Maintaining Good Urinary Health

The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.  All of these organs work together to manufacture, collect, and eliminate urine.  Changes in our urinary system happen for many reasons, including age, infection, childbirth, or injury.  Some of the most common problems for women are urinary tract infection (UTI), frequent urination, pain when urinating, and urinary incontinence (including stress incontinence).

What can we do to prevent problems and keep our urinary system in good shape?

“There are a number of things women can do to maintain a healthy urinary tract,” said Dr. AnnaMarie Connolly, MD, Urogynecologist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UNC.  “You should go to the bathroom every 2-3 hours to empty your bladder rather than waiting until the last moment, especially if you have any type of incontinence problems.  Also limit the number of drinks containing caffeine that you consume daily.  Water is still the best liquid for your system and, although there are no scientific studies on the exact amount of water that you should drink each day, 6-8 glasses is usually the recommendation.” 

Dr. Connolly also suggested doing Kegel exercises regularly as a preventive measure, even if you do not have an incontinence problem.  “I would suggest doing 10-12 squeezes four or five times a day.  You could do the exercises whenever you think about them during the day or you could decide on a regular schedule, for example, such as before breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.”

You can find out more about Kegel exercises by asking your healthcare provider or by conducting a search on the health care web links that we have listed for urinary health.  MedlinePlus, operated by the National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health, is one online reference site that gives information and instructions on Kegel exercises -- click here to go there now.