This one habit could be holding you back from achieving bladder control.  Let me explain…

As a kid, I’ve always loved to solve puzzles, and perhaps this is why I enjoy the challenge of solving bladder control problems.  Coaching my clients as they navigate out of difficult bladder issues has always been a favorite part of my job.  

One of my clients was making good progress in overcoming her overactive bladder symptoms.  Still, she continued to have difficulties with bladder urgency. 

Her bladder urgency would come on with little to no warning and getting to the toilet in time was difficult.  To make matters worse this urgency would come on even when her bladder was NOT full.  This type of bladder urgency is the most frustrating because it’s not related to actual bladder filling.  

Instead, the urgency signal is coming from a bladder urge trigger.  

Typical bladder urge triggers can be auditory, visual, emotional, or a combination of all three.  This is why looking at the bathroom, hearing running water, or feeling worried can cause you to head to the bathroom.

In the case of my client, we used a bladder journal to monitor her symptoms and specifically the triggers for her urgency it became apparent that running water was the culprit.  

She experienced strong bladder urges every time she washed dishes, took a shower, or turned on the tap.  Yikes!

She was using her pelvic floor muscle strength to suppress the urgency using the bladder urge suppression technique but her trouble with bladder urgency continued.  

Then I asked her, ‘do you regularly pee in the shower?’

Looking confused she responded ‘Yes, why is that important?’

No big deal, right?!  

Hmmm…let me explain.

Your urine stream is just that; a stream of liquid that mimics the sound of running water.  This water sound is closely associated with the act of urination and is a strong auditory stimulant for urination. 

If you regularly pee in the shower, this reinforces the association between running water and bladder urgency and helps to keep the bladder trigger active.  

If you’ve had difficulties with water triggers in the past, this lack of confidence in your bladder control can make you especially vulnerable to these triggers.  

Fortunately, there are strategies for dealing with water-related bladder urge triggers that can put you back in charge. 

Strategies for Showering

Turning on the water for a shower can be problematic.  A good practice is to empty your bladder before going into the shower.  This way if you do get the urgency, you know your bladder is empty and not over-full.

While in the shower, do NOT pee!  

Remember you want to distance yourself from the association between running water and urination. 

If you start to feel bladder urgency coming on;

• Quickly contract your pelvic floor muscles 10 times or hold the muscles tight.  These are the muscles in the vaginal area, so think about closing the vaginal opening and lifting them upward like an elevator.  

• These are also the same muscles you use to hold back urine.   After ten quick ‘elevators’ or simply holding the muscles in, notice how this helps to decrease the urgency. 

• Positive self-talk is important!  Calming words to yourself is essential so that you stay out of panic mode and your brain doesn’t feel under threat.  I recommend a few positive mantras such as:

• • • • • • I’ve got this.
          • I have this under control.
          • I can do this!

• Distraction!  After all of the above steps, shift your focus to something else.  Think of all the times you were super busy and didn’t feel bladder urgency. 

Most of all, take a few breaths and wait for the urgency to pass. 

Bladder urges are like waves.  They start off slowly then build and finally subside.  Most importantly, by delaying urination you build the confidence and muscle control that puts you back in charge

Check out my free printable on Urge Suppression. 

Mindfully holding and not peeing in the shower helps to stop the bladder urge triggers associated with urination.  This small change in your habit can be a big step towards building your bladder control confidence.  

Once my client mastered her water triggers, she could let go of the worry that often accompanies bladder issues.  You too can have the knowledge and strategies you need to handle bladder urgency confidently.

This puts you back in control!

Still, feel like you could use some guidance?  

Contact me for a free Women’s Health Coaching consultation.

Happy Bladder wishes!

~ Tami

Tami Lines is a licensed Physical Therapist with certifications in Pelvic Rehabilitation and Women’s Health Coaching.  She is the founder of Pelvic-Health-Matters.  Tami has over 15 years of experience with expertise in bladder Health, and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction for adolescent and adult women.  She is also a mom of two wonderful young adults working their way through college. 

References:

Clarkson BD, O Connell K, Conklin CA. Reproducing situationally triggered urgency incontinence in a controlled environment. Neurourol Urodyn. 2020 Nov;39(8):2520-2526. doi: 10.1002/nau.24524. Epub 2020 Sep 25. PMID: 32976670.

Zilberlicht A, Boms-Yonai N, Haya N, Feferkorn I, Lavie O, Abramov Y. Somatic and psychological triggers for bladder storage symptoms among men and women. Int Urogynecol J. 2020 May;31(5):933-937. doi: 10.1007/s00192-019-03989-8. Epub 2019 Jun 4. PMID: 31165217.