Please share a tip in the form of a haiku on bladder dysfunction or other bladder condition.

Don't: Don't wait. See your doctor right away if you think you might have a urinary tract infection.

A: A drink with caffeine such as coffee or chemicals as in soda pop can make ICS symptoms worse.

Avoid: Avoid activity bringing them on. Treat early. Use prophylactic antibiotics if very frequent.

Try: Try double urinating to fully empty bladder, empty bladder and half an hour later empty bladder again.

Caffeine: Caffeine is a known irritant to the bladder. If suffering from over-acticve bladder, avoid caffeine.

A: A pea-sized amount of estrogen cream on the urethra daily may help with urinary incontinence.

Kegel: Kegel exercises not only help reduce stress leakage, when urges hit, rapid squeezes can stop them.

Put: Put yourself on a regular toileting schedule. It decreases symptoms.

Bladder: Bladder issues are always worsened by obesity, no matter the cause!

Don't: Don't get constipated! constipation worsens bladder symptoms; you may improve with regularity alone.

If: If you get repeated infections after intercourse, consider taking antibiotics to prevent it.

Cut: Cut caffeine intake to less than three 8oz beverages per day, if bothered by urinary frequency.

Keep: Keep yourself hydrated. Treat bladder infections promptly. Strengthen bladder wall with kegel's.

Double: Double void if you have bladder dysfunction. Urinate, stand up and move around, urinate again.

Pressure: Pressure sores can easily become infected in patients who are incontinent.

Regular: Regular visits to the toilet (like every 2 hours whether you need to or not) may be a good start.

Be: Be sure to share with your doctor all the facts about your problems. Don't be shy.

Losing: Losing even 10 pounds can fix a leaky bladder.

Urinate: Urinate again just before leaving the house. You will be glad you did.

10/10/10: 10/10/10 rule: 10 kegels at a time, 10 seconds each, 10 times a day = 100 kegels a day.

Bladder: Bladder training. Voiding at 2 or 3 hour intervals througout the day. Doing kegels.

For: For excessive urination, caffeine may be the cause. So, try discontinuing that, and also alcohol.

Do: Do your kegel exercises frequently!

If: If you have frequency and urgency, you may want to count to 10 before you run to the bathroom.

Ignore: Use cranberry extract or cranberry tablets to avoid utis.

Ignore: Don't let your bladder become boss over you, if you have to go, wait just another 2 minutes...

Ignore: Avoid caffeine and drink a little through the day and not a lot at once. Avoid drinks near bedtime.

Ignore: Keep a logbook of the time and approx quantity of urination before you see your doc. Very helpful!

Ignore: Drink fluids evenly to help avoid "sudden explosive urges" rather in large boluses!

Ignore: Pelvic floor (kegel) exercises can help prevent and treat both urinary stress and urge incontinence.

Ignore: Repeated kegel exercises are first line treatment for mild stress urinary incontinence.

Ignore: Never pass up the opportunity to urinate and void frequently!