Are you leaking wee when you jump/ cough/ laugh?
There are many risk factors that can contribute to someone having bladder leakage when they jump, run, cough, sneeze, laugh, etc. Some of those factors include:
-
- Pregnancy
-
- Older age
-
- Smoking
-
- Increased BMI
-
- Chronic lung disease, etc.
This type of bladder leakage is termed Stress Urinary Incontinence and it affects both men and women, with up to 1 in 5 women experiencing it in their lifetime.
This type of incontinence happens when there is an increase in pressure within the abdomen/pelvis which exceeds the body’s ability to keep wee in. Incontinence can range from a few drops to a significant loss of bladder content.
Despite the influence of external factors on the pelvic floor, there are ways to treat it to enable you to continue to do the things you love.
The gold standard treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence is to be assessed by a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist to see how to best treat the symptoms based on your body. In the meantime, here are some ways to manage it:
-
- “The Knack”: this is where you contract your pelvic floor before coughing, sneezing, etc. This is a very effective way to help reduce the leaking if you can remember to do so before the bout of stress.
-
- Regular strengthening & relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles: we recommend using the Squeezy app (NHS approved) to help keep you accountable. This will guide you through both long holding and short holding exercises for your pelvic floor. Make sure to always fully relax between repetitions.
Stress Urinary Incontinence is very common but not normal. There are many ways that we can work together to help you get through the barriers and return to your goals – even if it is laughing with friends.
Find out more about Women’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapy at Body Logic Health. Our team have set up a wonderful pathway to help you get back to the activities you enjoy the most. The pathway is a guide for you and the team to help you progress but is always individualised to you and your specific requirements. You can see an overview of the areas that the team can address for you, along with an outline of the plan to help you, read more at our Women’s Pelvic Health page.
Get Back to being Your Best