One in four females suffer from incontinence. It is a nuisance , an embarrassment no one talks about it
It is all down to destroy of the pelvic floor muscles, which hold up the bladder , help to cease leakage, being stretched in the work of pregnancy , the birth of the kid.
After the menopause, lack of oestrogen weakens the exit valve from the bladder , it may leak if pressure inside the abdomen increases (coughing , sneezing). That is called stress incontinence.
Those stretched muscles may never regain their former tone, if a woman fails to do pelvic exercises. They are important in the six weeks after delivering a kid, in case you require to keep away from incontinence for the remainder of your life. But pregnancy is not the sole cause.
An examination will reveal a bladder prolapse, which can be treated. The next step is to take a bladder X-ray, a cystogram ; EMG to trace the muscular contractions in the wall ; exit valve by a bladder specialist.
Post-menopause, the lining of the bladder may become unduly sensitive to the presence of any urine ; try to empty itself - that is irritable bladder.
HRT can do much to restore pelvic floor strength after the menopause. For irritable bladder, there is bladder retraining ; muscle relaxant drugs. Then there's the all-important pelvic floor exercises that can help incontinence whatever your age.
First, contract them by stopping the flow several times while you are urinating, tensing for seconds, relaxing for seconds, then tensing them again. Next, tighten ; relax the muscles ten times, as quickly as you can so that they appear to flutter. Next, contract the muscles steadily as though you were trying to draw an object in to your vagina. Gradually build up to ten contractions, ten times every day or more, spaced over several hours.
One time you have mastered the process, you can do them anywhere, lying down, standing, watching television, even at the till.