Can Physical Therapy Help Incontinence?

If you suffer from incontinence, there is physical therapy treatment available in Napa County, CA. This frustrating and inconvenient condition causes urine leakage both during the day and night. Over 13 million people suffer from incontinence, which is why it’s a popular reason to engage in physical therapy. With individual treatment, you can conquer incontinence and live a freer life.

Types of incontinence

Incontinence manifests in urine leakage or having trouble starting to urinate. This is often due to problems with the pelvic floor, the muscles that attach to the bottom of the pelvic bone. When they’re in good shape, they support the internal organs and support the lower back, among other duties.

Pregnancy and weak muscles can weaken the pelvic floor. Women are more likely to develop incontinence, but men can find themselves leaking, too. Here are the different types of incontinence you may experience:

• Functional incontinence: This type of incontinence occurs when you leak even without having an urge to go to the bathroom.
• Urinary frequency: This causes people to empty their bladder multiple times throughout the day and night.
• Stress incontinence: Stress incontinence occurs when there is additional pressure on the pelvic floor and in the abdomen, and the muscles aren’t strong enough to support them. You might experience leaks when laughing, sneezing or playing a sport.
• Urge incontinence: This is a strong, sudden need to use the bathroom, and leaking before getting there.
• Mixed incontinence: This is a mixture of both stress and urge incontinence.

Pelvic floor exercises and other physical therapy in Napa County, CA

Luckily, physical therapy can help you overcome incontinence—or at least reduce the symptoms to the point where you no longer need special underwear or surgery. When you meet with a physical therapist, they will help develop an individualized treatment plan. This usually consists of a series of gentle exercises, which will strengthen your pelvic floor.

Exercises and treatment may include:

• Muscle strengthening: You’ll learn how to stretch and strengthen the muscles responsible for supporting your bladder and promoting healthy bladder function.
• Kegels: Kegel exercises also strengthen the pelvic floor—you contract the muscles used to stop urinating.
• Biofeedback: Your physical therapist may use electrodes to measure your pelvic floor muscle activity and help you gain awareness of those muscles.
• Electrical stimulation: Electrical stimulation can be used to help you become aware of the muscles you need to strengthen. However, this is not recommended for anyone who’s currently pregnant.

Your physical therapist may also recommend certain lifestyle changes, such as avoiding foods and beverages that irritate the bladder, techniques to combat urinary urges, implementing regular exercise and physical activity and more. Physical therapy isn’t just about strengthening muscles—it’s a holistic approach that will address the root cause of the problems.

Working with a physical therapist can help you make great strides in overcoming incontinence. To learn more about incontinence treatment therapy in Napa County, CA, get in touch with the team at Focus Forward Wellness & Physical Therapy today.

Categorised in: Physical Therapy

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