Since no one wants to talk about urinary incontinence, we will break the ice.
Yes, it can be an uncomfortable and personal topic, but we want you to know that you have options.
And we’re here to support you in any way that we can as you navigate your journey with leakage, urgency, or experience while you are going or attempting to go to the bathroom.
First, let’s learn about what urinary incontinence is.
What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence refers to the inability to control the urine flow, which can cause slight to significant leakage.
Many women and men mistakenly believe it's an inevitable part of aging, but it's not!
With the help of a trained pelvic health physical therapist, you can gain the necessary strength and learn techniques to minimize or prevent urinary incontinence.
There are 4 main types of Urinary incontinence: Stress, Urge, overflow, and functional.
Stress Incontinence is classified by the inability to control the flow of urine with increased intraabdominal pressure or higher-impact activities. It occurs during activities like coughing, laughing, jumping, running, or lifting.
Urge Incontinence is classified by a sudden, intense need to urinate, often leading to leakage on the way to the bathroom. This urgency can significantly affect confidence in public situations.
Overflow Incontinence occurs when you leak urine because your bladder is too full. It may feel that you haven't completely emptied your bladder at the time of voiding. Overflow incontinence can be caused by a blockage in the urinary system, other medical conditions, or dysfunction of your pelvic floor muscles.
Functional Incontinence involves the sensation of needing to urinate but being unable to get to the bathroom in a timely manner due to factors such as muscle weakness, poor balance and coordination, dysfunctional movement patterns, or even a cluttered household.
Life’s too short; there’s no time to worry about leakage or urgency.
So much can be done in pelvic health physical therapy to address these issues.
Contact us to schedule an appointment with a trained pelvic health physical therapist!
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Madeline at our Neenah clinic, call (920) 215-6225.
We also have therapists specializing in pelvic health at your Appleton and Ripon clinics.