Urinary incontinence (UI) is a serious medical condition that can lead to rashes, pressure ulcers, and urinary tract infections (McNichol 2018).  I can also impact negatively on one’s social interactions, physical activities, and emotional and psychological well-being.

 

It is quite common, estimates of prevalence vary between 25% to 45% in most studies (Milsom 2017).

 

Urinary incontinence is often split into categories based on patient symptoms and clinical signs:

• Stress urinary incontinence

• Urge urinary incontinence

• Mixed incontinence

• Overactive bladder

 

Evidence shows that:

• Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) (as taught by qualified physiotherapists) is recommended as a first-line treatment for all types of (UI) in women of all ages (Level A evidence) (Dumoulin 2017)

• We can be confident hat PFMT can cure or improve symptoms of stress UI, and all other types of UI.  It may reduce the number of leakage episodes, the quantity of leakage and urinary symptoms (Dumoulin et al. 2018)

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Pelvic floor exercise is not as simple as reading how to do them, and the best way to do them isn't the same for everyone!  You can be shown how to do them correctly and specifically for your symptoms - Pelvic Plus Physio can help you with that!

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​Pelvic Plus Physio, providing you with comprehensive Pelvic Health Physiotherapy in Ottawa!

References:

• Milsom I, Altman D, Cartwright R, et al.  Epidemiology of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and Other Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP), and Anal Incontinence (AI).  In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Wagg A, et al., eds. Incontinence. Bristol, UK: ICI-ICI International Continence Society 2017. 1-141

• McNichol LL, Ayello EA, Phearman LA, et al.  Incontinence_Associated Dermatitis. Adv Skin Wound Care 2018;31:1. doi:10.1097/01.  ASW0000546234.12260.61

• Dumoulin C, Adewuyi T, Booth J, et al.  Adult conservative management. In: Abrams P, Cardazo L, Wagg A, et al., eds.  Incontinence. Bristol, UK: :ICI-ICI International Continence Society 2017. 1443-628

• Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-SMith EJC.  Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women.  Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018;10:CD005654. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4