Urinary incontinence is a common condition affecting men and women of all ages; however, certain individuals are more likely to experience it than others. When dealing with stress incontinence, it's essential to learn as much as possible about the condition, including potential treatments, such as a pelvic floor trainer.
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is little to no bladder control, resulting in unintentional or involuntary leakages. Regardless of how severe your leaks are, incontinence is very inconvenient. It may result in constant bathroom trips or embarrassing situations. Many causes and risk factors can impact your likelihood of dealing with urinary incontinence.
Types of Incontinence
While all types of incontinence result in some form of bladder weakness, there are several different types. It is vital to determine what kind of incontinence you struggle with to determine the proper course of treatment.
The main types of incontinence are:
Stress incontinence
Urge incontinence
Mixed incontinence
Overflow incontinence
Functional incontinence
Reflex incontinence
In this article, we will be focusing on female stress incontinence. To learn more about other types of incontinence, click here.
Stress Incontinence
What is female stress incontinence? This specific type of incontinence is usually characterized by weak pelvic floor muscles that make it difficult to control your bladder when it's full. You may experience minor to severe urine leakages when you laugh, sneeze, cough, run, exercise, or lift something heavy. A pelvic floor trainer can be beneficial in improving stress incontinence.
Causes and Risk Factors
Many different factors contribute to your likelihood of developing stress incontinence. Understanding risk factors and possible causes can give you a better understanding of your body and the best courses of treatment moving forward.
Childbirth
During childbirth, a woman's body will undergo an immense amount of stress. Tissue and nerve damage during a vaginal birth can weaken and damage the pelvic floor muscles, leading to decreased bladder control postpartum. Many women find electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence to be helpful in regaining control after giving birth.
Obesity
Excess weight on your pelvic floor can increase your risk of developing stress incontinence. In this case, losing weight in addition to incontinence treatment may be the best option for improving your bladder control.
Age
As you age, the muscles in your body begin to weaken, making stress incontinence more likely. However, women of any age can experience periods of weakened bladder control.
Pelvic Surgery
A pelvic surgery such as a hysterectomy for women or a prostate cancer procedure for men may weaken the pelvic muscles, resulting in stress incontinence.
Treating Stress Incontinence
You may feel embarrassed or ashamed if you're dealing with stress incontinence. While treatments are available, it is also important to remember that incontinence is prevalent. Thousands of men and women deal with this condition, but that doesn't mean you must continue suffering. You may consider electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence or a basic lifestyle change to improve the strength of your pelvic muscles, thus resulting in more control over your bladder function.
Bladder Training
If you have weak bladder control, there is hope. Bladder training is one way to improve your strength and control. Your doctor may instruct you to implement scheduled bathroom breaks, gradually increasing the time between each one. Another form of bladder training includes waiting to urinate when you feel you need to, but this training is typically used for urge incontinence instead of stress incontinence.
Adjust Your Diet
Certain foods and drinks may irritate the bladder, making your incontinence worse. Avoid soda, coffee, and spicy, acidic, or citrusy foods. If your weight contributes to your incontinence, you may also try a diet to lose weight. Remember to discuss any changes in diet with your doctor to ensure you get the nutrients your body needs.
Behavior Therapies
Specific exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor. You may have heard of Kegels, intentional contractions of the pelvic floor muscles that you can do anytime, anywhere. Kegels may also stimulate more pleasurable sexual responses.
Pelvic Floor Trainer
A pelvic floor trainer is a device that exercises your pelvic floor muscles for you with little to no effort. Some devices can be used externally, while others are inserted into the vagina. A trainer is a very effective method for solving incontinence. Dr. Jane's Incontinence Treatment Stimulator is particularly ideal for treating stress incontinence.
Jane's Incontinence Treatment Stimulator
Our incontinence treatment stimulator uses the latest technology to strengthen your pelvic muscles, improving your bladder control. Electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence does the work for you, exercising your pelvic floor muscles with no effort. It's easy to use and highly effective. Dr. Jane's ITS works by contracting your vaginal muscles to rebuild them, allowing you to regain control of your body.
During your session, you'll want to be relaxed. If you're looking for entertainment, you can enjoy a favorite TV show, a riveting book, or peaceful meditation. What matters most is that you're sitting or lying down comfortably.
Once you're settled, gently insert the Vagi-Comfort adaptor into your vagina. It shouldn't be painful or uncomfortable. Choose the stress incontinence program and adjust the intensity. Ideally, you should feel your vaginal muscles contracting naturally with no physical effort. Stay here for 30 minutes and enjoy some time for relaxation and recovery. We advise almost daily sessions for approximately three months; however, many women see results within just a few weeks.
Don't Let Stress Incontinence Control You
When you look up 'what is female stress incontinence?", you'll find that you're not alone. You can take back control of your body by using a pelvic floor trainer from Dr. Jane. Stress incontinence may make you feel embarrassed and frustrated, but you can overcome this difficult health challenge with a bit of work.