Do you pee on yourself a little? If you do, then you probably have stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Why does it happen?
Who gets stress urinary incontinence?
It is common for pregnant women to experience incontinence throughout the late stages because the swollen uterus presses against the bladder and the urethra (where pee comes out of) is stretched out. Moms may continue to experience incontinence even after the delivery of their baby. This is because the growing baby had pushed down onto the pelvic floor, therefore weakening the pelvic floor muscles.
Older women are also prone to getting SUI. As women age, like any muscle, the pelvic floor muscles start to weaken if they are not trained.
But it’s not just older women. Women of any age can get it too! It is especially common in female athletes due to poor exercise and breathing technique. Faulty habits such as holding your breath during lifting increases intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure has nowhere to go but down to the pelvic floor. This weakens the pelvic floor muscles and can worsen your incontinence. So if you are experiencing SUI, this is NOT the time to be going for your 1 rep max.
Lastly, constipation is another huge factor that contributes to SUI. Those who are chronically constipated tend to hold their breath and push too hard when trying to pass their stool. Again, this act weakens the pelvic floor over time, therefore affecting the ability to hold urine in.
Is stress urinary incontinence normal?
How many times have you heard your mom, grandma, or your pregnant friend say they leak urine but it’s normal? SUI is definitely common, but NOT normal. It is so common that the diaper industry is a multi-billion dollar industry! Unfortunately, many women don’t realize they can get help for their SUI. You don’t have to suffer with embarrassment from leaking forever.
What can I do to treat stress urinary incontinence?
Practicing good bladder habits is crucial. Click here to learn more.
We have all heard of Kegals but don’t do them enough, if at all. Performing Kegals can help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and regain control of your bladder. It is important you know how to properly do a Kegal. Doing them incorrectly can worsen your symptoms.
How do I perform a proper Kegel?
Lie on your back and hold a hand-held mirror so that you can see your perineum (the space between your vagina and anus). Now, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles without activating your buttock muscles, moving your pelvis, or squeezing your thighs together. You should see your perineum move up towards your head. If you see your perineum bulge out towards the mirror, this is incorrect. You can practice Kegels in any position, anywhere! No one will even know you’re doing it.
Another way to check if you are performing Kegels correctly is to stop your urine mid-stream. If you are able to stop the stream, you are activating your pelvic floor muscles. But, be careful. You don’t want to practice this way too often because it can disturb the reflex mechanism that signals the need to urinate and cause more problems.
To take your pelvic floor muscle strength to the next level, we recommend vaginal weights to my patients. Click here for the ones our patients use. It is a set of 6 vaginal weights to accommodate different strength levels.
Another great product we recommend is the award winning Elvie Trainer to strengthen and tone pelvic floor muscles. It was created by physical therapists and health experts. You place the device inside the vagina and connect to an app that guides you through Kegel exercises. This device is a great way to use visual biofeedback, a technique we use in the clinic to train the pelvic floor muscles. The Elvie Trainer is so sensitive that is able to detect if you are exercising incorrectly and help you to improve your technique. Joy ON is a cheaper option.
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Disclaimer: Kegels are generally helpful in treating SUI. However if you are experiencing other types of incontinence, pelvic pain, or other issues, Kegels may actually worsen your symptoms. If you are unsure if Kegels are right for you, or if you want a more in-depth evaluation of your situation, contact us and we can help!