Healthy Lifestyle

Kegel exercises and avoiding alcohol and caffeine help manage incontinence

INCONTINENCE is a common problem for men and women. It is embarrassing and causes anxiety and changes in the lifestyle of its sufferers, sometimes limiting their daily activities.

AYURVEDA

Incontinence is believed to be caused by an imbalance of the vata dosha at the pelvic region involving the urinary bladder. Ayurvedic texts have described the various causes for this ailment. According to Dr Rangesh,
a senior medical adviser with Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, bladder infection and constipation can aggravate the vata, causing incontinence.

The treatment for incontinence involves oil massages and when there is an obstruction, it is relieved by ladder
infusion or catheterisation. Ingesting extracts of gokshura, satavari and guggulu will help improve the bladder tone and regularise urine flow.

Sufferers are advised to eat yoghurt, milk and porridge made of black gram, dates, ash pumpkin, cucumber and tender coconut water. The techniques to manage urge and mild stress incontinence are:

• Empty your bladder regularly, especially before physical activity.
• Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages or plenty of fluid before any activity.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects.
• Practise Kegel exercises. Contract your pelvic floor muscles for 10 seconds, then relax them for 10 seconds. Repeat this 10 times. Kegel exercises are beneficial when done three times per day. Performing Kegel exercises while one is pregnant and soon after delivery may help prevent incontinence related to childbirth.
• Go to the bathroom regularly rather than waiting for the urge.

Other measures include regulating the bowels to avoid constipation. Try to increase the intake of fibre in your diet. Quit smoking as it reduces coughing and bladder irritation. Losing excessive weight is also very important. Avoid foods and drinks that may irritate the bladder such as spicy foods, coffee, citrus fruits and juices.

HOMEOPATHY

A professional homeopath will individualise a natural remedy for the patient based on the totality of his symptoms, rather than based solely on his bladder symptoms, Dr Pallavi Dialani, a homeopath with Whatever Healing Space said. This custom-made constitutional remedy will strengthen the person’s overall immune and defence system, thus eliminating the symptoms and reaching the core of the underlying disease. A correct remedy will stimulate the body to self-heal. Such healing from within is Nature’s way of cure.

Some of the common constitutional remedies for incontinence are as follows:

• Lycopodium — This is valuable for those who are anxious and constantly worry about what others think of them. They are usually afraid to try anything new and they are prone to wet their bed when they sleep in a warm or stuffy room.
• Kreosotum — This can be used for those who experience a sudden urge to urinate such that they do not have enough time to get to the bathroom. They tend to wet their bed during the first part of the night. Sometimes they will dream that they are urinating.
• Causticum — This remedy is for those suffering from stress incontinence. They tend to wet their pants when they cough, sneeze or laugh. This is due to muscle weakness.
• Pareira — This remedy can be used for those who experience retention of urine due to an enlarged prostate.

MODERN MEDICINE

There are several kinds of incontinence, said Dr Hoo Kai Meng, a senior family physician with the Raffles Medical Group.

Stress incontinence normally occurs in women. They usually leak urine when they cough, sneeze or when they exert physically. It is caused by a laxity of pelvic floor muscles, which is found in women who have undergone
several pregnancies.

Treatment may be as simple as teaching the women to do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor musculature.

Meanwhile, overflow incontinence is usually found in elderly men. The cause is usually a bladder outlet obstruction, for example prostatic enlargement. Affected men may complain of a smaller urine stream or waking up many times during the night to pass urine. Others may not be able to urinate. In all these cases, a complete examination is needed. Digital examination through the rectum is a must. Urodynamic studies (study of the urine flow), radiological examination or cystoscopy will be needed. The patient will be referred to an urologist. Treatment is dependent on the cause.

Urge incontinence is an uncontrolled loss of urine that is preceded by a sudden, strong urge to pass urine. Bladder irritability or sphincter dysfunction could be a cause.

Total incontinence is characterised by a complete loss of control of the bladder. This is due to the loss of control of the sphincteric muscle caused by nerve damage. Management is difficult and takes time.

BREAKFAST helps kick-start your day. Most busy urbanites, however, find preparing breakfast from scratch too much of a hassle, so ready-made cereals serve as a quick solution to our timeoriented lifestyles. Most cereals contain vitamin B. These vitamins work together to boost metabolism, maintain healthy, supple skin and enhance the function of our immune and nervous system.

The vitamins also promote cell growth — including red blood cells. This can actually help to prevent anaemia. Vitamin B are also believed to help relief stress. When choosing cereals, select one that is low in sugar and high in fibre. Try whole grain cereals, which are more nutritious. They contain higher amounts of fibre, which is the bulk roughage that aids the process of digestion. Regular intake of fibre can prevent heart diseases.