Secondary enuresis refers to nocturnal urinary incontinence problems in adults. Although people of any age can suffer from it, bladder problems are usually associated with aging, which is why they are common in older people.
Bladder control problems considerably worsen the quality of life of those who suffer from them. Therefore, it is advisable to take certain measures to prevent them and take care of the health of the bladder. From the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the United States, they point out that it is not always possible to prevent bladder control problems such as urinary incontinence, but good habits can keep the bladder as healthy as possible.
Healthy eating helps prevent factors that increase the likelihood of developing urinary incontinence, such as obesity and diabetes. Although there is no evidence that nutrition improves or worsens urinary incontinence, it is common for some foods and substances such as alcohol, spicy food, carbonated drinks, and others to contribute to bladder irritation and inflammation.
According to the aforementioned organization, you should drink enough fluid to feel the urge to urinate every two or three hours. Avoiding dehydration is important and the color of the urine is an indicator of this, because if it acquires dark tones it warns of the level of dehydration. In any case, patients with kidney or heart failure should not drink too much water.
In patients who are overweight or obese, losing weight can help improve urinary incontinence and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent this problem. This is because the likelihood of developing urinary incontinence and other diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, increases in people with obesity. Therefore, controlling obesity and diabetes could reduce urinary incontinence, especially in women.
It is important to go to the bathroom when you feel like it. It is not advisable to hold urine when it is not a convenient time to go to the bathroom, as this wears out the bladder muscles and increases the risk of developing a bladder infection, which, in turn, causes urinary incontinence.
Quitting smoking has numerous health benefits, including for the bladder. This is because smoking increases the chance of developing stress incontinence by causing coughing. Additionally, smoking is a risk factor for bladder cancer.
Constipation also worsens the health of the urinary tract. To prevent it, it is advisable to follow a diet rich in fiber, drink enough water and stay physically active.
The pelvic floor muscles help hold urine in the bladder. Therefore, keeping it in shape with practices such as Kegel exercises help strengthen these muscles and prevent urine loss when doing activities such as jumping, running, lifting, coughing, sneezing or laughing.
