Are you racing to the bathroom?
Have you ever had to strategically look out for bathroom locations while you are out?
Have you ever avoided drinking water while hanging out with your friends because you worry
about an accidental leakage?
Do you find yourself rushing to the bathroom, even when your bladder isn’t full?
It is frustrating, and for some, this can severely influence their lifestyle.
Urge incontinence can be a distressing condition for many women. It involves a sudden and
uncontrollable urge to urinate, which can lead to embarrassing accidents.
However, there’s good news: with the right approach and guidance from physiotherapy, managing urge
incontinence is possible.
In this blog, we will explore what urge incontinence is, its causes, and
most importantly, how physiotherapy can help women regain control and confidence.
To begin with, let’s understand what urge incontinence is:
Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder muscle contract involuntarily, causing a sudden
and intense urge to urinate. This urgency can sometimes lead to leaks before reaching the
bathroom. While it can aƯect both men and women, it’s more common in women, especially as
they age or after childbirth. Several factors contribute to urge incontinence, including:
1. Muscle Weakness
2. Nerve disruption
3. Bladder Irritants
4. Hormonal Changes
How can physiotherapy help?
Often, women have been told to perform generic pelvic floor exercise but have found that they
do not always work for them. Whilst these are indispensable, there is much more to good
bladder control than pelvic floor muscle strengthening.
Women’s health physiotherapist targets the underlying causes of urge incontinence through
thorough assessment of your pelvic floor, as well as incorporating your symptoms and
subjective history. Here are various ways we can help:
1. Pelvic floor examination and training
2. Biofeedback
3. Bladder training
4. Lifestyle modification
5. Electrical stimulation
Beyond this, we want to empower women by providing education and support, helping them to
understand their condition, and personalise treatment plans tailored to their needs.
If you are experiencing symptoms of urge incontinence, do not hesitate to reach out to us at
West Ryde Physio. Remember, it is never too late to take control of your pelvic health and regain
confidence.
YuHui Lee
YuHui Lee is a women’s health physio at our clinic. Her passion is to help women return to being active while supporting them with women’s health solutions.
