You may have felt the need to urinate more often. This unusual urge to urinate may be caused by fluid intake, weak pelvic floor muscles, or even surgery. If you feel like you can't control your urination (urinary incontinence), try strengthening your pelvic floor muscles and doing other things like limiting your drinking volume to reduce the frequency of using the bathroom. Consult a doctor if you urinate more frequently than normal as this may signal a more serious health problem.
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Part 1 of 2: Practice Kegels to Strengthen the Pelvic Muscles
Step 1. Know the benefits of Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises are useful for strengthening pelvic floor muscles that are weakened by pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, and being overweight. Anyone can do this hidden exercise at any time to treat urinary or stool incontinence.
- The pelvic floor muscles support the uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum.
- In Kegel exercises, you are forced to tighten and relax your pelvic floor muscles.
- To treat urinary incontinence, especially during pregnancy, Kegel exercises can be done by anyone.
- If your urine is pushed out when you sneeze, cough, or laugh as a result of weak pelvic muscles, Kegel exercises may not be very effective.
Step 2. Find the pelvic floor muscles
You may not know exactly where your pelvic floor muscles are, but you can find them easily. By knowing where it is, you can make sure that the Kegel exercises are performed correctly and effectively to strengthen the pelvic muscles.
- The easiest way to find the pelvic floor muscles is to stop urinating in the middle of the stream. If the flow of urine is successfully stopped, then you can find the pelvic floor muscles.
- It may take you a few days to find your pelvic muscles, but keep trying and don't give up.
Step 3. Empty the bladder
Once you've found your pelvic floor muscles, you're ready to move on to Kegel exercises. To work your pelvic floor muscles effectively, empty your bladder first.
Do not use Kegel exercises to expel or stop the flow of urine. This can actually weaken the pelvic floor muscles and consequently worsen incontinence and increase the risk of urinary tract infections
Step 4. Lie on your back
As you get used to doing Kegels, or if you're having trouble finding your pelvic floor muscles, lie down on your back. This position can help you more effectively tighten your pelvic floor muscles.
Be sure to lie on your back after emptying your bladder
Step 5. Contract your pelvic floor muscles
Contract your pelvic muscles in either the supine position, or any other position you prefer (if you are more advanced). Hold for a count of 5 and relax for a count of 5.
- Try to practice Kegels 4 or 5 times.
- Finally, try to contract your pelvic floor muscles for 10 seconds and then relax them for 10 seconds.
- Do not hold your breath while contracting the pelvic muscles. Let your breath flow naturally.
Step 6. Focus on contracting only the pelvic floor muscles
You may be tempted to tighten your abdominals, thighs, or buttocks, but try to only contract your pelvic floor muscles. That way, you can maximize muscle-strengthening exercises in that area.
Step 7. Do Kegel exercises 3 times a day
Repeat the Kegel exercises at least 3 times a day. This way, you can maximize the effectiveness of strengthening your pelvic floor muscles while reducing incontinence.
Do Kegel exercises at least 3 times a day for 10 movements
Step 8. Observe pelvic floor strengthening
If you practice Kegels regularly, your pelvic floor muscles should feel strong within a few months. You may also notice a reduced frequency of urination.
Part 2 of 2: Using Behavioral Techniques to Control Urination
Step 1. Exercise the bladder
Bladder exercise is a behavioral technique of delaying urination when you feel the need. This technique can help extend the time between urinations.
- Begin bladder training by delaying urination for 10 minutes after you feel the urge.
- The goal is to extend the time between urination by 2-4 hours.
Step 2. Try the double voiding technique
Double voiding is a technique of urinating 2 times in the same time. This technique can help you empty your bladder and avoid overflow incontinence.
The most effective way to perform a double void is to empty your bladder, then wait a few minutes and try to urinate again
Step 3. Schedule a time to urinate
Delaying urination for too long can make or cause incontinence. By scheduling regular urination, instead of waiting when you feel the need, you can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and control incontinence.
Try to urinate every 2-4 hours according to your usual frequency, as well as how much fluid you drink. The more you drink, the more often you may have to urinate
Step 4. Reduce fluid intake
Adequate water intake is very important to meet the body's fluid needs and maintain overall health. However, drinking too much water is not a good thing, and may trigger you to urinate more often.
- Men should drink 3 liters of fluids daily, while women should drink about 2.2 liters of fluids daily.
- A good way to estimate whether your body's fluid needs are being met is to have bright yellow urine when you pee.
Step 5. Limit the intake of foods and drinks that can irritate the bladder
Certain foods and drinks can irritate or stimulate urination. By reducing your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and acidic foods, you can help control incontinence.
- Reduce your intake of coffee, caffeinated tea, soda, and milk.
- Try to reduce your intake of acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, and nuts.
- Eating too much salty food will also make you drink more and urinate more often.
- Limit protein intake because it will make the body excrete byproducts in the urine that stimulates you to urinate more often.
Step 6. Use diuretics only if recommended by a doctor
Diuretics, sometimes referred to as "water pills," can make you urinate more often because of their effect, which is to reduce the amount of fluid in your blood vessels. If you are taking diuretics to treat high blood pressure, edema, kidney disease, or diabetes insipidus (diabetes that causes the sufferer to urinate more often), talk to your doctor about other treatment options. However, understand that if your doctor has prescribed a diuretic, you may need to urinate more often.
Never stop using a prescription medication without consulting your doctor first
Step 7. Recognize abnormal urination
Most people urinate every 3-4 hours throughout the day. If you are urinating more frequently than normal, see a doctor.
- Frequent urination is often interpreted as urinating more than the normal frequency.
- Frequent urination can occur at night or in the morning.
- Frequent urination can have an impact on your general health, comfort, and ability to work and sleep.
Step 8. Visit a doctor
If you urinate very frequently or experience incontinence, see your doctor. That way, doctors can check for other conditions such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, diabetes, prostate disease, and other more serious problems.
- See your doctor if you urinate frequently and/or experience incontinence for no apparent reason such as drinking a lot of fluids, alcohol, or caffeine.
- If you experience any of the following signs, you should see a doctor: blood in the urine, red or dark brown urine, pain when urinating, pain in the side of the body, difficulty urinating or emptying the bladder, an intense urge large bowel movements, and loss of ability to control urine.
- Record the time you urinate. Accurate records, even if not kept over a long period of time, can help your doctor understand your problem.
