How To Stop Bladder Leaks Naturally: Easy Fixes That Really Work, Say Doctors
Experts reveal the best at-home treatments for urinary incontinence, plus when to see a doctor
If you’ve ever laughed or sneezed only to realize that you had a bladder leak, you know that urinary incontinence can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. And the problem typically worsens with age, affecting up to 75 percent of women over age 65. Fortunately, urinary incontinence treatment doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Keep reading for simple tricks you can try (often from the comfort of home) that help you sidestep leaks.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is a condition characterized by the involuntary loss of urine, explains Jason Kim, MD, associate professor of urology and director of the Women’s Pelvic Health and Continence Center at Stony Brook University Medical Center. In other words, you can’t control when you urinate. It can range from occasional bladder leaks to the complete inability to hold urine in, Dr. Kim adds.
There are four main types of urinary incontinence, says Gil Weiss, MD, OB/GYN, assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. They include:
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- Stress incontinence. This is leakage during activities like laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercising. Pelvic muscle weakness is often at the root of this tissue.
- Urge incontinence. Also known as overactive bladder (OAB), this is a sudden and intense urge to urinate that can cause leaks. It can occur when the nerves that send signals between your bladder and brain aren’t working properly.
- Mixed incontinence. This is the diagnosis you’ll receive if you experience both stress and urge incontinence.
- Overflow Incontinence. Incomplete emptying of the bladder causes urine to build up and “spill out” involuntarily when you have overflow incontinence. An overly distended bladder is often the source of the issue.
Common causes of urinary incontinence
“Urinary incontinence can have various causes, and often, multiple factors may contribute to the condition,” Dr. Kim says. Some of the most common triggers include pelvic muscle weakness (caused by aging, pregnancy or even straining due to chronic constipation), menopause (loss of estrogen weakens bladder tissues), diabetes (nerves that control bladder function may be impaired) and medications such as diuretics, antihypertensives and sedatives.
8 natural urinary incontinence treatment options
First things first: Visit your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. “Some cases of urinary incontinence may be temporary and reversible with appropriate treatment, while others may require long-term management strategies,” Dr. Kim says. Here, the best natural treatment options for urinary incontinence.
Fill up on fiber
Fiber-rich foods like oats, beans and berries thwart constipation, a sneaky cause of bladder control problems. A study in Biomed Research International found that women who were constipated were more likely to experience moderate to severe overactive bladder symptoms.
Researchers theorize that this irritating effect may be due to a swollen colon pressing on the bladder. To avoid this, aim to consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, which helps keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Tip: When possible, “avoid bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, spicy and acidic foods to help prevent exacerbation of incontinence symptoms,” advises Mickey Karram, MD, a board-certified gynecologist, urogynecologist and obstetrician at Visthetic Surgery Institute and MedSpa in Beverly Hills, California.
Take a deep breath
A small study in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery found that practicing daily mindfulness techniques helps relax a spasming bladder and reduces incontinence episodes.
Try this: Choose one aspect of your breathing—air filling your lungs, for instance—and focus on that sensation for at least 30 seconds each day.
Strengthen your pelvic floor
Research in JAMA Internal Medicine found that doing a 12-week pelvic floor muscle training program helped participants strengthen those muscles, which reduced incontinence episodes by 70 percent.
Try this: Kegel exercises: Simply tighten your pelvic floor muscles—the ones you’d use to stop urination mid-stream—for five seconds, relax for five seconds, then repeat.
“Regular and correct performance of these exercises can improve muscle tone and provide better support to the bladder and urethra,” Dr. Kim says. You don’t need to be kegel-cizing all day long, but for best results, “repeat this process several times a day.” Check out the video below for a quick how-to.
Squeeze then lift
To prevent urinary incontinence when picking up heavier items like grocery bags or your grandbabies, squeeze the muscles of your pelvic floor before and during lifting. Research in the Journal of Pharmacy and BioAllied Sciences suggests this move (known as “the knack”) can treat urinary incontinence triggered by activities that put pressure on the bladder. Not sure which bladder muscles to squeeze? Imagine you’re trying to stop the flow of urine midstream or prevent yourself from passing gas.
