Where's the restroom?

     

It's important -- for many women -- to locate
the restrooms, wherever they are!

    I'm 66 years old and actually in very good health.

    That said, I have a consistent worry that I share with a whole lot of other women. To wit: Where is the restroom?

    Yep, bladder issues are a common concern for many women. According to the Mayo Clinic News Service, this worry occurs in 1 of every 4 women over 20 years of age. Issues includes leakage of some kind, or other related matters.

    "Where ever I am, I go ahead and find the restrooms," a friend said recently. That was comforting to hear as it's something I do myself!

    As an example: My husband Steve and I walk several days a week at Scott County Park, all year long. For part of the year the restrooms are closed and that encourages planning. I generally walk two miles, come home to "rest" a bit, and head back to walk or run two miles. 

    This is pretty fail-safe but I have had incidents, and those are just plain distressing. An unforeseen accident hits women insanely hard; not to mention that it may also cause undue mental stress.

    Dr. Olivia Cardenas-Trowers, a urogynecologist at the Mayo Clinic, explains (in the link, above) that with a healthy bladder, the brain signals that the bladder is getting full. "When you get to a bathroom, your bladder muscles contract and force urine out of the bladder."

    An overactive bladder may result from nerve signals between the bladder and brain that are not functioning properly, Cardenas-Trowers said. "People with overactive bladders frequently feel a sudden urge to urinate," the doctor added.

    Simple strategies might help: There are dietary changes, timed voiding and bladder-holding techniques that help some women, she said. Pelvic floor therapy exercises are also useful and there are medical and surgical treatment options available, Cardenas-Trowers said.

    I don't know about you, but if you aim to stay healthy as you age and carry water around on a regular basis, you better know where a restroom is located!

    For another news source via the Mayo Clinic: Click here!