Incontinence is a condition in which you are not able to control your bowel movements or bladder until you reach a bathroom. Instead, you have an "accident" or leakage of urine or feces. Incontinence is most often a temporary problem that can be caused by underlying illness, muscle weakness or poor diet. Determining the specific foods and drinks that trigger your incontinence is a key to treating the condition.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a broad term for the leakage of urine from the bladder. Urge incontinence is the name given to the problem when you constantly or suddenly feel like you need to urinate. Urge incontinence can also describe a situation in which you involuntarily let go of urine during times of rest. Foods and drinks that contain ingredients classified as stimulants can be common triggers, and include alcohol and caffeine. People who experience urge incontinence as a result of interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition, may also suffer from leakage after eating spicy foods or after consuming acid foods and beverages. Orange and tomato products, hot peppers, chili seasoning and curries may also contribute to urinary incontinence.
Fecal Incontinence
Fecal or bowel incontinence involves the leakage of fecal matter. Though injury or illness affecting the muscles of the sphincter play a major role in bowel incontinence, your diet could also be a trigger. Foods that may be likely to give you diarrhea, including chocolate -- a food source of caffeine -- alcohol and dairy products, may also lead to incontinence. People who are lactose intolerant may be more likely than others to experience fecal incontinence after consuming milk, cheese and other dairy items.
Hydration
Urinary incontinence triggers include not only the type of food or drink you ingest, but the amounts you consume as well. Being either over- or under-hydrated can both cause incontinence. Drinking large volumes of fluid in a short period of time puts excess pressure on your bladder, and your body may not be able to handle the increase gracefully. Dehydration -- when you are not drinking enough, or are losing fluids due to diarrhea or vomiting--can also cause leakage. Urine becomes much more concentrated with sodium during periods of dehydration. The salts irritate your bladder, which can increase your urge to urinate, and the likelihood of urge incontinence.
Elimination Diary
You might realize that a particular food increases your episodes of incontinence, or have a suspicion that your diet may play a role. Use an elimination diary to determine the exact effect a food or drink has on your problem. Record everything you eat and drink on a given day, including the time you ate and the amount you consumed. Record symptoms of incontinence you experience. Fill out the diary for several days in a row until you see a pattern. Eliminate from your diet one or more of the foods that seem to trigger incontinence, but continue to record what you eat and your urinary or bowel habits. If your incontinence stops, it is reasonable to make a correlation and to avoid the food that bothers you most.