Nosh on nachos
Treating yourself to nachos with black beans is a surprisingly effective urinary incontinence treatment option. Black beans brim with magnesium, a mineral that helps keep your bladder healthy. Portuguese scientists say magnesium calms the muscles of the bladder wall, preventing contractions that can cause leakage.
Stretch your legs
Spend 10 minutes a day practicing relaxed yoga poses and stretches, focusing on moves that tone the inner thighs, hips and glutes. A study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics suggests that strengthening hip muscles in conjunction with pelvic floor muscles improves bladder control and may help serve as a natural treatment for urinary incontinence. Any exercises that strengthen the core and support the pelvic region, such as yoga and Pilates, can be particularly beneficial, Dr. Kim adds.
Drink up
It may seem counterintuitive to drink more as a treatment for urinary incontinence. But “staying adequately hydrated is important for overall bladder health, as dehydration can lead to concentrated urine and irritation,” Dr. Karram says.
When urine is ultra-concentrated, it’s rich in minerals that can irritate the bladder and make incontinence worse. Dehydration can also increase the risk of constipation. Learn how much water you need to drink a day here (hint: urine that’s pale yellow or almost clear means you’re probably well-hydrated).
Don’t hold it
Urinating according to a rough schedule (about every three to six hours) retrains the way the bladder and brain interact to give you better control. “Make an effort to empty the bladder regularly and completely to help prevent overdistension and stress on the bladder,” Dr. Kim recommends.
Tip: When you do take a bathroom break, try a Mayo Clinic technique known as double voiding to fully empty your bladder. After urinating, lean forward, then sit back upright and try to go again. This helps compress your bladder and squeeze out as much urine as possible, warding off leaks.
Advanced urinary incontinence treatment options
“Urinary incontinence is common, but not necessarily normal,” says Erica Montes, MD, board-certified ob-gyn and pH-D Feminine Health Advisor. “If you have symptoms, please bring it up to your physician. If they say it’s not a big deal, ask for a referral. You don’t have to live with this.” More advanced medical treatment options for urinary incontinence include:
Medication
For women whose urinary incontinence is related to menopausal hormonal shifts, Dr. Montes is a fan of a topical vaginal estrogen that you apply directly to your vagina. “It’s excellent treatment for prevention and therapy” of urinary incontinence, she says. “It’s also safe, low-risk and can help reduce so many urinary symptoms, including recurrent urinary infections, overactive bladder and stress incontinence.”
Other pharmacological options (such as oral medications) work by relaxing the bladder, increasing its capacity or promoting the tone of sphincters that control urination.
Surgery
Don’t lose hope if “conservative measures—lifestyle changes, pelvic floor exercises and medications—have not provided sufficient relief,” Dr. Karram says. Instead, see a urologist or urogynecologist.
“It’s not uncommon for specialists such as myself to see patients with urgency incontinence who have taken medications for over 20 years with no discernible improvement,” Dr. Kim says. “They usually have been told that there are no other treatment options available.”
But that’s not the case. Several urinary incontinence treatment options can provide dramatic relief. They include:
- Bladder Botox injection. Ideal for patients with urge, stress or mixed incontinence, a doctor injects Botox into the bladder to relax the muscles. This allows more time to make it to the bathroom when you feel the need to urinate.
- Periurethral bulking. A doctor injects a bulking medium, like collagen or a gel into and around the walls of your urethra. It’s typically used to treat stress incontinence.
- Sling placement. A doctor uses either tissue transferred from another area of your body or a synthetic mesh sling to help support the neck of the bladder and the urethra during this minor surgical procedure. It’s often recommended as a treatment for stress urinary incontinence.
- Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. To help treat urge incontinence, the American Urological Association (AUA) gives the green light to this tongue twister of a treatment. A doctor places an acupuncture-like needle near the ankle, which is attached to a nerve-stimulation device. It uses electrical stimulation pulses to retrain bladder nerves.
- Sacral neuromodulation. During this minor surgical procedure, a doctor inserts a bladder “pacemaker” of sorts. This helps the brain, bladder and nerves work together more smoothly. The AUA suggests this treatment for individuals with urge incontinence.
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