Bladder Control


bladder


 

 

 

How prevalent are bladder control problems?


There is a one in three chance that any woman reading this has the problem of being unable to always control her waterworks.

What are the kinds of bladder control problems?


Loss of bladder control is also called urinary incontinence.
  • Stress --You can loose urine when you exercise, laugh, cough, sneeze or lift heavy objects.
  • Overactive Bladder/Urge --This happens when you can't hold urine for very long. You don't reach the toilet in time.
  • Overflow--Your bladder is always full. Small amounts of urine leak from it.
  • Mixed--Some people have more than one type of bladder control problem.

Usually the initial onset of leakage is called "stress incontinence". A weakening of the muscles that keep the urine stored in the bladder causes this. These muscles known as the pelvic floor muscles, fail to fight the forces that push down from the abdomen when you laugh, sneeze, run, jump or perform any other type of physical exertion.

If unchecked, simple stress incontinence can progress to include symptoms such as urgency and frequency in the following way. You're running across the road and suddenly you feel dampness spreading between your legs, so you go to the toilet even though you don't really feel the need to go, just to make sure it doesn't happen again. Next time you go out, to avoid a re-run, you take yourself off to the toilet to empty your bladder and a pattern of frequency develops.

Urgency is the really strong need to pass urine which, if ignored, most women feel would cause them to be incontinent. The ability to control your waterworks depends largely on the ability to control your pelvic floor muscles.

What is the best treatment?

Physiotherapy treatment involves an assessment to find out exactly what kind of bladder problems you might have. It involves an internal examination to assess the position of your pelvic organs and the state of your pelvic floor muscles. You will then be given bladder training and / or a pelvic floor muscle exercise program.