Urinary incontinence can knock your confidence and leave you feeling less in control of your life. This common issue frequently crops up among women. The issue often stems from a weakening of your pelvic floor muscles. It often crops up after childbirth or can be caused by hormonal changes during menopause.
Potential Solutions
The first port of call is always with your GP to ensure there aren’t any other health issues at the root of the problem. For certain conditions, medication such as anticholinergics can calm an overactive bladder. or even aid muscle control in the area using medication such as oxybutynin. Many people prefer to avoid medication when possible. If this is your case, don’t worry! There are other non-invasive approaches.
Kegel Exercises for Urinary Incontinence
Developed by Dr. Arnold Kegel, Kegel exercises aim to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening and exercising this area of your body can provide better support to your bladder and reduce incontinence. The muscles you strengthen include the same ones used to stop peeing mid-stream. Those are your pelvic floor muscles. You don’t practise strengthening while going to the toilet. It’s merely a way for you to identify the correct muscles. Once you know, you can practice Kegels anywhere, at any time.
What to Expect from Kegels
Like any exercise regime, Kegals demands time and dedication. You might start with a few short contractions once a day, then gradually increase to twice a day. Then increase the duration of contractions to a few minutes. You can vary the exercise by maintaining each contraction for ten seconds, then relaxing for ten seconds between each. Eventually, you might aim to practice ten short contractions followed by ten long contractions ten times, three times a day.
Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see immediate results. Kegels is a long journey and results can vary. Most women notice improvement after a few months and regain complete control over their bladders, some find no improvement. You cannot know where you fall unless you keep at it for a sustained period of about six months. Incorporate Kegels into your daily routine. When you’re watching the telly, having a cuppa, or even when you’re stuck in traffic. Every little helps.
Potential Downsides of Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are considered safe for most people, but they aren’t without potential downsides. Done incorrectly, the exercise can lead to unnecessary pressure on your bladder, which can worsen incontinence rather than improve it. For example, if you clench a larger group of muscles (abdominals, buttocks, leg muscles) instead of just the pelvic floor.
Less is more. Too much Kegels can cause muscle fatigue, which can weaken rather than strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Always listen to your body. For some women with certain types of urinary incontinence, like overflow or stress incontinence, Kegel exercises may increase bladder irritation and prompt more frequent visits to the loo.
If you experience discomfort or pain while doing Kegel exercises, you may be using the incorrect technique. It’s best to consult a medical professional who can guide you on proper technique, ensure that you’re a suitable candidate for this form of exercise, and help monitor your progress. to rule out any underlying issues.
Emsella: The Kegal Throne
Emsella, often referred to as the “Kegel Throne”, is a breakthrough treatment for urinary incontinence. This non-invasive treatment is a compelling alternative to Kegel exercises. One of the major downsides of Kegals is that it takes many months to see results, even if you fastidiously carry out the exercises daily. The Kegal Throne can achieve week’s worth of kegel exercises in one sitting. We provide the best facilities for Emsella Chair Cork has to offer.