If you experience long-term (chronic) urinary incontinence, you can take some steps immediately that may eliminate or reduce the problem.

• Establish a schedule of urinating every 3 to 4 hours, regardless of whether you feel the need.
• Talk with your health professional about all prescription and nonprescription medications you take, to see if any of them may be making your incontinence worse.
• Practice "double voiding" by urinating as much as possible, relaxing for a few moments, and then urinating again.
• If you have trouble reaching the bathroom before you urinate, consider making a clearer, quicker path to the bathroom and wearing clothes that are easily removed (such as those with elastic waistbands or Velcro closures), or keep a bedpan close to your bed or chair.
• Reduce or eliminate caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, and some carbonated drinks) from your diet.
• Avoid drinking alcohol in excess.
• Wear a tampon while doing activities such as jogging or dancing to put a little pressure on your urethra and to temporarily slow or stop leakage.
• Avoid drinking too much or too little fluid. Excessive liquids can increase the need to urinate and increase incontinence. Too little fluid can result in dehydration. Approximately 2qt of fluid are necessary every day to maintain kidney and bladder health.

Additional steps may reduce or eliminate your urinary incontinence; however, these require more time to make a difference.

• Strengthen your pelvic muscles by performing pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises every day and by having a regular exercise program.
• Try to lose some weight if you are overweight. Remember that effective weight-loss programs depend on a combination of diet and exercise. For more information, see the topics Healthy Weight, Fitness, and Nutrition.
• Increase the amount of fiber in your diet if constipation is a problem. You can easily do this by adding a small amount of wheat bran, such as 1tsp (4.7g), to foods you normally eat and by increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans in your diet.
• If you smoke, quit. This may reduce coughing, which may reduce your problem with incontinence. For more information, see the topic Quitting Tobacco Use.