Bladder Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence is the accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the bladder. It is extremely common with 1 in every 3 Irish women effected. Urinary Incontinence happens for a variety of reasons from pregnancy and childbirth, through to menopause, increasing age, or even post surgery.
Bladder Urgency “Over Active Bladder”
An over active bladder results in the sudden overwhelming urge to go to the toilet. It may or may not be associated with incontinence. It is often associated with increased frequency of going to the toilet and “just in case” visits to the toilet. This condition can quickly take over your life, with patients often reporting that every day trips are planned around the nearest toilet. This is not normal and is something we can treat at our womens health clinic.
Physiotherapy for Bladder Dysfunction
An in-depth assessment is the first step in Physiotherapy. This will involve taking a detailed history and then if appropriate and with consent an internal examination to fully understand the presenting problem and assess the function of the pelvic floor muscles. This part of the assessment is helpful but not essential and your therapist will discuss this with you during your first appointment. Once a diagnosis has been made the physiotherapist will tailor a treatment plan to your needs.
This may involve one or more of the following:
Education on bladder and bowel habits
Bladder Re-training
Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation
Breathing techniques
Abdominal muscle strengthening
Home exercise programme
Onward referral for medication or further investigation