If you suffer from urinary urgency and other symptoms of urinary incontinence, then you know all about the embarrassment of coping with your condition. Whether this means running for the bathroom all day long, worrying about a urinary leakage accident, or dealing with the odor of urine, you know the frustration of dealing with symptoms. In fact, women surveyed by WebMD listed the issues related to urinary incontinence from most to least embarrassing:
31% – odor concerns
30% – frequent bathroom trips
26% – traveling with incontinence
13% – intimacy or relationship problems
How does this line-up match up with your levels of embarrassment associated with urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage? Or is your most embarrassing issue–such as being afraid to sit on a friend’s couch–not even on this list? If so, we are not surprised. There are so many frustrating and embarrassing aspects associated with women’s urinary incontinence that the real list of issues that affected women must cope with is much longer. That’s the bad news. Now for the good news.
Simple Ways to Cope with Urinary Urgency, Frequency, and Leakage
The best overall way to relieve your symptoms of urinary incontinence is, of course, to seek help from a medical professional. We suggest you start with a visit to your family doctor or general practitioner, who can either help you directly or refer you to the proper medical professional. You are going to call your doctor immediately after you finish reading this article, right? Right! Good.
Next, while you are waiting for your appointment, there are simple practical steps you can take to cope with the above issues related to urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage.
Tip #1: Coping with Odors
There are many easy steps that you can take to prevent urine odor, everything from using scented pads and liners to avoiding certain foods and beverages. Read more about these tips HERE.
Tip #2: Reduce Bathroom Trips
People who are not affected by urinary incontinence don’t know about the frustration and embarrassment of always looking for bathrooms everywhere you go, not to mention the constant need to excuse yourself to visit the ladies room. To reduce the number of trips you make to the bathroom due to urinary urgency, try retraining your bladder. With this method, you teach your bladder to empty at regular intervals, rather than whenever you experience a random or unexpected bladder spasm. Read more about bladder retraining HERE.
Tip #3: Simplify Travel
Traveling while dealing with urinary incontinence symptoms can be a major hassle, no matter which mode of transportation you choose. To simplify your trip, try the practical tips listed in this article. You’ll discover that by taking a little time to prepare for your trip, your journey will be smooth and hassle-free.
Tip #4: Talk Through Relationship Problems
When a woman has urinary incontinence, she isn’t the only one who suffers. In a relationship, both parties are affected. However, clear and compassionate communication can resolve many relationship problems caused by women’s urinary incontinence. Want to know more? Check out ways to discuss your situation with your partner HERE.
As you can probably tell, urinary urgency and leakage do not need to ruin your life, nor do you need to suffer constant embarrassment. If you can take the time to educate yourself about your condition, as well as prepare yourself daily to cope with your most inconvenient symptoms, you will find that you will find embarrassment to be much less of a factor in your life.
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