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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

These 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.
Coping and support
References
  1. Marinkovic SP, et al. The management of overactive bladder syndrome. BMJ. 2012;344:e2365.
  2. 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.
  3. Overactive bladder. American Urological Association. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=112. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
  4. 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.
  5. Ellsworth PI, et al. Frequently asked questions in the evaluation and management of overactive bladder. Journal of Family Practice. 2009;58(suppl):s1.
  6. 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.
  7. DuBeau CE. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of urinary incontinence. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
  8. Urodynamic testing. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/urodynamic/. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
  9. DuBeau CE. Treatment of urinary incontinence. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Dec. 19, 2012.
  10. 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.
  11. Lightner DJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 21, 2012.
  12. Subak LL, et al. Weight loss to treat urinary incontinence in overweight and obese women. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:481.
DS00827 Jan. 16, 2013

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