What Is LBL (Light Bladder Leakage)?
Sometimes, you cough or laugh with a full bladder — and discover that you accidentally peed a little on your underwear when you finally make it to the bathroom. This common condition is called light bladder leakage (LBL), and many women experience it during their lifetimes. In this guide, we’ll explain what LBL is and what to do about it.
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What Is Light Bladder Leakage (LBL)?
Light bladder leakage, commonly abbreviated as LBL, refers to incontinence incidents that involve only a small amount of urine loss. The word “light” in this term refers to the small quantity of urine that is lost, sort of how you might rate your period flow from “light” to “heavy.”
Light bladder leakage often occurs when you already have a completely full bladder and you involuntarily void a little bit of it. These incidents are often triggered by coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, jumping, lifting a heavy object, or another activity that physically puts pressure on your bladder muscles. When your bladder is already full of urine, this little bit of extra strain is often enough to cause some urine loss. Some people may also have an LBL incident when they get the overwhelming urge to urinate and can’t make it to the bathroom in time.
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Women are particularly prone to experience light bladder leakage, and it can happen at any age, though it is more common in older women because dropping estrogen levels during menopause can result in weakened pelvic muscles. LBL is also more common in those who are pregnant or who have given birth vaginally, but you can still experience LBL if you’ve never been pregnant or have given birth via C-section.
Pelvic floor surgery or injury are also factors that increase your chances of developing light bladder leakage. Many people who smoke, and thus cough constantly, also experience LBL. Certain medical conditions that affect your neurological or endocrine systems can also contribute to light bladder leakage.
What to Do About Light Bladder Leakage
Light bladder leakage isn’t something that you just have to live with. It’s very common and there are many treatments available. If you have been experiencing light bladder leakage, talk with your doctor about it so you can get an official diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan. Your doctor might have you keep a symptom log so you can identify patterns and determine what might be contributing to your LBL.
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Most of the recommended treatments will take at least a little time to kick in, so in the meantime, you’ll want to get some bladder control products to keep you dry and comfortable. Since light bladder leakage doesn’t involve a very heavy urine flow, you’ll probably be fine with some small liners, such as liners from Poise bladder control products.
As for treatments, one of the first lines of defense against LBL is pelvic floor exercises such as Kegels and pelvic tilts. These workout moves are specifically designed to strengthen the muscles that help control your bladder and hold it in place. If weakened muscles are contributing to light bladder leakage, then a regular routine of pelvic floor exercises can help alleviate your leaks.
Your doctor might also recommend that you make some dietary tweaks. Drinking excessive amounts of fluid results in a lot of urine production, so you’ll need to watch your intake to make sure you’re not over-hydrated. You should also avoid foods and beverages that are known for irritating your bladder, such as caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, chocolate, citrus fruits, and tomato products.
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Other treatment options include medication, pelvic floor therapy, and quitting smoking. Your doctor will talk through your options and help you find the most effective ones. Thankfully, the nature of light bladder leakage often means that it is more easily treated than very severe incontinence.
Have more questions about bladder health beyond what is LBL? Check out our resource section, which offers informative guides on all things incontinence and bladder health. We also offer a forum where you can meet women experiencing the same health issues as you.
If you need to order some bladder control products, we offer a wide selection of brands on the Sofia & Grace website to suit every need. All our products ship in unmarked packaging for the ultimate level of discretion, and we offer free shipping on all U.S. orders over $40!
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