Do Your “Leaky Pipes” Have You Feeling Older Than You’d Like?
WRITTEN BY
Kim Vopni
We’re not talking about the kind of pipes you need a plumber to fix, we’re talking about the ones YOU can fix! We’re talking about your pelvic floor muscles and you heard right - you can fix them.
Close to 1 million Canadian women are affected by urinary incontinence in its varying forms and most are either too embarrassed to talk about it, unaware of the treatment options available or simply believe it is just a fact of life.
Incontinence is not an illness, but rather a dysfunction and most women can eliminate or improve their dysfunction through simple exercises designed to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. When weak, the pelvic floor muscles are unable to perform their role of supporting the bladder and reproductive organs and allowing the urethra, vagina and rectum to function properly. This can lead to several challenges but most frequently it means urinary incontinence.
Stress Incontinence
This is the most common type, affecting close to 50% of women with pelvic floor challenges. Varying amounts of urine leak out when they laugh, cough, sneeze or exercise. Stress incontinence is caused by damaged or weakened pelvic floor muscles often as a result of pregnancy, childbirth and hormonal changes from menopause.
Urge Incontinence
Typically urge incontinence is most commonly seen in older women as result of the involuntary contraction of a muscle in the bladder. The result is an urgent and frequent need to empty the bladder, even when it is not full. This type of incontinence is often due to surgery, nerve damage, or other conditions such as fibroids or tumours.
Overflow Incontinence
Affecting a smaller number of women, overflow incontinence occurs when small amounts of urine leak out frequently over the course of a day, even without laughing or sneezing. This type of incontinence is often due to muscle or nerve problems that prevent the ‘full bladder’ message from reaching the brain.
Mixed Incontinence
As the name implies, mixed incontinence occurs when a women suffers from more than one type of incontinence at the same time. The most common combination is Urge and Stress incontinence, especially in older women.
The muscles of the pelvic floor respond very well to exercise and the exercises can be done anytime, anywhere. Simply contract, (visualize stopping the flow of urine) hold for 10 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. This contraction and relaxation process is commonly referred to as a Kegel. Repeat 10-20 times and you’re done! Gradually you will be able to hold your contractions for longer and complete more repetitions which shows your strength is improving. Done consistently, most women will notice a difference in as little as 2 weeks.
Unsure if you are using the right muscles? Try gently inserting a finger or two into your vagina and contract - you should feel your fingers being squeezed. If you are still unsure, there are several pelvic floor exercise devices that use biofeedback that allow you to see your contractions and will also show your strength improvements too.
If after trying the exercise program you are still experiencing trouble you can also seek assistance from your physician, or a physiotherapist who specializes in the pelvic floor.
So stop suffering and take back your life! Fix your leaky pipes by taking control of your pelvic floor wellness.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not intended as a substitute for consulting your Health Care Professional.
Kim holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario and a Post Graduate Diploma in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University. She became a certified personal trainer/fitness instructor in 1996 and has experience with a variety of populations in one-on-one and group settings. Kim’s continued passion for health and wellness has her pursuing further certifications in women’s health and wellness with a specialized emphasis on pre/post natal and pelvic floor client groups. Her website is www.pelvicfloorwellness.com
©Kim Vopni 2009