Natural Remedies for Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an uncomfortable problem that many people experience. Learn how to bring your control and confidence back with these great natural remedies.

Written and verified by the doctor Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas.

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control that results in the inability to hold urine. It’s a health problem that can cause great discomfort to the patient, as well as embarrassment. Therefore, in addition to having an impact on a physical level, it has an impact on a psychological level.

Generally, this disease is more common in the elderly. However, it can affect people of other ages. On the other hand, the intensity can vary.

The good news is that urinary incontinence can be treated. According to Mayo Clinic experts, treatment depends on the cause, type of incontinence, and severity of the symptoms.

On the other hand, they clarify that “doctors are likely to suggest the least invasive treatments first and move on to other options only if these techniques fail”.

Recommendations for incontinence

If you have urinary incontinence, we recommend you to consider the following:

• Follow a healthy diet and maintain adequate hydration.
• Workout your bladder, as directed by your doctor.
• Maintain a schedule to go to the bathroom and, thus, in a way, accustom your body to urinate at certain times.
• Learn to empty your bladder (as much as possible), wait a bit, and then try to urinate again to avoid overflow incontinence.
• Avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine, and other drinks with irritating substances.

Drinks to complement hydration in cases of urinary incontinence

In addition to drinking enough water every day, we advise taking advantage of natural drinks, such as the following we’re going to comment on.

Fennel infusion

Fennel infusion is attributed several medicinal properties. Specifically, it’s said to promote digestion and the elimination of retained fluids. For this reason, it may be a good option to supplement daily hydration in case of urinary incontinence. Of course, you must consume it in moderation and always with your doctor’s authorization.

Ingredients

• 1 glass of water (250 ml).
• 2 tablespoons of fennel seeds (20 g).

Instructions

• Heat the water and add the fennel seeds when it starts to boil.
• Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes and then strain it.
• Wait until it cools down before consuming it.
• Don’t drink more than one or two cups a day.

Raspberry leaf infusion

Raspberry leaf infusion is one of those soft fruit drinks that you can enjoy as a natural refreshment. You can drink it cold with ice or hot.

Ingredients

• 1 glass of water (250 ml).
• Raspberry leaves (to taste).
• 1 handful of fresh raspberries (20 g).

Instructions

• Put the water to boil and add the raspberry leaves.
• Wait 10 minutes before straining the infusion.
• Add the previously washed raspberries and drink.

Garlic water

Garlic water is a natural drink that promotes the elimination of retained fluids and pathogens from the urinary system. Its benefits are associated with the medicinal properties attributed to garlic.

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves.
• 1 glass of water (250 ml).

Instructions

• Peel three fresh garlic cloves and place them in a glass of water overnight.
• Drink the next morning (or 8 hours later).

Bearberry leaves

Ingredients

• 1 liter of water.
• 1 tablespoon of bearberry leaves (10 g).
• Optional: 1 tablespoon of roselle (5 g).

Instructions

• Add one tablespoon of bearberry leaves per liter of water for the infusion.
• Drink one cup of this infusion every day.
• Never drink more than three cups a day.

Other natural solutions

Doing certain exercises to strengthen your muscles can help you if you have urinary incontinence.

Exercise No. 1

• To do it, fill a bidet with warm water and sit down. Begin to contract all the muscles in the genital region for five seconds and repeat the exercise.
• Rest for about ten seconds and contract again.
• Repeat the exercise in the water 10 times. It’s possible that, little by little, your muscles will gain strength and this will make the losses not as frequent or as pronounced.

Exercise No. 2

• Lie on your back on your bed with your knees bent and your feet slightly apart. This position will allow you to contract the rectum, the urethra, and in the case of women, also the vagina.
• Keep the area contracted and slowly count to three.
• Continue with this simple exercise, slowly releasing the tension exerted on the muscles, and repeat this process five to ten times.
• Place your hand on your abdomen to see if this area is relaxed and that you aren’t pushing the wrong area.

Although all these tricks can help you reduce your urinary incontinence, you should consult your doctor and follow their instructions to treat the problem in the most appropriate way.