Among the numerous physiological problems, urinary incontinence also deserves attention. It is a problem that affects many people all over the world. Although it is mainly a female affliction, there is no shortage of men who also have problems with it. For women, the solution to the problem seems to be urogenital physiotherapy. A visit to a physiotherapist will be advisable for both men and women.
How does the urination process work properly?
At the outset, it is important to clarify how the controlled process works in general urination. It is during this that urine passes through the urethra, and the closing and opening of this urethra occurs voluntarily. A full bladder sends the right signal to the brain, which relaxes the pelvic floor muscles and causes the bladder muscles to contract. Consequently, proper urination means that we ourselves decide whether we want to empty the bladder or whether we want to hold back. This is where urinary incontinence comes in.
Urinary incontinence - what is it?
In the case of involuntary, complete or partial emptying of the bladder, we can speak of urinary incontinence. It is a condition in which some stage of the urinary excretion process has been disturbed. An anatomical-functional anomaly of this type does not affect only elderly people, but can affect both women and men of any age. Urinary incontinence is divided into two most common types:
- urinary incontinence with urgency,
- stress urinary incontinence.
Physiotherapy in urinary incontinence
It is extremely important in the fight against urinary incontinence to go to a specialist. The basic action is re-education and strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles. It is important to remember that if the cause of urinary incontinence is organ prolapse (this occurs in some women), surgical intervention proves necessary. Afterwards, it is crucial to go to a physiotherapist who will assist the patient in returning to physical fitness. What's more, physiotherapy will even help before surgery and in situations where surgery proves unnecessary. In either case, it is able to effectively assist in the process of rebuilding the muscles responsible for correct continence. The physiotherapist will also help to carry out appropriate training, indicating correct and incorrect methods of exercise.
Bladder training
An example of an exercise that is often proposed by the physiotherapistsis bladder training. It aims to cure incontinence by restoring the patient's normal urination patterns. The training also involves developing new habits that allow us to empty the bladder in a regular, controlled manner. Training involves re-learning how to mechanically empty the bladder in a situation where there is no urge to push on the bladder. This can gradually increase the time between toilet visits.
