Are you experiencing problems with your bladder? When you laugh, cough, sneeze, or exercise, are you afraid that urine might leak out? When you feel the need to urinate, are you afraid that you won’t make it to the bathroom in time? If so, you are not alone. Although millions of women suffer from weak bladder, it’s a topic that few of them ever discuss with anyone else, even with their physician. That’s because the involuntary loss of urine is considered too embarrassing to even mention it.

Some women choose to limit their participation in social functions and sports for fear of wetting themselves. They think weak bladder is just something you have to live with. But it isn’t! By getting educated and starting treatment most women are able to resume normal daily activities and improve the quality of their life.

If you are one of these women who are suffering in silence, then you may be surprised to learn that there are some things you can do to reduce or even get rid of that problem. The following are some of the lifestyle changes that are easy to introduce to reduce severity of your symptoms:

1. Change the type of beverages you drink. Eliminate or reduce any beverages that act as diuretics and/or bladder irritants. These beverages are include coffee and all caffeinated drinks, tea, acidic juices, and carbonated sodas.

2. Limit your daily fluid intake. Even though we should drink 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of fluids daily, you may require more or less than this amount depending on your activity level, climate, and air temperature,c and other factors. If you are not sure, consult your doctor approximately how much you should be drinking each day.

3. Improve your diet. Foods that are spicy, acidic, artificially colored, pickled, contain artificial sweeteners, etc., can irritate your bladder.

4. Lose a few pounds. Losing even 10 pounds can help relieve pressure on your bladder.

5. Quit smoking.

6. Bladder training. This means teaching yourself to delay going to the bathroom, so that you wait a few minutes each time before you go. Work on gradually increasing the length of time, until you are only urinating once every 2 to 4 hours.

7. Do pelvic floor muscle exercises daily. Pelvic floor exercises, or Kegel exercises, help strengthen your pelvic muscles and improve your ability to control your bladder.

Whatever method you use, don’t neglect your bladder weakness problems just because you don’t know where to look for help and are embarrassed to ask for help. If you need to see a specialist, it’s important to do so early. If you are in New York/New Jersey area, call urologist in New Jersey for a free consultation.