Dear mums, if you are asking yourself this question during pregnancy or after giving birth then we have 2 good pieces of information for you:
First of all, you are not alone!
And secondly, you can remedy this.
It won't do itself and it won't pass on its own. But enough is enough;
1️⃣ Wanting to make a difference
2️⃣ Go to a good urogynaecological physiotherapist
3️⃣ Listen to his recommendations
And there is a good chance that sneezing, coughing, laughing and other daily activities will no longer be stressful and embarrassing for you.
When does urinary incontinence most commonly occur?
🔹 In pregnancy - most often makes life difficult for women towards the end of pregnancy when the function of the structures weakens
supporting the organs of the lower pelvis (bladder, uterus, rectum)
🔹 After pregnancy - the body lets us know that the pelvic floor needs to be looked after. If we disregard the warning signs, it will only get worse over time and more complaints will appear.
Why does urinary incontinence occur?
Stretched connective tissue usually does not return to its pre-pregnancy size. It can return but most often needs to be helped to do so. And the greater the number of pregnancies behind us, the more difficult and lengthy the process will be. The stronger the pelvic floor muscles, the better and more effectively they protect our connective tissue from irreversible and excessive weakening and stretching...., provided they are. The condition is that they work well and functionally with the abdominal muscles. As you can see, every part of our body is interconnected in some way and this is why modern medicine and physiotherapy places so much emphasis on a holistic approach to each patient.
Can I prevent urinary incontinence?
Yes, to a large extent you can minimise the likelihood of this bothersome condition happening to you. The stronger your pelvic floor muscles and the better your awareness of your body before and during pregnancy, the better.
How to prevent urinary incontinence?
Prepare for pregnancy, prepare for childbirth during pregnancy and take care of yourself and your organs after the birth.
PREVENTION is the key word when it comes to incontinence.
A visit to a urogynaecological physiotherapist will allow you to go through the preparation for pregnancy, the gestation period, the birth and the post-partum period in a harmonious and healthy way.
What consequences can untreated incontinence have?
Urinary incontinence indicates a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and this can lead to:
🔹 pain and spinal degeneration,
🔹 hip pain and arthritis,
🔹 problems with sexual satisfaction
🔹 organ descent.
How to treat urinary incontinence (if already present)?
1 First, the urogynaecological physiotherapist takes a detailed history and then examines and assesses pelvic floor muscle function.
2. the next step is to teach the patient how to perform household activities appropriately, such as:
🔹 Bending down in the correct way, bending the legs and not the torso. The torso must remain upright, going low on the legs.
🔹 Sneezing with the torso upright and with the abdominal muscles tight. Do not bend in half and relax the abdominal muscles.
🔹 Expel urine without straining (do not urinate with all your might to speed up urine output). We do not interrupt the flow of urine. When we want to pee, we do not hold the urine in the bladder for too long.
🔹 When sitting on the toilet, avoid pushing hard. "This can be facilitated by placing a tray under the feet to make the position more effective than sitting. This position is more physiological for a person in a bowel movement situation.
The final stage is exercises to be done at home or anywhere and anytime. No one will know that you are doing pelvic floor muscle training. Kegel muscle training has great effects and will significantly improve your quality of life if done correctly. The urogynaecological physiotherapist will teach you when, how and with what strength to tighten specific muscles. It is no less important to relax them at the right moments.
Such exercises are often supported by manual therapy or physical therapy. Manual therapy in this case focuses mainly on manual treatments in the lumbar spine and pelvis. It effectively restores musculo-fascial balance and removes pain associated with abnormal muscle tone. Physical therapy in this case is the electrostimulation of the pelvic floor muscles with appropriately selected parameters that induce muscle contraction and strengthening.
Dear mothers - urogynaecological rehabilitation and Kegel muscle strengthening is a scientific field that is developing very rapidly all over the world.
Why not break through the shame and take charge of your quality of life?
Kegel muscles weakened by pregnancy and childbirth will be added to by the menopause, when a drop in oestrogen causes collagen to atrophy. The elasticity of all tissues - including the pelvic floor muscles - decreases significantly at this time. Do not wait until the last minute, do not condemn yourself to the discomfort of body odour and shame. Neglecting this can even lead to prolapse of the reproductive organs and surgery.
The sooner you start urogynaecological rehabilitation, the better the results will be. Be aware of your body, be active, be healthy - for yourself, for your baby and for your partner. You are a team and in a team every member is equally important. I am writing about this because I have the impression that you, dear mothers, often forget about it.
Before, during and after pregnancy - a visit to a urogynaecological therapist is an investment in your future and also in the future and happiness of your family. Because a happy mum means a happy baby and, in this case, also a happy dad.
In urogynaecology, prevention is very important when you have had a baby, and preferably even before you become pregnant. The sooner you are aware of your "intimate area", your body "down there", the more comfortable life you will lead as the years go by. It's simply your investment in the future, which no one will return to you. Take care of yourself, it's never too late, so see you at the surgery 🙂 .
At Kids Medic you can benefit from the services of a urogynaecological physiotherapist by signing up with Ania Pyszniak
Ania Pyszniak
