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Bladder control

Watching your weight can help incontinence.

Bladder control is a problem for many women. Although it's usually thought to occur in older women, incontinence may begin as early as childhood. If you're affected, it helps to know that not only is the condition fairly common, but you can do a number of things to improve it, including controlling your weight.

Incontinence can be caused or aggravated by underlying conditions (such as diabetes), medicines (diuretics, for example), pregnancy, menopause and even diet (use of caffeine and alcohol). So you need to do a bit of detective work. Keep a log for at least three or four days, and discuss the findings with your doctor. There may be treatments to help your bladder control problem.

Maybe you've added weight to your midsection over the years. That puts extra pressure on the bladder, making it more likely to "leak" under certain conditions. Dropping even a few pounds can make a difference.

Incontinence is a complicated problem and requires your doctor's input, but you can do your part, too.

Contributing Editor Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.