Overactive Bladder

By A. Magnus

An overactive bladder and incontinence affects 12 million North American women. It is a treatable disorder, whose main symptom is frequent urination and leakage. Incontinence occurs when the urethra loses support from the vaginal walls.

Symptoms of overactive bladder:

• Frequent urination
• Insomnia due to the urge to urinate at night
• Urine leakage
• Bed-wetting.

Overactive bladder can be casued by bladder stones, surgery or neurological disease. Among the main risk factors for incontinence are excessive weight, smoking, pregnancy, stress and infections of the bladder, such as cystitis.

Bladder problems don't necessarily have to be treated with medications. Pelvic muscles can be strengthened and toned, just like any muscle in the body, to prevent urine leakage.

These exercises, called Kegels (after the doctor who invented them), are often prescribed to pregnant women.

Kegel exercises can tighten the muscles that control stream of urine. You can locate these muscles by stopping and starting the flow of urine.

Kegel exercises can be easily done everywhere, as they are completely invisible. There are even vaginal weights to be used when doing Kegel exercises.

You can develop your own Kegel routine by adding variations of exercise, such as elevation Kegels or holding the pressure for a few seconds. Women who practice Kegels admit that these simple exercises have the added benefit of greatly improving their sex life.