Urinary Urgency, Frequency, & Incontience

Definitions:

  • Urinary urgency: “a sudden compelling desire to pass urine that is difficult to defer.”
  • Urinary Frequency: “the perception that you void too often.”
  • Incontinence: “involuntary leaking of urine.”

Lifestyle management options to reduce urinary urgency and frequency:

  • Reduce intake of the following:
    • Caffeinated coffee
    • Any carbonated beverage
    • Alcohol
    • Juice
    • Acidic fruits
  • Avoid excessive fluid intake, ~64oz of fluid/day, unless directed otherwise by your healthcare provider.
  • If diabetic: work with your primary care provider to obtain tight glycemic control
    • Elevated blood sugars can cause significant irritative voiding symptoms such as urinary urgency/frequency.

Ways to reduce incontinence:

  • If overweight/obese, lose weight.
  • Complete Timed Voiding:
    • Go to the bathroom on a schedule, i.e. if the urge to urinate occurs every 1 hour, go to the bathroom every 50 minutes. Once you are able to go a few days without leaking increase time between bathroom trips by 15 minutes.
      • If you develop a strong urge to urinate prior to your scheduled bathroom trip attempt to relax, do not run to the bathroom, complete kegel exercises to break the urge, utilize distraction, then when you feel in control slowly walk to the bathroom.
  • Double void:
    • sit on the toilet and lean forward, wait approximately 20-30 seconds to attempt to urinate again.
  • Complete Kegel exercises daily.

Additional medical management options- should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
Please do not hesitate to contact our office with questions or concerns.
937-293-1622

References: McVary, K.T. & Saini, R. (2020). Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men. In M.P. O’Leary (Ed.), UpToDate. Retrieved March 23, 2020. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/lower-urinary-tract-symptoms-in-men?search=over%20active%20bladder&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2

Lukacz, E.S. (2020). Treatment of Urgency Incontinence/Overactive Bladder in Females. In Brubaker, L. & Schmader, K.E. (Eds.), UpToDate. Retrieved March 23, 2020. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-urgency-incontinence-overactive-bladder-in- females?search=over%20active%20bladder&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1