Stress urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women, researchers investigate pill to reduce urine leakage: Study

Stress urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women may be treated with a pill, which can potentially reduce urine leakage. The effects of medication is currently investigated by the researchers in the ongoing study. Principal investigator Dr. Kenneth Peters said, “Our hope is that this daily pill will enhance the pelvic floor muscle and reduce stress urinary incontinence in women. The pelvic floor muscles are very important in controlling urinary continence.”

Dr. Peters is testing this urinary incontinence pill on 35 postmenopausal women who will receive three milligrams of the pill a day. The participants will take the pill for a total of 90 days for the research team to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this treatment.

Treatment options for stress incontinence in women

Treatment options for stress incontinence include:

• Behavioral therapy, which can help you change behaviors and the way you live to reduce occurrence of stress incontinence
• Pelvic muscle training
• Prescribed medications
• Surgery

Pelvic floor exercises for stress incontinence

Kegels

Kegels are exercises specifically for your pelvic floor muscles. They improve your ability to hold in urine, thus reducing the risk of leaks and accidents. The good thing about Kegel exercises is, they can be done anywhere at any time because they are super discreet!

To perform Kegels, simply contract your pelvic area as if you were holding in urine, hold the position for a few seconds, release, and repeat. As mentioned, this can be done anytime, because no one knows what you are doing. So whether you are watching TV or sitting in the office, you can exercise and improve your pelvic floor muscles.

Bladder training

You can actually train your bladder to hold more urine. Start by establishing your baseline – how many times do you urinate a day? Once you have an estimated schedule, start training your bladder by holding in your urine for longer durations in-between urine breaks each day. By practicing this technique, your bladder will “learn” to hold more urine over time.

Biofeedback

Your doctor will provide you with a device that will let them know if you are squeezing the right muscles while performing pelvic floor exercises. This way, you can better improve your technique in order to promote a strong bladder.

Abs and core exercises

Working out your abdomen and core will not only improve posture and strength, but can also strengthen your bladder. This is because, according to a mounting body of research, the pelvic and core muscles work together. Taking part in regular exercise with a focus on strengthening your core and back may provide you with some benefits for your bladder as well.

As you can see, there are natural methods to make your bladder stronger and to better manage your overactive bladder condition. By combining home remedies with exercises, you can reduce urinary urgency and prevent the leaks.