Bladder leakage, also known as urinary incontinence, is a common condition that affects 1 in 4 adults in Australia.

For many people, this can have a negative impact on their social life and many other important daily activities.

But experiencing bladder leaks doesn't need to hold you back from living your life with confidence and comfort! Keep reading for our top 10 tips on how to manage bladder leakage.

Each time that you have a urinary leak, note what you had eaten, and what you were doing. Use this information to identify a pattern.

This information will allow you to identify your triggers so you know what to avoid.

Your bladder diary will also help your doctor in your diagnosis.

Most people should try to drink about 2 litres (8 cups) of fluids per day, preferably water, unless instructed otherwise by a medical professional.

Unfortunately the more you drink the higher the likelihood of leakage, yet if you restrict your fluid intake it could cause medical problems including constipation, which, ironically, can also cause incontinence.

This is clearly a conundrum, however the best solution to this is to manage your fluid intake throughout the day. Make sure you drink enough and drink regularly throughout the day. Try to sip small amounts rather than drinking large amounts at once.

And of course water is best - consider quitting alcohol as you can count on leakage if you decide to indulge.

Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it stimulates urine production. It can also irritate the bladder, which can cause leaks if you're prone to them.

Nonetheless, this does not mean just avoiding coffee as numerous other food and drink contain caffeine as well!

Try limiting or cutting out these caffeine containing food and beverages, like coffee, tea, chocolate and cola-flavoured soft drinks.

To protect your clothing from unwanted leaks, use absorbent continence management products (pads, adult pull-ups, adult nappies).

Even if you feel you've solved your bladder leakage, if you are at all anxious about leaving the house then use a product as an insurance policy against the unexpected and eliminate any further anxiety.

Our range of incontinence aids not only feature superior absorbency, but they're also made with soft, slim-line materials for ultimate comfort and discretion under clothing. They're also fitted with an active odour neutraliser, are skin-safe, dermatologically tested and have a flash-dry top sheet to keep your skin dry to the touch - even after a little leak.

Also known as Kegels, these are movements designed to help strengthen your urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles. In fact, Kegel exercise has been known to cure urinary incontinence in some cases.

A physical therapist can help you learn what they are, in addition to showing you how to execute them correctly. Just as with any other exercise routine, it is the frequency at which you do these exercises that will determine their effectiveness.

Work with your therapist or doctor to help you establish a routine and ensure that you stick to it.

Nurturing the following habits can help stop bladder leaks:

• Only use the toilet when you have a full bladder

Avoid making a habit of urinating every time you feel something in your bladder.
Doing this teaches your bladder that it should go even when it is not full.

• Don't rush it

A mistake that a lot of people make in the toilet is using their pelvic floor to force out the urine. This reduces the effectiveness of your sphincter muscles. Instead, take your time and let the urine flow at its own rate.

• Don't hold in a bowel motion

When you feel the urge, go to the toilet as soon as you can, since holding it in can lead to constipation. Also, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time.

• Don't force it

When you are having problems with your bowel motions, do not strain or push to force it out. This will weaken your pelvic floor muscles, and regularly straining while passing a bowel movement can lead to complications like hemorrhoids, anal fissures or rectal damage.

• Maintain correct posture

When passing a bowel motion, the correct posture will make the movement a lot easier. Consider having a footstool in your toilet where you can place your feet. Next, put your elbows on your knees, push out your belly, and straighten your back.

• Utilise laxatives

These will ease the tension in your pelvic floor muscles so you can have easier bowel motions. However, laxatives should only be a short-term solution as regular long-term use can lead to dysfunction of bowel motility.

• Eat healthy

A healthy diet should allow your faeces to be soft - so make sure your diet contains good amounts of fibre and drink the right amount of fluids.

Carrying around excess weight weakens your pelvic floor muscles thus contributing to incontinence. The fatty tissue usually applies a lot of pressure on your bladder.

So if you're carrying excess weight, losing some might see the symptoms improve.

Try to minimise lifting exercises in your workout routine, though, as these will put a strain on your pelvic floor muscles - and when you do lift, cough or sneeze be sure to pull-up your pelvic floor muscles as you are about to start.

Yoga strengthens core muscles which has been shown to reduce the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

This is because a stronger core allows some people with the condition to gain better control of their urination. Some poses also incorporate the pelvic floor for both strengthening and lengthening.

Accidents can happen, but it's important to stay calm and lower your stress or anxiety levels when you feel the urge to 'go' and you're concerned about leaking.

If you're in public and are experiencing concerns over leaks, take a moment to do some deep breathing to calm yourself down.

When you're at home, it might also be worthwhile engaging in some activities and hobbies that are good for your mental health in order to reduce your overall stress levels.

If calming down does not work, clench your buttocks.

Clench them as tight as you can and hold the tension for a couple of seconds. Do this several times until you feel the urge start to disappear. When it passes, walk slowly to the closest toilet and relieve yourself.