Control contributing factors

Certain medications, excess weight, smoking and physical inactivity can contribute to bladder control problems. If you address these factors, bladder-specific techniques — such as avoiding bladder irritants and bladder training — might be more successful.

• Manage your medications. Drugs that might contribute to bladder control problems include high blood pressure drugs, heart medications, diuretics, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, sedatives and antidepressants. If you develop incontinence or difficulty urinating while taking these drugs, talk to your doctor.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can contribute to bladder control problems, particularly stress incontinence. Excessive body weight puts pressure on your abdomen and bladder, sometimes resulting in leakage. Losing weight might help.
• Stop smoking. Smokers are more likely to have bladder control problems and to have more-severe symptoms. Heavy smokers also tend to develop a chronic cough, which can place added pressure on the bladder and aggravate urinary incontinence.
• Be active. Some studies indicate that regular physical activity improves bladder control. Try for at least 30 minutes of low-impact moderate activity — such as walking briskly, biking or swimming — most days of the week.
• Minimize constipation. Straining during bowel movements can damage the pelvic floor. Unfortunately, some medications used to treat bladder control problems can worsen constipation. Exercising, drinking enough water and eating high-fiber foods, such as lentils, beans, and fresh vegetables and fruit, might help improve constipation.
• Manage chronic cough. Your cough could be making your bladder problem worse. See your doctor about treatment options.