Incontinence and Body Mass Index – Is There A Connection?
If you are suffering from stress incontinence and you are overweight one of the causes
of your condition could very well be the extra pounds that you are lugging around.
Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles in the pelvic floor become stretched or weaken and this damage is common among women who have been through child birth. These muscles support and protect the bladder and if they are in less than prime condition, the bladder becomes susceptible to outside pressures. Often times something as simple as a sneeze or laugh or lifting a heavy object can create enough pressure on the bladder to force a leakage.
But what's the connection to excess fat?
The New England Journal of Medicine reported that a study was done of 338 overweight American women (BMI of 25 to 50) all over the age of 30 each of whom experienced leakage at least 10 times per week. The objective of the study was to determine if there was a link between their obesity and incontinence.
Of the group that lost weight from a combination of diet and exercise, 17 pounds on average, instances of involuntary passing of urine as a result of stress incontinence was cut by nearly 50%. There was no noticeable reduction in urge or overactive bladder incontinence.
The study concluded that the extra pressure applied to the bladder by the excess poundage had a direct impact on the condition. So here is another simple natural therapy for a very troublesome and embarrassing condition. Losing weight isn't the easiest thing to do but now you have additional motivation.
Incontinence doesn't have to alter your lifestyle. There are many natural approaches to cure it and an abundance of protective products that can manage it in the mean time. If you have this condition, visit you doctor to learn the best therapy for you individually.
Incontinence and Body Mass Index Is There A Connection?