What not to do with urinary incontinence

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A U.S. physician warns that while increased urinary frequency is a normal consequence of aging, urinary incontinence is not.

"As people age, in general, the bladder does lose some of its capacity," Dr. Jonathan M. Vapnek, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York, said in a statement. "The bladder gets a bit stiffer and does not hold as much. You can certainly expand it to the same amount, but you can get urgency earlier and that’s one of the reasons why people, as they get older, will urinate more frequently."

Vapnek advises seeing a doctor to determine what is causing the incontinence and what can be done about it. However, Vapnek said there are several things people with urinary incontinence should not do, including:

-- Don’t stop drinking water. Some people with incontinence limit fluids to avoid accidents, but not drinking enough water is particularly harmful for older adults.

-- Don't overdo alcohol, caffeine and tea which aggravate urinary symptoms.

-- Don't eat a lot of foods that cause bladder irritation such as acidic foods like citrus and tomatoes, sugary foods like honey and foods containing caffeine like chocolate.

-- Don't discount pelvic floor exercises which strengthen bladder control muscles and reduce urinary incontinence.