Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThese healthy lifestyle choices may reduce your risk of overactive bladder:
- Get regular, daily physical activity and exercise.
- Limit consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
- Quit smoking.
- Manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes, that might contribute to overactive bladder symptoms.
- Learn where your pelvic floor muscles are and then strengthen them by doing Kegel exercises — tighten (contract) muscles, hold the contraction for two seconds and relax muscles for three seconds. Work up to holding the contraction for five seconds and then 10 seconds at a time. Do three sets of 10 repetitions each day.
References
- Marinkovic SP, et al. The management of overactive bladder syndrome. BMJ. 2012;344:e2365.
- South-Paul JE, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=52. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- Overactive bladder. American Urological Association. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=112. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- What I need to know about bladder control for women. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/bcw_ez/. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- Ellsworth PI, et al. Frequently asked questions in the evaluation and management of overactive bladder. Journal of Family Practice. 2009;58(suppl):s1.
- Treatment of overactive bladder in women. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/bladder/bladder.pdf. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- DuBeau CE. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of urinary incontinence. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- Urodynamic testing. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/urodynamic/. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- DuBeau CE. Treatment of urinary incontinence. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
- Anger JT, et al. Outcomes of intravesical botulinum toxin for idiopathic overactive bladder symptoms: A systematic review of the literature. The Journal of Urology. 2010;183:2258.
- Lightner DJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 21, 2012.
- Subak LL, et al. Weight loss to treat urinary incontinence in overweight and obese women. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:481.


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