Urologic Diseases Research Updates
Winter 2007

Resources

Featured in the NIDDK Reference Collection

Bladder Training to Help Correct Urinary Incontinence

This online article describes bladder training, a behavior modification therapy for managing urinary incontinence. Bladder training can help the bladder hold urine better and decrease the urge to urinate by following a timetable to store and release urine. The article explains the basics of bladder training, the various causes of poor bladder control, urge suppression techniques, lifestyle guidelines to improve bladder control, and goals that can be achieved with bladder training. Some of the urge suppression techniques include different types of Kegel exercises and mental tricks to distract one’s attention away from the urge to urinate.

Bladder control tips include drinking moderate volumes of fluid, emptying the bladder completely before bedtime and before and after sexual intercourse, reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, and not going to the bathroom unnecessarily. Readers are encouraged to learn to control their bladders, rather than letting their bladders control them.

Information about how to obtain a copy of the article is available on the NIDDK Reference Collection website at http://catalog.niddk.nih.gov/resources.

NIH Publication No. 07–5743
March 2007

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