Bladder Retraining Lesson 1:
Let’s start with working on those crazy urges. When you get an urge... sit, stand or lie down whichever fits you best and try these techniques. You’ll have to practice to have them at the ready. This week, the first technique we will learn is relaxation.
There is often a lot of anxiety around uncontrollable bladder urges. Anxiety increases tension which in turn increases urgency. Focus instead on other parts of your body. Start off with relaxing your abdominal muscles with your breathing. Concentrate on your breathing with 5-10 slow, deep breaths. With each breath, think about your lungs filling with air that travels all the way down to your belly and expands your belly. Then as you breathe out slowly, let your belly first retract and focus on the air leaving your body as you breathe out slowly. As you focus on breathing and relaxing your abdomen, you will start to push out those messages of urgency.
Lesson 1 Homework:
So here is your homework...focus just on relaxation this week. Really get this down. Then we’ll pick back up with the next techniques to further your progress.