From the foods you eat to pelvic floor exercises
If you’ve experienced little leaks from time to time, you might not feel like shouting it from the rooftops, but it’s important to know that incontinence is very common and nothing to feel embarrassed about.
The good news is, there are a couple of tips and tricks you can try to help prevent pesky leaks from disrupting your daily life. Read on as we delve into them so you can take back control and regain your confidence.
What is urinary incontinence?
Incontinence is when you unintentionally pee. It’s very common, affecting millions of people regardless of age or gender. When and how this happens all depends on the type of incontinence you have:
- Stress incontinence – little leaks occur when your bladder is under pressure, for instance when you laugh, cough or sneeze
- Urge incontinence – feeling a sudden urge to pee and not being able to stop it
- Overflow incontinence – when you’re unable to fully empty your bladder which leads to more frequent leaks
- Total incontinence – when your bladder is unable to store any urine, causing constant leaking
Stress and urge incontinence are the two most common types, and it’s possible to have a mixture of these two at one time.
What causes urinary incontinence?
There are several causes of incontinence, some of which can lead to short-term incontinence and others may lead to long-term. Certain things can increase the chances of incontinence, such as pregnancy and childbirth, the menopause, increasing age and urinary tract infections (UTIs) to name a few. Our incontinence guide has more information on the possible causes.
Common signs of urinary incontinence
With there being different types and causes of incontinence, the symptoms can vary from person to person – some may experience the occasional leak, while others may completely lose control of their bladder.
Common symptoms of incontinence include:
- Peeing a little when coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising
- Needing to pee frequently or urgently
- Not being able to get to the toilet in time
- Finding it difficult to start peeing
- Wetting the bed during the night
- Feeling like your bladder doesn't fully empty
6 ways to help prevent urinary incontinence
We understand that incontinence can sometimes get in the way of daily life, so we’re here to help you take back control with our top tips for preventing leaks.
1. Revisit your drinking habits
While it’s important to stay hydrated and drink plenty throughout the day (which may seem like the one thing that could trigger leaks), it all comes down to the types of drinks you have.
Certain drinks can make incontinence worse, which include:
- Caffeinated drinks – such as tea, coffee, energy drinks, some fizzy drinks and hot chocolate. Try to swap these out for decaffeinated coffee, fruit teas and more water
- Fruit juices – flavours like orange and grapefruit are much more acidic so can irritate the bladder
- Alcohol – this makes you urinate more often, so cutting down may help lessen incontinence symptoms
- Carbonated drinks – things like soda, sparkling waters and champagne
Try to drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day, unless your GP advises you otherwise. It’s important to not limit the amount you drink, as this can reduce your bladder’s capacity, making incontinence worse. Struggle to drink plenty of water? Have a read of our top tips to help keep you hydrated.
2. Pay attention to your diet
While it may not be the first thing that springs to mind when we talk about incontinence, your diet can actually play a big role in bladder function. In fact, there are a few foods that are recommended to limit or avoid if you’re experiencing incontinence, including:
- Artificial sweeteners and sugary foods – these are thought to stimulate the bladder, causing sudden urges which may lead to leaks
- Chocolate (yes, really!) – this is also because of the caffeine content. To satisfy your cravings, you could try eating white chocolate as this is free from cocoa solids and caffeine or opt for milk chocolate as this has less cocoa solids than dark chocolate
- Chilli peppers and other spicy foods – anything with a bit of a kick can irritate the lining of the bladder so it’s best to cut back a little
- Acidic and citrus foods – we’re talking tomatoes, oranges, limes, grapefruits and lemons which can all affect bladder control thanks to their high citric acid content
- Large amounts of vitamin C – this can be found in the likes of oranges, peppers, strawberries, broccoli and potatoes and may make incontinence symptoms worse. When taken as a supplement, this may also increase flare-ups
It’s important to note that the above foods don’t cause incontinence, but they can trigger irritation and inflammation of the bladder which may lead to incontinence. Our advice? Keep a food diary to track any changes in your toilet habits and note any triggers. For example, if you experienced more leaks on the days where you had a curry or citrus fruit salad, try to cut this out and see if you notice a difference.
Up your fibre intake
The last thing you want along with incontinence is constipation. Having constipation can put pressure on the bladder and bowel, and worsen symptoms of incontinence. The best way to prevent this is to drink plenty of fluids and increase your fibre intake. Adults should aim for 30g of fibre a day and it can be found in the likes of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses. Want to know how to get more into your diet? Take a look at our guide to fibre for some inspiration.
3. Practise pelvic floor exercises
One of the biggest pieces of advice for those experiencing incontinence is to try doing some daily pelvic floor exercises. You can feel your pelvic floor muscles if you imagine yourself stopping yourself from peeing.
These can be effective at reducing leaks as they help to strengthen the muscles around your bladder, bottom, vagina or penis. To do pelvic floor exercises, simply:
- Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles (without pulling your tummy in)
- Hold for two seconds
- Relax the muscles and repeat 10 times
There are plenty of pelvic floor exercises you can try but you may need to do them for a few months before seeing any benefits. Our how-to guide is packed full of inspiration to help get you started.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight can put added pressure of fatty tissue on your bladder and weaken your pelvic floor muscles, causing incontinence. Losing a little weight and maintaining it may improve your incontinence symptoms. Not sure where to start? Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet and get plenty of exercise. You can speak to your GP for additional advice and take a look at our Weight Management Health Hub for more guidance.
Be sure to speak to your GP before trying a new exercise, if you haven’t exercised for some time or have an existing medical condition.
5. Be aware of certain medications
Some medicines can disrupt the normal process of storing and passing urine, relax the bladder or increase the amount of urine your produce. Some of these include:
- Muscle relaxants and sedatives
- Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- Certain heart and blood pressure medications
If you’re concerned that your medication could be triggering urinary incontinence, you must continue to take your medication as prescribed and speak to your GP.
6. Quit smoking
If you do smoke, there’s an increased risk of incontinence. This is because the chronic cough that’s associated with smoking strains your pelvic floor muscles, as well as irritating the bladder.
If you’re wanting to stub out the habit, you may want to consider the NHS Stop Smoking Service*, which offers a structured approach to controlling your cravings. You can also have a read of our Stop Smoking Health Hub for additional support.
Looking for more advice? Take a look at our incontinence guide for more information, tips for blitzing bad habits and our top product recommendations.
When to see a GP
If you’re experiencing little leaks, you feel a sudden need to pee or you’re unable to stop the urge, make an appointment with your GP.
Reaching out to your GP is the first step towards finding a way to effectively manage the issue. And remember, it’s very common and absolutely nothing to feel embarrassed about – your GP is there to listen to you and help you navigate your next steps.
