Urinary Health Awareness: Incontinence · Other Conditions
Pelvic Floor Health · Symptom Quiz · UrologyHealth.org · Donate · New Jersey Specialists
Source: National Association for Continence
The bladder is a hollow, balloon-shaped organ made mostly of muscle. On average, it holds about 2 cups of urine.
It’s normal to go to the bathroom 4 to 8 times a day and no more than twice a night.
Bladder Health Tips
– Drink plenty of water — 6 to 8 cups of each day.
– Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine, as they can heighten bladder activity and lead to leakage.
– Women should not hover over toilet seats.
– Take your time when on the toilet so that your bladder can empty: over time, rushing can result in a bladder infection.
– Stop smoking — using tobacco is a major cause of bladder cancer.
More than 25 million people in the USA experience bladder leakage every day. Incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine or fecal matter, is not a condition that anyone has to “just live with.” Whether it’s caused by aging, childbirth, stress, or surgery, it’s a treatable medical condition: help is available.
If you’ve never thought much about your pelvic floor, you’re not alone. Most people don’t give this section of the body much consideration until it’s too late — but the pelvic floor is one of the most important muscles in the body.
It’s a basket of muscles that supports some pretty major organs – your bladder and rectum, plus the uterus in women or the prostate in men. In addition to being essential in maintaining control over bladder and bowel, the pelvic floor also plays a large role in sexual function and provides support for the baby during pregnancy.
Obesity, childbirth, chronic coughing, chronic constipation and aging can cause the connective tissues of the pelvic floor to weaken. During pregnancy, a pelvic organ prolapse (POP) — a hernia between the pelvic organs and the vaginal opening — can occur. But the good news is that much like the other muscles of the body, the pelvic floor can be trained and strengthened over time.