Meditation for Overactive Bladder

Would you like to manage urinary incontinence without taking drugs?  In addition to doing pelvic floor exercises and bladder retraining, there's another strategy that might work for you: meditation.

A small study last year that received a lot of attention was conducted by researchers at Loyola University Health System.  Ten women, with an average age of 62, had been diagnosed with overactive bladder.  They all had frequent urinating and accidental voiding. The researchers trained participants to use audio recordings of relaxation and visualization exercises.  The women did the exercises twice a day for two weeks.  They kept a diary before and after the treatment, logging every time they urinated or had an accident.

The results were remarkable.  The average number of urge incontinence episodes dropped from 38 to 12. 

"Before entering this clinical trial, I saturated seven to eight pads a day and was afraid to leave home as a result," said study participant Anna Raisor, 53. "Today, I am 98 percent free of leakage. The therapy has allowed me to successfully recognize the link between my brain and bladder to manage my incontinence and remain virtually accident-free." 

Relaxation and visualization are simple techniques that you can practice on your own or learn at a clinic or meditation center.  There are also plenty of books and CDs to guide you.  One of the pioneers of the relaxation response, Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University, suggests you:

• Pick a word or short phrase to focus on that is meaningful for you, such as "peace" or a simple prayer
• Sit comfortably without distraction
• Close your eyes
• Relax your muscles, progressing from your feet to your neck and head
• Breathe slowly and naturally and repeat your chosen word on the exhale
• When you get distracted, don't worry.  Just return to the breathing and the focus word.
• Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. Try to practice every day, ideally twice a day.
• Before getting up, sit quietly for a minute.

In his new book, The Relaxation Revolution, Dr. Benson writes, 

Any condition that is caused or exacerbated by stress can be helped by a well-designed mind-body approach.  Furthermore, because all health conditions have some stress component, it is no overstatement to say that virtually every single health problem and disease can be improved by a mind-body approach.

For treating your overactive bladder, it's also important to have confidence that your condition can improve.  Keep a log or diary monitoring your progress. This has been shown to help women control their bladders, even when using other treatments, such as medication or bladder retraining.

Whether or not it will help your overactive bladder, practicing meditation has real benefit as a stress-reducer, as Dr. Benson suggests. Relaxation, meditation and visualization have been proven in a wealth of studies to promote health and well-being — at nominal cost and with no side effects. So you might want to give it a try.