Urinary Incontinence | Greenwood Pelvic Physical Therapy

Urinary Incontinence

Carmel & Greenwood Pelvic Physical Therapy

Research reveals 25 million adult Americans suffer with urinary incontinence.  A large majority of women view urinary incontinence as a normal consequence of childbirth and aging and do not seek treatment.  The women who inquire about treatment for incontinence from their medical provider are frequently instructed to perform Kegel exercise to strengthen their weak pelvic muscles.  Unfortunately, research reveals 51% of women could not perform a Kegel exercise properly with verbal instruction alone and 25% of those women were performing the attempted Kegel exercise in a manner that would actually contribute to the urinary leaking.  It is also important to recognize that pelvic muscle weakness is not the only cause of incontinence and performance of Kegels could actually cause pain or make the incontinence worse.  A detailed evaluation is required to identify the factors contributing to incontinence.

  • Stress urinary incontinence:  Loss of urine during an increase in abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, or running.
  • Urge urinary incontinence:  Inability or extreme difficulty holding urine during a strong urge with the need to rush to the bathroom.
  • Mixed urinary incontinence:  A combination of both stress and urge incontinence.
  • Urgency/frequency Syndrome:  Urinating more than every 2 hours during waking hours.
  • Urinary retention:  The inability to empty the bladder completely which can be caused by medical conditions or medications.   Retention of urine can also be associated with pelvic muscle dysfunction. 
  • Urethral syndrome:  Urethral pain, burning, stinging, and sensitivity.
  • Interstitial cystitis/Painful bladder syndrome:  Discomfort, pain, or pressure in the bladder or pelvic region that is recurring.  Signs and symptoms may include urinary urgency/frequency/retention, pain before/during/after urination, suprapubic pain, low back pain, abdominal pain, urinary frequency at night (nocturia), and pain during sex (dyspareunia).

Symptoms of urinary dysfunction may include:

  • Incontinence (leaking urine)
  • Urinary frequency (urinating > every 2 hours during waking hours)
  • Hesitant or weak urine stream
  • Straining to urinate
  • Urinary retention (due to elevated pelvic muscle tone)
  • Nocturia (waking > 1-2x per night to urinate)
  • Pain before, during, after urination
  • Bladder Pain
  • Urethral pain/burning

Helpful links

It’s not normal to pee during workouts. Learn more here: http://physiodetective.com/2013/06/27/crossfit-your-pelvic-floor-and-peeing-during-workouts

Research Reaffirms Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy’s Effectiveness for UI in Women After Menopause

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