There are some steps you can take to help manage urinary incontinence.

Avoid Bladder Irritants

Some people find that coffee, other sources of caffeine, citrus, or alcohol increase the urge to urinate. Temporarily avoiding these beverages may cause your symptoms to improve.

Schedule Your Liquid Intake

Most of the liquid you drink will reach your bladder within 2-3 hours. Therefore, it’s best to time your intake of large quantities of fluids to those hours when you know you’ll be near a restroom.

Know Your Medications

Certain medications (diuretics) can increase your urinary frequency for several hours until their effect subsides. Discuss with your doctor when is the best time for you to take them and plan accordingly.

Try Collectors and Pads

There are a number of devices available to catch urine. Small amounts can be managed with sanitary napkins or special condoms (for men). Larger amounts can be absorbed by protective undergarments with high-tech linings that prevent moisture from breaking down your skin. The use of collectors and pads in conjunction with scheduling your liquid intake can turn many incontinence problems into minor nuisances.

Use Catheters as Directed

For hospitalized patients and people who leak large amounts, it may be necessary to remove urine through a tube. Most urine tubes get infected when left in for more than a few days, so they are avoided whenever possible. If you have a neurogenic bladder, you will learn how to pass a catheter into your bladder periodically to empty it. In men, a condom attached to a catheter avoids the risk of infection. Sometimes a catheter is placed directly into the bladder through the abdominal wall.

If you have a catheter, you will be instructed to plug it, then drain it when you reach a toilet. Or, you will have a bag attached to it that you carry around with you and drain periodically.

Lose Weight

If you are a woman who is overweight or ]]>obese]]> , losing weight may help to reduce the number of episodes due to stress or urge incontinence. ]]>]]> Stress incontinence results when certain activities lead to increased pressure on the bladder. Urge incontinence is a loss of bladder control following a strong urge to urinate.

Talk to your doctor about a ]]>weight loss program]]> that is right for you.

When to Contact Your Doctor

You can manage fluid restriction, pads, and collecting devices on your own. However, catheters require frequent professional attention from specially trained nurses to handle the following problems:

  • Leakage around the catheter
  • No urine coming out
  • Pain, burning or increased urgency, which may signal an infection
  • Bleeding