Having a great time with friends laughing about the latest crazy adventures of motherhood? Have you ever laughed so hard that you “peed your pants’? While that is a common expression and experience for many women, it is not “normal.” Many women think that just because they have been pregnant or that they are getting older that urinary incontinence is a normal fact of life that they just have to live with. After all, it happens to everyone, right?
Urinary Incontinence (which is the leaking of urine that you cannot control) is not a normal part of aging or a normal lasting side effect of pregnancy or childbirth. Two of the most common types of urinary incontinence include Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urge Urinary Incontinence. Stress Incontinence is leaking when you are walking, bending, lifting, sneezing, coughing, or laughing. Urge Urinary Incontinence which is the sudden “urge” to urinate even if your bladder is not completely full. Having both of these types of symptoms? That is called Mixed Urinary Incontinence -yes, the “best” of both worlds- leaking with activity and /or feeling of a strong urge to urinate frequently.
Despite these symptoms being common, (nearly 1 out of 3 women have some type of incontinence symptoms during their lifetime) there are many things that can be done to decrease or eliminate incontinence, especially if treated early.
*Lifestyle changes can be extremely effective- looking at behavioral factor and nutrition can decrease symptoms.
*Bladder Retraining strategies- no “just in case” going to the bathroom, keeping a bladder diary for a few days.
*Looking at exercise, movements and lifting patterns- increased intraabdominal pressure can put pressure on pelvic floor muscle causing increased leakage
*Pelvic Health Physical Therapy to address any muscle weakness or tightness in Pelvic floor causing urinary leakage.
If you have these symptoms and are ready to address them, come see our physical therapist, Chrissy, for a physical therapy evaluation. Chrissy partners with each client to develop an individualized holistic approach to help you mange and eliminate your incontinence issues so you have the freedom to laugh as hard as you want- without fear!
Appointments with Chrissy can be scheduled online via our website or by calling 216-952-3830.