Navigating Incontinence: Three Quick Tips to Boost Comfort, Dignity, and Confidence
Key Takeaways:
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Small lifestyle changes can significantly improve comfort, confidence, and predictability when managing bladder or bowel incontinence.
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Avoiding personal dietary irritants, staying properly hydrated, and following a bathroom schedule can help reduce accidents and anxiety.
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Consistent routines and practical habits support dignity and independence for people living with incontinence and their caregivers.
Lifestyle Tips for Comfort and Confidence
Incorporating small changes into your or your loved one’s daily routine can make a significant difference in managing incontinence and improving overall comfort and confidence. At first, incontinence may feel unpredictable, but through a few lifestyle changes it is possible to ease anxiety and bring back a sense of control.
While medical guidance for incontinence is essential, small, everyday habits can also make a meaningful difference. Read below for three lifestyle adjustments to improve comfort and confidence for those managing bladder and/or bowel incontinence.
1. Avoid Dietary Irritants
Certain foods and beverages can irritate the bladder or digestive system and worsen incontinence symptoms. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks are the most common culprits, but everyone’s digestive system is different. Try keeping a food and beverage journal for a week to see if any patterns start to emerge. Once you find YOUR culprits, eliminating them from your diet can lead to an improvement in symptoms.
2. Stay Hydrated
It might be counterintuitive, but staying properly hydrated can help prevent overactive bladder symptoms because overly concentrated urine can irritate the bladder. However, if increased hydration starts to lead to more middle-of-night trips to the bathroom or enuresis, it can also be helpful to shift your fluid intake towards the first half of the day.
3. Set a Bathroom Schedule
A good schedule solves so much, especially when it comes to incontinence. Making sure your loved one has a set time to use the bathroom helps to ensure fewer surprise accidents and rushing to avoid any near misses. A bathroom schedule can also be helpful for caregivers to create a smooth daily routine.
With the right tools, habits, and support, you can confidently manage incontinence and live life on your terms.
Small Changes, Real Confidence
Managing incontinence — particularly Heavy Bladder Leakage — doesn’t require changing who you are or giving up the life you enjoy. Often, it’s the small, thoughtful adjustments, such as paying attention to diet, staying hydrated, and following a bathroom routine that help make daily life feel more predictable and comfortable.
And when questions come up or extra support is needed, having someone to talk to can make all the difference. Trusted resources and knowledgeable like NorthShore’s Customer Care Experts can help you explore options, answer questions, and find solutions that support comfort, dignity, and confidence, so that you can keep living life on your terms.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Can lifestyle changes improve incontinence symptoms?
A: Yes, simple lifestyle changes can improve incontinence symptoms. These small changes include tracking and eliminating dietary irritants, staying hydrated, and maintaining a bathroom schedule.
Q: What types of foods can make incontinence symptoms worse?
A: While everyone’s digestive system is different, coffee, tea, and soft drinks are common culprits. Starting a food journal can help discover foods and beverages that trigger incontinence symptoms.
Q: Does staying hydrated help improve incontinence symptoms?
A: Yes, staying hydrated is a great way to help prevent overactive bladder symptoms. If you find you are going to the bathroom too often at night, shift the bulk of your fluid intake to earlier in the day.
Q: Does the fit affect a product’s absorbency?
A: Absolutely! To ensure maximum protection from your incontinence products and prevent leaks, ensuring the fit is correct is essential. NorthShore’s Product Finder Tool can help.
More Helpful Tips & Resources
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About NorthShore Care Supply
Founded in 2002, NorthShore Care Supply empowers people to live with freedom and dignity. As the maker of NorthShore Adult Diapers, we lead in high-performance protection for Heavy Bladder Leakage (HBL) and support #EndHealthStigma. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @NorthShoreCareSupply, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @NorthShoreCare.
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