Urinary Incontinence in Women

If you experience long-term (chronic) urinary incontinence, you can take some steps immediately that may eliminate or reduce the problem.

• Establish a schedule of urinating every 3 to 4 hours, regardless of whether you feel the need.
• Talk with your health professional about all prescription and nonprescription medications you take, to see if any of them may be making your incontinence worse.
• Practice "double voiding" by urinating as much as possible, relaxing for a few moments, and then urinating again.
• If you have trouble reaching the bathroom before you urinate, consider making a clearer, quicker path to the bathroom and wearing clothes that are easily removed (such as those with elastic waistbands or Velcro closures), or keep a bedpan close to your bed or chair.
• Reduce or eliminate caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, and some carbonated drinks) from your diet.
• Avoid drinking alcohol in excess.
• Wear a tampon while doing activities such as jogging or dancing to put a little pressure on your urethra and to temporarily slow or stop leakage.
• Avoid drinking too much or too little fluid. Excessive liquids can increase the need to urinate and increase incontinence. Too little fluid can result in dehydration. Approximately 2 qt (1.89 L) of fluid are necessary every day to maintain kidney and bladder health.

Additional steps may reduce or eliminate your urinary incontinence; however, these require more time to make a difference.

• Strengthen your pelvic muscles by performing pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises every day and by having a regular exercise program.
• Try to lose some weight if you are overweight. Remember that effective weight-loss programs depend on a combination of diet and exercise. For more information, see the topics Healthy Weight, Fitness, and Nutrition.
• Increase the amount of fiber in your diet if constipation is a problem. You can easily do this by adding a small amount of wheat bran, such as 1 tsp (4.7 g), to foods you normally eat and by increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans in your diet.
• If you smoke, quit. This may reduce coughing, which may reduce your problem with incontinence. For more information, see the topic Quitting Tobacco Use.