Incontinence, You Are Not Alone!

Are you suffering from incontinence? We are here to help you. 

​Among Australians, 13% of men and 37% of women have urinary incontinence, and 20% of men and 12.9% of women have fecal incontinence according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, 2006. 
Usually you have a hold over your urine and stools. You can hold them till you want to use your washroom and your pelvic muscles help you do that. Pelvic muscles are the muscles in your bottom near your anus and urethra. However, weak pelvic floor muscles can make it difficult for you to control these urges and that is known as incontinence. In incontinence, urine and stools leak unintentionally. Urinary incontinence is more common than fecal (stools) incontinence which is usually seen in the aged.

What can weaken your pelvic floor muscles?

  • Pregnancy
  • Childbirth
  • Long standing constipation/ difficulty to pass stools
  • Any activity which puts undue pressure on your bladder such as a chronic/ long-standing cough like asthma
  • Being overweight
  • Lifting heavy loads
  • Inactivity
  • Hereditary factors
 Though weak pelvic muscles are the most common causes of incontinence, here are few more causes:
  • Nerve diseases: Certain diseases related to your brain and nerves can hamper the signals to your urethra and bladder and thus cause incontinence.
  • Ageing weakens your bladder muscles; therefore, your bladder cannot store much urine.
  • Menopause/ a state wherein you no longer get your periods. Changing hormones can hamper the health of your bladder and urethra causing incontinence.
 

Types of incontinence

​Here are five types of incontinence
  1. Stress incontinence
Here urine leaks when you have excess stress such as coughing or high strength exercises.
  1. Overflow incontinence
    Here your bladder doesn’t empty completely when you pass urine; thus, the remaining urine leaks.
  2. Urgency incontinence
    Here you have a strong urge to urinate often, and you cannot hold the urge till you reach the washroom.
  3. Functional incontinence
    Here other health problems such as joint pains prevent you from going to the toilet on time; thus, due to pressure urine leaks.
  4. Transient incontinence
    Here the incontinence is due to some other causes such as UTI/ Urinary Tract Infections.
  5. Mixed incontinence
* You may suffer from more than one type of incontinence.
 
 70% of people affected with urinary incontinence, do not seek medical help! Talk to us at “Women’s health Physio.” The solution can be as simple as few lifestyle modifications to few medicines.

If you ignore incontinence, it may impact or lead to;

  • UTI/ Urinary Tract Infection
  • Skin rashes/ infections due to wet skin
  • Impacts on your social, personal, and professional lives
 

Tretment of incontinence

First, we assess the strength of your pelvic muscles and then advice you the most suited exercises. Like all other exercises, you can achieve quicker results when you practice exercises under the personal guidance of a trainer. The good news is pelvic floor training helps you recover from almost all types of incontinence.
 
Lifestyle changes are also of great help.
  • Quit smoking
  • Have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Avoid refined flour, sugar, and processed foods.
  • Sleep at least for seven hours a day, at a stretch.