelvic floor exercises, called Kegels, you tighten, hold, and then relax the muscles that you use to start and stop the flow of urination. Using a special form of training called biofeedback can help you locate the right muscles to squeeze. Start with just a few Kegel exercises at a time, and gradually work your way up to three sets of 10. Another method for strengthening pelvic floor muscles is with electrical stimulation, which sends a small electrical pulse to the area via electrodes placed in the vagina or rectum.
Until you get your overactive bladder under control, wearing absorbent pads can help hide any leakage that occurs.
Other behavioral tips for preventing incontinence include:
• Avoiding drinking caffeine or a lot of fluids before activities
Not drinking fluids right before you go to bed
I also suggest that before engaging in sexual intimacy, empty your bladder so there is less fluid in the bladder and not likely to trigger an unwanted bladder contraction.

Bottom Line: Intimacy can take place if either partner has an overactive bladder. Speak to your partner and your physician to find a solution for this common condition that doesn’t have to affect your sex life.

Overactieve Bladder-Botox May Be a Solution

Overactive bladder or urinary frequency, urgency and urge incontinence affects millions of American men and women. Most men and women can be helped with medication. However, some suffers are unable to achieve any relief with medication or suffer from the side effects so that taking the medication is not possible. Now a new FDA treatment using Botox has been tested for those patients, mostly women, who have difficult to treat overactive bladder.

Botulinum toxin, otherwise known as Botox, has been historically used by the plastic surgery community to help alleviate wrinkles on the face. Botox relaxes muscular tissue. When used in the bladder, it can relax the bladder muscle resulting in fewer visits to the bathroom. Women who use the bathroom more than 8 times during the day and may be experiencing frequent bathroom trips at night may benefit from Botox treatment. Botox has been determined to be a safe and effective treatment for overactive bladder and urinary incontinence.

The procedure of Botox injections is simple, quick, and can easily be done in the office setting. It is typically done with the help of a cystoscope under local anesthesia but can also be done in the same day surgery setting under monitored anesthesia depending on patient preference. There are no incisions. The bladder is examined carefully with the cystoscope and Botox is injected into the bladder wall through a special needle passed through the cystoscope directly into the bladder muscle. Most patients tolerate the procedure very well, maximum benefit is obtained in about 2 weeks, and the treatment lasts 4 to 9 months and then can be repeated again.

Patients usually notice a reduction in their urinary frequency and urgency about 5 days after the procedure. If leakage occurred before Botox, there should be no leakage afterwards. There are a few reported side effects such as blood in the urine after the procedure but then clearing within a few days. Bladder infection may occur as a result of the minimally invasive procedure, so antibiotics are typically given as a precaution after the procedure. About 1 in 10 to 1 in 20 patients describe difficulty emptying the bladder after the procedure and may need to pass a urinary catheter intermittently to achieve complete emptying of the bladder for a few weeks post op.

Bottom Line: Overactive bladder is a common problem that affects the quality of lives of millions of American men and women. Most of patients can be helped with medication. Now Botox is available for those who find the medication ineffective or suffer from intolerable side effects.

Urinary Incontinence-Non-Medication Solutions

Millions of Americans suffer from incontinence. Americans are already “polymedicated” or taking far too many drugs. Many of my patients are trying to solve problems naturally without the use of medications. This blog will discuss the treatment of urinary incontinence without prescription medications.

Incontinence is a symptom of a urinary tract problem, and there are different types of urinary incontinence. Women commonly have overactive bladder\urge incontinence or stress incontinence with the loss of urine with coughing, sneezing, or with exercise.

Men most commonly experience stress incontinence — the accidental release of urine when the bladder is under pressure — after being treated for prostate cancer.
Another type of incontinence called overflow incontinence, occurs more commonly in men. This is associated with enlarged prostate — benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH can squeeze the urethra and keep the bladder from completely emptying.

Whether you have stress incontinence, urge or overflow incontinence, there are natural steps you can take to support your urinary health and restore continence. If an enlarged prostate is causing your symptoms, you can learn how to promote a normal prostate size.

The lifestyle choices you make and the foods you eat can help you regain control of your bladder. Following are several lifestyle changes you can make that will positively affect your bladder control, prostate and urinary health.
Manage Fluids

Drink pure water. While it is important to stay properly hydrated, you want to avoid drinking in the two to three hours before bedtime.
Supplements

There are several natural supplements that support the urinary tract, and many supplements that shrink the prostate. Many men find urinary health benefits from quercetin, saw palmetto, curcumin, green tea extract, cranberry, stinging nettle and pygeum.

Fruits And Vegetables
These foods are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. These support prostate health and urinary tract health, as well as being good for the rest of you too.

Consume Healthy Fats
Healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats help promote prostate health.

Avoid Food Additives And Sugar
Some foods and additives are harmful to the prostate and your urinary function. Try to avoid the worst ingredients in processed foods.

Maintain A Healthy Weight
Being overweight can worsen symptoms of urinary incontinence by putting excess pressure on the bladder. Exercise helps promote prostate health.

Kegel Exercises
Doing Kegels every day can help improve bladder control. Other alternative treatments such as physical therapy may also be of help.

Avoid Cigarettes Or Drink
Smoking is a risk factor for stress incontinence. Alcohol increases urinary frequency, so try to limit or avoid it.

Drink Green Tea
Green tea health benefits come from its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Whether your drink it or take it as a supplement, look for caffeine-free green tea.

Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine from coffee, tea and soda can promote urinary frequency. A study on incontinence in men and caffeine shows that men who consumed 234 mg or more of caffeine every day were 72 percent more likely to have some urinary incontinence compared to men who drink small amounts.

Avoid Foods That Irritate The Bladder
Foods and drinks that can irritate the bladder include citrus fruits, citrus juice, carbonated drinks and spicy foods.

Go When You Need to Go
Don’t hold your urine when you need to go. Holding it can irritate your urinary tract and possibly lead to a urinary tract infection.

Of course, there are medications and other treatments that can help with urinary symptoms of BPH, but they have some unwanted side effects. Before taking any medications, you should give some of the natural supplements and lifestyle changes a try. They may help and they won’t hurt.

Bottom Line: The first step is to talk to your doctor about what is causing your urinary incontinence and to develop a plan for dealing with the problem. Learn as much as you can about urinary incontinence. If you suffer from urinary incontinence, try some of these non-prescription alternatives. They just might work and will decrease your dependence on Depends!

This blog was inspired and modified by an article Treat Urinary Incontinence Naturally
Dr. Geo Espinosa
http://easyhealthoptions.com/easy-health-options-digest/treat-urinary-incontinence-naturally/