How to Train Your Bladder

Do you find yourself running to the bathroom when you have the urge to pee, scared you are not going to make it? Do you almost pee your pants when you are unlocking your door, pulling into the driveway or when you see the toilet?

These are all symptoms of urgency or urge incontinence (if you do leak urine).Urge Urinary Incontinence is the term used to describe the loss of bladder control that specifically occurs when someone has a strong sensation of needing to pee and is trying to get to a toilet.

First lets talk about normal bladder health. It is normal to:

• Pee 4-6x/day

• Pee 0-1x/night

• Drink about 2 L of water/day

• Feel an urge to pee that slowly increases

• Be able to get to the toilet without leaking

Why does urgency happen?

Normally as your bladder fills with liquid it stays relaxed and your pelvic floor muscles contract until it is time to go and you are already sitting on the toilet. Then a reflex happens that relaxes your pelvic floor muscles and contracts your bladder muscle. With urgency the bladder muscle is contracting prematurely. Pelvic floor muscle tension or weakness can both contribute to this issue. Therefore it is not recommended that you start doing any form of kegal exercises before seeing a pelvic floor PT so you do not make the problem worse.

How to find a pelvic floor PT?

Find a PT near you with these search engines:

https://pelvicguru.com/

https://pelvicrehab.com/

What can you do to help?

For specific help tailored to you I recommend you see a pelvic floor physical therapist. But here are some simple ways you can begin to retrain your bladder and reduce the urgency.

1. Sip water throughout the day instead of chugging

Drinking too much fluid causes your kidneys to produce urine at a very fast rate, increasing the chance you will have a bladder spasm.

1. Reduce Caffeine intake

For some people caffeine can cause bladder spasms to be much stronger than usual and occur at smaller bladder volumes than they normally would. Reducing your caffeine may reduce the degree to which you experience urgency and leakage on your way to the toilet. It is important to note however, if you currently consume a large amount of caffeine it is important to reduce your intake gradually so that you do not experience headaches etc.

1. Stop going just in case

Going to the bathroom “ just in case” overtime can train your bladder to empty at smaller and smaller volumes. Don’t go unless you feel the urge to go. Times where is it okay to go “just in case” include before and after sex, before bed or if you are going on a car trip where there will be no access to a bathroom for more than your average void interval ( time between peeing).

Other treatments that can be helpful include

• Pelvic floor physical therapy

• Electrical stimulation of the nerves that supply the pelvic floor works to activate sensory fibers that cause inhibition of bladder voiding via a reflex mechanism in the spinal cord.

• Certain medications that calm your bladder

• Bladder botox injections to calm your bladder

• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

It is time to take control of your bladder so it doesn't control you!

If you want to learn more about your pelvic floor follow me on:

Instagram & TikTok @Magdalenlink_dpt

Xoxo-

Magdalen