Unlocking Relief: Pelvic Floor Therapy for Urinary Incontinence

Request Appointment

Unlocking Relief: Pelvic Floor Therapy for Urinary Incontinence

Pelvic floor therapy for urinary incontinence in Illinois
Jul 10, 2024
Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain

Meet Jo, a vibrant woman in her thirties who enjoyed hiking with friends and playing with her children. However, ever since giving birth to her third child, she was constantly rushing to the bathroom, fearing leaks and embarrassment. If you can relate to Jo’s experience, you’re not alone. Pelvic floor therapy for incontinence offers hope and relief.

Ready to take the first step towards reclaiming control? Call our team at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL today to learn more!

Understanding Incontinence: Causes and Symptoms

Urinary incontinence, a type of bladder dysfunction, can manifest in various ways, affecting individuals differently based on factors such as age, gender, and underlying health conditions.

For Jo, her battle with urinary incontinence began after childbirth, leaving her feeling frustrated and self-conscious. Like many others, she experienced sudden urges to urinate, especially during physical activities, and struggled to reach the bathroom in time.

Types and Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence

Urge Incontinence

  • Individuals experience a sudden, intense urge to urinate, often followed by involuntary leakage before reaching the bathroom. Urge incontinence can occur frequently throughout the day and disrupt daily activities.

Stress Incontinence

  • Leakage occurs during activities that exert pressure on the bladder, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing, jumping, exercising, or lifting heavy objects. This type of incontinence is commonly associated with a lack of coordination between abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles, and breath.

Mixed Incontinence

  • Mixed incontinence is a combination of urge incontinence and stress incontinence.

Overflow Incontinence

  • Individuals experience frequent or constant dribbling of urine due to an inability to empty the bladder fully. Overflow incontinence results from bladder muscle weakness or obstruction of the urinary tract or nerve damage.

Post-void dribbling

  • Also known as post-micturition dribble, individuals experience slow leakage following urination due to urine remaining in the urethra. This often occurs because of bladder or urethra prolapse or weak pelvic floor muscles.

Causes

Pregnancy and Childbirth

  • The physical changes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth can cause the pelvic floor muscles to either become too tense or too loose, making them weak and unable to control bladder function. It can also damage nerves involved in bladder control, leading to urinary incontinence.

Bathroom Habits

  • Certain unhealthy habits can cause or contribute to leakage such as not drinking enough water, hovering or squatting over the toilet to urinate, pushing out urine rather than just relaxing to urinate, drinking too many bladder irritants (caffeine, carbonated beverages, alcohol, etc.), and urinating “just in case” (such as with leaving the house, getting home, before meetings, etc.).

Aging

  • As individuals age, the risk of incontinence tends to increase due to changes in hormone levels, muscle tone, and bladder capacity.

Chronic Health Conditions

  • Certain medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, neurological disorders, and urinary tract infections can affect bladder function and increase the risk of urinary incontinence. Certain medications can also have side effects that affect the bladder and make incontinence more likely.

Individuals like Jo can seek appropriate treatment and regain control over their bladder function and quality of life by understanding the symptoms and causes of urinary incontinence.

Empowering Recovery: Exploring Pelvic Floor Therapy for Incontinence Relief

Searching for relief, Jo sought help from our pelvic floor therapist. Jo’s therapist provided a personalized and comprehensive treatment plan tailored to her needs. Pelvic floor therapy can effectively treat urinary incontinence by addressing the underlying causes and restoring optimal pelvic floor function.

Jo’s Recovery with Pelvic Floor Therapy for Incontinence

Relaxation techniques

Pelvic floor therapy incorporates relaxation techniques to alleviate muscle tension and improve bladder control. Jo practiced relaxation techniques as part of her pelvic floor therapy regimen, learning to release tension in her pelvic floor muscles and restore balance to her bladder function.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises (Kegels)

  • After helping her pelvic floor muscles learn to relax, Jo was able to start coordinating and strengthening her pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor muscle exercises involve contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles to improve strength, endurance, and coordination. Jo learned how to perform pelvic floor contractions (also sometimes known as Kegel exercises) under the guidance of her pelvic floor therapist, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of contractions to strengthen her pelvic floor muscles and reduce episodes of urinary incontinence.

Behavioral Strategies

  • Pelvic floor therapy includes education on behavioral strategies and lifestyle modifications to manage urinary incontinence effectively. Therapists worked with Jo to identify triggers for incontinence, such as going to the bathroom “just in case” and consuming certain foods or beverages that irritated her bladder. Then, Jo worked to implement strategies to minimize her symptoms. Jo received personalized guidance on bladder training and fluid intake management from her pelvic floor therapist, learning how to avoid bladder irritants and apply urge suppression techniques to improve urinary continence.

Jo experienced significant improvements in urinary control and overall quality of life with pelvic floor therapy. Not only did she notice strengthened pelvic muscles and enhanced bladder function, but she also regained confidence in her body’s ability to support her daily activities.

The Road to Incontinence Relief with Pelvic Floor Therapy

Whether you’re a new mother like Jo or experiencing incontinence for other reasons, know that effective solutions are within reach. Our team is here to guide you toward freedom and confidence. Call our team at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL today to learn more about pelvic floor therapy for incontinence and regain control of your life!

Sources:

Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain
Share