CARE ASSISTANT
ENLifestyle & Dietary Science
First-line measures you can put in place today.
- The cranberry question Pure cranberry juice can help limit urinary infections. However, with interstitial cystitis, it irritates an already painful bladder: avoid it in that case.
- Hydrate without fear Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. Restricting water concentrates the urine, which becomes irritating and favours urgency.
- Avoid irritants Caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks and artificial sweeteners are known bladder irritants.
- The squatting posture Raising your feet on a small stool at the toilet relaxes the puborectalis muscle and makes evacuation easier without straining.
More Informations
Lifestyle: the everyday habits that support continence.
Definition
Continence also depends on habits: weight, hydration, diet, physical activity and bowel habits act on the bladder and pelvic floor.
Causes
Excess weight increases pressure on the pelvic floor, dehydration concentrates urine and irritates the bladder, inactivity weakens the supporting muscles.
Diagnosis
- Simple review: weight, drinks, medicines, bowel habits and activity.
Treatments
Lose weight if needed, drink water regularly rather than diuretic drinks, adopt a fibre-rich diet and move every day. These habits often improve leaks and complement the other treatments.
Drinking enough, moving, caring for the bowel and training the pelvic floor remain the foundation. A Nateen protection matched to the level of leaks keeps life active while these habits pay off.
Educational content written for families and caregivers. It does not replace a consultation: a doctor, a continence nurse or a physiotherapist makes the diagnosis and chooses the treatment.