Urinary incontinence is nothing to sneeze, no pun intended. Possibly more common than thought, an estimated forty percent of American women have some level of this problem which can be caused by a number of factors. There are three types of urinary incontinence including stress incontinence, caused by a sudden strain like coughing or sneezing. Even laughing really hard can cause bladder leakage. Urge incontinence is the leaking of urine because of a sudden urge to go, even if you physically should not have that urge. Nearly half of all women with bladder issues have both types.

There are many reasons that bladders issues arise. Pregnancy and childbirth are two of the most common because it causes a serious weakening of the pelvic floor . While some women can fight the effects by doing kegels during their entire pregnancy, these exercises may not be enough to prevent this damage. In other women, aging and other illnesses may lead to bladder problems.

It might seem surprising, but excess weight can lead to additional bladder control issues because of the strain on the pelvic floor caused by excess pounds. But, losing weight might make getting control back far more simple. In a study of overweight women with bladder control problems, three quarters of those who lost just five percent of their total body weight found that they had fewer bladder accidents and had regained more control over bladder leakage.

Medications and foods can also cause an increase in urinary incontinence. Some of the most common food triggers, according to experts include things like citrus, chocolate, spicy foods and hot peppers, foods with aspartame and food or drinks with caffeine. Common medications that can lead to bladder leakage include certain antihistamines, some antidepressant medications and some blood pressure medications. The latter is thought to trigger bladder leakage by interfering with muscle contractions in the bladder.

While surgery may often become an option in some cases, doctors consider it the last resort option only. For some women, especially those with only minor incontinence issues, bladder retraining is the first suggestion. Instead of running to the bathroom every time the urge is felt, the women are told to wait for a while, increasing the time between trips gradually. Yoga is also suggested, especially poses that help to increase the pelvic strength. Yoga can also help to reduce weight which also helps to reduce pressure on the bladder and the pelvic floor.