By Morgan Clark - Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, at Empower Your Pelvis, in Kansas City, Missouri (Lee Summit, MO and Overland Park, KS)

Do you ever feel like your bladder takes charge the moment you pull into the driveway or unlock your front door? If you’re nodding yes, you’re not alone. It can be so frustrating when you know the bathroom is just a few steps away, yet your body acts like it’s an emergency. Bladder urgency can strike unexpectedly and often at the most inconvenient times. But here’s the good news—you can retrain your bladder, just like a child learns to potty train. You are in control of your bladder, not the other way around!

What Causes Bladder Urgency?

Whether you’ve experienced pregnancy, postpartum recovery, or menopause, these life stages can impact how your pelvic floor muscles and bladder communicate with your brain. It’s important to remember that improving bladder control won’t happen overnight. Like building any new habit, it takes consistency and time—about three weeks of regular practice to see lasting changes.

So, how can you get started? Here are two effective strategies to regain control of your bladder and reduce those sudden urges.

1. Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as deep belly breathing, is a simple yet powerful tool for improving bladder control. Here’s how you can do it:

• Find a comfortable position: Lie down on your back or recline in a relaxed position.

• Place your hands: Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your upper belly.

• Relax your jaw: Gently place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, keeping your teeth slightly apart.

• Inhale deeply: Breathe in slowly through your nose for at least 2 seconds. As you do, your belly should rise and expand, and the hand on your belly will lift. Your chest should stay relatively still.

• Exhale slowly: Breathe out through your mouth for 3-4 seconds, allowing your belly to return to its starting position. Make sure to exhale completely.

• Keep it gentle: Focus on slow, controlled breathing without forcing it.

This type of breathing helps relax the muscles in your pelvic floor and can calm that feeling of urgency.

2. Get Familiar with Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Understanding how your pelvic floor muscles work can make a big difference in controlling bladder urgency. Ideally, your pelvic floor should be relaxed when you’re at rest, such as when you’re urinating. However, when you need to stabilize yourself during movements like squatting or lifting, those muscles should be engaged.

You might not think about what your pelvic floor is doing during your daily activities, but becoming more aware of these muscles can help reduce urgency. When the pelvic floor muscles are overly tense, it can send mixed signals to your bladder, making it feel cramped or “claustrophobic.” This can lead to sudden urges and even leaks.

Common Questions to Ask Yourself

• Do you ever feel the need to pee even though you just went 20 minutes ago?

• When you go back to the restroom, is the amount of urine less than the first time?

If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, it’s likely that your bladder and pelvic floor aren’t communicating effectively. To reduce bladder urgency, your pelvic floor muscles need to relax and give your bladder the space it needs to properly function.

By incorporating diaphragmatic breathing and becoming more mindful of your pelvic floor, you can improve bladder control and reduce those annoying urges. Remember, you’re the boss of your bladder!

Get Professional Help

If you're looking for “pelvic floor therapy near me”, consider scheduling a consultation at one of our locations in Kansas City-Overland Park, Kansas, or Lees Summit, Missouri. Click here to book your appointment.

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With wellness in your pelvis-

Amanda Fisher, PT, DPT
Owner, Empower Your Pelvis, a pelvic floor physical therapy clinic in Kansas City (Lee’s Summit, MO and Overland Park, KS)