Urinary Incontinence Can Be Cured
Natural, Non-Surgical Treaments Can Prevent Embarrassing Leaking
Stress Urinary Incontinence can affect women at any time of life and in any situation. Find out the main causes and what can be done to prevent it.
Urinary problems such as “leaking” when sneezing, coughing, laughing, standing up from a seated position, lifting, pushing or exercising are called Stress Urinary Incontinence.
Main Causes of Stress Urinary Incontinence
- Weak pelvic floor muscles. This can be as a result of pregnancy. Like all muscles, if they are not exercised, they become weaker and this affects bladder incontinence.
- Estrogen depletion, which can cause thinning of the urethral tissue and bladder incontinence. This can occur during the menopausal years with hormone changes.
- Nerve damage from childbirth, surgery or radiation treatment.
- Some neurological illnesses can cause bladder incontinence, and the possibility should be checked out by your doctor.
- Isolated incidences of stress urinary incontinence may be due to UTI.
Natural Treatments for Stress Urinary Incontinence
- Kegel Exercises. Dr. Arnold Kegel is a world-renowned gynecologist famous for his Kegel Perineometer which used air pressure within the vagina to test the strength of the muscles when performing the squeeze and release exercises of the pelvic floor muscles. These exercises have since become known as "Kegel" Exercises, or as Pelvic Floor Exercises.
Naturopath Dr Emily Kane says : “Kegels exercises help (urinary) stress incontinence -- but you have to do them! I like a 50-Kegel sequence of 10 quick, 10 slow, 10 quick, 10 slow and 10 quick. The slow ones you hold as long as possible. If you imagine the vagina as an elevator that goes up 10 stories (max squeeze) the Kegel really only needs to bring the lift up to the 2nd floor.” The Kegel muscle is the one used to stop the flow of urine. It takes practice to identify it. It does not work if the abdominal, thigh or buttock muscles are working at the same time. These exercises strengthen the pelvic area's muscle structure and it will take about 3 months before improvement. If necessary, a healthcare professional skilled in pelvic floor function can give guidance using biofeedback equipment, and also help keep track of progress.
- Vaginal cones often make pelvic floor exercising more effective. These are weights that are inserted into the vagina and held in place for about 5 minutes at a time. As the pelvic floor muscles grow stronger, the weight is increased. Cones range from 15gs to 100gms in weight. Cones should not be used during menstruation, pregnancy, or if any infection is present. They should be used under supervision of a healthcare practitioner.
Herbal Remedies
- Horsetail may promote healthy urinary tract function and Crateva nurvala can improve bladder health. There are commercial remedies available that contain a blend of these herbs which may help with urinary incontinence.
Homeopathic Remedies
- Homeopaths prefer to treat the whole person rather than the symptom, however Pulsatilla has been found to be helpful, as well as Causticum.
Diet
- Dr Kane says, “This can be a type of irritable bladder, and certain foods and drinks may be directly linked with less control. Typical culprits are wheat, dairy products, caffeinated drinks, alcohol, sugar -- all that stuff you should not consume anyway.” Dr Kane also recommends avoiding constipation as the extra pressure on the bladder can contribute to Stress Urinary Incontinence.
Electrical Stimulation
- This is used for pelvic floor development by placing electrodes or a probe into the vagina. Electrical impulses stimulate the muscles, causing them to contract and relax.
Consult your doctor if you have bleeding, pain or fever, or if you are concerned about any of your symptoms.
On-line forum for urinary incontinence support.
Reference: Therapeutic Management of Incontinence and Pelvic Pain ( J. Laycock J. Haslam. Springer-Verlag London Ltd 2002)
