Have you heard of overactive bladder syndrome? "It is a set of symptoms that originate from a disturbance in the storage of urine in the bladder", explains the platform 'Na Bexiga Mando Eu', in a statement. Generally, in these situations, "the bladder muscle contracts too early and it is not possible to control the release of urine through the urethra".

"Overactive bladder affects about 17% of adults over 40 years of age, however, it has a higher incidence in women, due to factors such as pregnancy, childbirth and menopause." 

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Taking this into account, the platform offered some advice that can help relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of women. Take note! 

Important advice for women suffering from overactive bladder: 

• Maintaining a healthy weight. "Excess weight can increase pressure and stress in the pelvic area, which ends up becoming more fragile"; 
• Eating a balanced diet and ingesting adequate doses of foods rich in fiber, calcium and vitamin D in order to prevent constipation and weakness of bone mass, increasing the risk of urinary incontinence. Normally "a balanced diet, in addition to helping maintain weight, contributes to the normal functioning of the intestine, in order to relieve pressure on the pelvic floor when it is necessary to evacuate. In addition, the ingestion of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of bones and prevents our body from taking reserves from the bone, thus affecting the integrity of bone mass"; 
• Avoiding the ingestion of caffeine, alcoholic beverages and acidic foods. "There are some drinks and foods that cause irritability in the bladder and should be avoided, namely tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, citrus-based drinks, tomatoes and tomato-based foods, spicy foods, chocolate and artificial sweeteners. However, water intake should be maintained. Concentrated urine can irritate the bladder and cause constipation"; 
• Regular practice of physical exercise and pelvic exercises. "It should not be avoided, even for weight control issues. But it is recommended that you practice a modality with less impact and little use of weights. In conjunction, exercises should be performed to strengthen the pelvic area. These exercises involve contracting the muscles of the vagina and anus and can be done at any time, whether you are driving, working or sitting on the couch. To do this, you just have to locate these muscles"; 
• Do not smoke and, if you are a smoker, you should try to quit this habit. "Smokers tend to have a chronic cough, which can aggravate pelvic weakness, due to the pressure exerted by the muscle spasms caused by the cough"; 

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