Urinary incontinence is extremely common, but many people find it difficult or embarrassing to talk about.
Symptoms can range from occasionally leaking a small amount of urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise to experiencing a sudden urge to urinate that makes reaching the toilet in time difficult.
Although urinary incontinence becomes more common with age, it shouldn’t simply be accepted as an inevitable part of getting older.
At The Form Practice in Hardwick, Cambridge, we offer PelviPower, a non-invasive technology designed to stimulate and train the pelvic floor muscles.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence means unintentionally passing urine.
There are several different types, including:
Stress incontinence
This occurs when urine leaks as pressure within the abdomen increases – for example when coughing, sneezing, laughing, running or exercising.
Pelvic floor weakness can be an important factor.
Urge incontinence
This involves experiencing a sudden, intense need to urinate, sometimes accompanied by leakage before reaching the toilet.
It is also associated with the term overactive bladder.
Overflow incontinence
This occurs when the bladder doesn’t empty completely, resulting in frequent or persistent leakage.
Mixed incontinence
Some people experience a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
Identifying the type of incontinence matters because different underlying problems may require different approaches.
Why does pelvic floor strength matter?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that forms a supportive base within the pelvis.
These muscles play an important role in supporting the bladder and helping maintain continence.
Like other muscles, the pelvic floor can become weaker or function less effectively.
Factors that may contribute include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Menopause and hormonal changes
- Ageing
- Pelvic surgery
- Being overweight
- Chronic coughing
- Constipation and repeated straining
- Regular heavy lifting
Pelvic-floor problems aren’t limited to women. Men can also experience pelvic-floor weakness and urinary incontinence, particularly following prostate treatment or surgery.
Can pelvic floor exercises help?
Pelvic floor muscle training is an established approach to managing some types of urinary incontinence, particularly stress incontinence.
The challenge is that pelvic-floor exercises need to be performed correctly and consistently.
Some people find it difficult to identify the right muscles or to contract them effectively.
This is one of the reasons technologies designed to stimulate pelvic-floor muscle contractions have been developed.
What is PelviPower?
PelviPower is a non-invasive pelvic-floor training system that uses electromagnetic stimulation.
You remain fully clothed and sit on a specially designed chair while electromagnetic energy stimulates the nerves and muscles of the pelvic floor, producing repeated muscular contractions.
The intensity can be adjusted according to the individual.
A session takes around 20 minutes, and there is no need for an internal examination or for you to undress.
Can PelviPower help with urinary incontinence?
Electromagnetic pelvic-floor stimulation has been studied as a potential treatment for urinary incontinence, with research reporting improvements in symptoms for some patients.
However, results vary and PelviPower shouldn’t be presented as a guaranteed cure for incontinence.
The underlying cause of your symptoms is important. Pelvic-floor weakness is only one possible reason for urinary leakage, and not everybody with urinary symptoms simply needs stronger pelvic-floor muscles.
When should you speak to your GP?
If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence, particularly if it is new, unexplained or worsening, it’s sensible to discuss it with your GP or an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
You should also seek medical advice if you experience symptoms such as pain when urinating, blood in your urine, recurrent urinary infections or difficulty emptying your bladder.
We will recommend medical or specialist assessment where your symptoms suggest that PelviPower may not be the appropriate first step.
What happens during a PelviPower session?
Treatment is straightforward.
You sit comfortably in the PelviPower chair fully clothed while the electromagnetic stimulation is gradually adjusted to an appropriate level.
You’ll feel the pelvic-floor muscles contracting during the session.
There is no internal treatment, and a typical session lasts approximately 20 minutes.
We’ll discuss your goals and relevant medical history before starting and explain whether PelviPower is suitable for you.
PelviPower in Cambridge
At The Form Practice in Hardwick, Cambridge, PelviPower offers a discreet and non-invasive way to train the pelvic-floor muscles.
If bladder weakness or urinary leakage is affecting your exercise, confidence or everyday life, you don’t simply have to put up with it.
Book a free PelviPower trial to experience the technology and discuss whether it could be appropriate for you.