Natural Treatments for Urinary Incontinence and how Emsella can help
Many nutritional supplements can help reduce urinary incontinence. These supplements increase the factors that enhance pelvic muscle strength, decrease factors that cause bladder overactivity, improve blood flow to the pelvic region, and restore normal tissue structure.
What follows are some of the most commonly used nutritional supplements that can help you manage urinary incontinence.
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Take the QuizVitamin D
Vitamin D is important for the development of muscles throughout the body, most importantly the pelvic muscles. Deficiency of this vitamin is common in people who live in regions with low sunlight or have spent a lot of time indoors during the day.
Check your blood levels of Vitamin D to ensure you are getting enough every day – its deficiency can contribute to urinary incontinence.
Pantothenic Acid
This B vitamin can be found in many foods, including whole grains, cereals, legumes, eggs, and vegetables. It is important for the normal function of adrenal glands and the maintenance of healthy skin.
Fish Oil
Fish oil supplements are vital for keeping your joints lubricated and helping your muscles to operate properly.
Your muscles get their power from proteins, and low levels of certain amino acids make it impossible for your muscles to contract properly.
Fish oil supplements supply a healthy dose of fatty acids that decrease the degradation of these amino acids and promote their proper synthesis in your body.
Kegel Exercise
Kegels are special exercises that increase blood circulation to the pelvic floor while simultaneously strengthening muscles. Typically, they consist of contracting and releasing the muscles that control urination several times in a row.
Kegels can help to improve bladder health and reduce urinary incontinence over time if done regularly.
Fluid Intake
It is important to stay properly hydrated by consuming at least 8 cups of water per day. This helps the bladder tissues to maintain their health, reduces the risk of an overactive bladder, and improves derangements in muscle function (such as detrusor hyperactivity) that can lead to urinary incontinence.
Magnesium
Magnesium is found in foods like spinach, fish, and some whole grains. It can help to reduce the frequency of bladder contractions by decreasing the activity of neurons that would otherwise cause them (by lowering their excitability).
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B)
This vitamin is available in most foods. Its deficiency has been linked to stress urinary incontinence, but its exact mechanism of action is not well understood.
Zinc
Zinc supplements can help inhibit the breakdown of proteins that would otherwise contribute to loss of muscle function and damage to tissues.
This makes zinc a valuable addition to your daily regimen if you suffer from urinary incontinence and want the best possible results from your other supplements.
Calcium
The importance of calcium to muscle and bone health has been well documented. Still, it also plays a role in controlling urine flow by tightening the muscles that control urination.
While dietary sources provide sufficient amounts for most people, those at risk of deficiency can take calcium supplements to make up the difference.
Saw palmetto
This natural supplement has been used for more than two decades to treat symptoms of prostate enlargement, including urinary difficulties.
Although its mechanism of action is not well understood, the consensus among experts is that it reduces the size of the prostate and relieves symptoms of stress incontinence associated with this condition.
Senna
This herbal supplement can be taken as a substitute for prescription medications that cause constipation. It stimulates the large intestine and causes it to contract, helping the body remove waste through the colon more smoothly.
In addition, it can help ease stress incontinence by improving bowel control and reducing problems with bowel movements.
Flax
Flaxseeds are available in most grocery stores and provide a good source of dietary fiber. Fiber supplements can benefit the digestive tract by increasing bulk, promoting regularity, decreasing constipation, and reducing straining during defecation.
These factors play an important role in urinary incontinence because they help keep your bowel movements soft so that there is no increased pressure on the bladder.
Watermelon seeds
Watermelon seeds are a good source of L-citrulline, an amino acid that your body can convert into L-arginine, which is known to reduce urinary incontinence. It does this by relaxing the urethra and increasing blood flow around it.
Gosha-jinki-gan
This is a traditional Japanese medicine that has been used for centuries to increase bone density and treat urinary incontinence.
It is believed to work by preventing the cells from overproducing collagen, which leads to excessive amounts in tissues around bones and joints and those found in the urethra.
After discussing dietary supplements with your doctor, decide on some you want to add to your daily regimen and tell them about it.
Instruct them of any supplements you plan to take so they can help monitor the results and adjust your treatment if necessary.
Risks of taking dietary supplements for urinary incontinence
Certain individuals should not use calcium supplements because they contain vitamin D, worsening hypercalcemia (an excess of calcium in the blood), urinary incontinence, and kidney stones.
People with a history of heart disease should consult their doctor before taking saw palmetto because it can increase the risk of sudden cardiac death and lower blood pressure.
Don’t take Senna supplements if there is a possibility you are pregnant because they can stimulate contractions of the uterus.
Risks associated with flax supplements include an increased risk of bleeding, especially if you have a history or are at risk for gastric or duodenal ulcers.
Patients with frequent urinary tract infections should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Also, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any herbal supplements because they can affect other medications you may be taking.
You should never ignore the loss of bladder control
It can be both serious and dangerous if you experience failure of bladder control. However, urinary incontinence is nothing to fear, and the right nutritional supplements can help treat this condition while improving your overall health at the same time.
Sometimes, these measures and others may not work. In this case, new treatments like the Emsella system, which uses high-frequency electromagnetic stimulation, may be the easiest and most effective non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence with no downtime.
How Prime MD Plus can help
Prime MD Plus is a medical clinic with a board-certified geriatrician who can help evaluate and treat urinary incontinence and its underlying causes.
Overactive bladder symptoms, such as frequency, urgency, and leakage, can be caused by a variety of factors, including medications, diet, and underlying medical conditions.
The board-certified geriatrician at Prime MD Plus can help to evaluate these factors and develop a treatment plan that is individualized for each patient.
In addition, the clinic offers a variety of services to help patients manage their overactive bladder symptoms, including Emsella treatments and education on bladder-friendly dietary habits.
For patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, such as hesitancy or weak stream, the clinic offers targeted and non-invasive treatments in addition to medication options.
With the help of Prime MD Plus, patients can find relief from urinary incontinence and regain control over their bladder health.
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Learn MoreConclusion
Nutritional supplements and herbal remedies can help treat urinary incontinence through a variety of means. They have been shown to improve the function of pelvic floor muscles and tissues that play a role in bladder control and promote digestive health, which has direct benefits on your overall well-being.
If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, why wait? Prime MD Plus provides professional medical help in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for urinary incontinence, non-invasively, with or without medication. Our board-certified geriatrician will treat urinary tract infections, provide Emsella treatments, and optimize your medications.
To learn more about urinary incontinence treatments and the conditions we treat, check out primemdplus.com to request an appointment.