Behavioural treatments
The main behavioural treatment for incontinence involves bladder or bowel “retraining”, which basically means trying to change your bathroom habits.
Who is it for?
What does it involve?
How can I find out more?
Who is it for?
- Particularly effective for those with urge incontinence
- Useful for those with functional incontinence
- Frequently used for young children and teenagers
What does it involve?
The main behavioural treatment for incontinence involves bladder or bowel “retraining”, which basically means trying to change your bathroom habits.
One method is to stick to a regular bathroom “schedule”, so that you only go to the bathroom at certain times. The aim is to gradually increase the length of time between visits. There are also certain alarms that can be purchased to warn you when it is time for your next visit, or monitors that can be used to record bathroom visits and “accidents”. This information can then be shared with your healthcare professional.
Another method is to try and reduce the need to go to the bathroom. You could do this through trying some pelvic floor exercises, or by a distraction technique like counting backwards.
For those who have a problem with night-time wetting, especially young children and teenagers, a “nocturnal enuresis alarm” can be helpful. This is basically a sensor that is attached to underwear or the bed clothing, and which will make a noise or vibrate if any urine is detected. This can help you get to the bathroom in time.
How can I find out more?
Your usual doctor can provide advice on a suitable behavioural change programme for you, and can recommend particular devices or alarms that may be appropriate.
In addition, more specific behavioural and lifestyle advice is available on this website.
Do any of the following apply to you?
- My child suffers from incontinence
- I’m a teen with incontinence
- I care for someone with incontinence
- Incontinence is making me stressed or anxious
- Incontinence is making it harder for me to work
- Incontinence is making it difficult for me to exercise
- Incontinence is making it difficult to socialise
- Incontinence is making it difficult for me to have sex
- I’m worried that my diet is making my incontinence worse
- I have an advanced neurological problem
References
Pelvic Floor Exercises. 2020[cited 18 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.bladderandbowel.org/help-information/resources/pelvic-floor-exercises/.
European Guidelines on Urinary Incontinence [Internet]. 2018 [cited 18 August 2020]. Available from https://wfip.org/european-guidelines-on-urinary-incontinence/.
Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence) [Internet]. 2018 [cited 18 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems/treatment.
Buckley BS, Lapitan MCM. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in men, women, and children—current evidence: findings of the Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence. Urology. 2010;76(2):265–270.
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