Pelvic floor problems? Urine trouble.
If you find yourself leaking from time to time — or constantly feel like you need to run to the bathroom — it may be time to admit you’re struggling with incontinence.
And despite what you may have heard, it’s not just moms that have this issue.
“Pelvic floor dysfunction comes in many shapes and sizes. Most often, our minds go to pregnancy and childbirth, especially in the presence of perineal tearing, prolapse, or associated leaking,” Dr. Amanda Neri, a pelvic floor therapist and the founder of The Pelvic Institute, told the New York Post.
First things first: There are actually two kinds of incontinence, and it’s not just having a little pee sneak out every time you sneeze. And each of these problems has different solutions.
“For urge incontinence — rushing to the bathroom and leaking — we will try urge defer techniques which include sitting on a flat surface, breathing diaphragmatically, distraction methods, and quick fire pelvic floor contractions to help calm down the urge to void,” Neri said.
“For stress incontinence — leaking with increased pressure i.e. coughing, laughing, sneezing, jumping, etc. — we will work on coordination and strengthening, which may including pelvic floor contractions and other strength exercises for patients to do at home.”
If there’s one thing she wouldn’t recommend — despite what TV and fitness influencers have told you — without getting the green light from an expert, it’s Kegels.
“It’s important to note that pelvic floor contractions — AKA Kegels — are not appropriate for all patients and can make symptoms worse in some cases, so it’s important to receive an individual assessment before doing them at home,” she said.
Kegels can actually make pelvic floor dysfunction worse if the issue is muscle tightness or poor coordination rather than weakness.
In this case, repeatedly contracting already tense muscles can increase pain, urgency and pressure instead of relieving it.
Who suffers from pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction affects an estimated 10% of women aged 20–39, 27% aged 40–59, 37% aged 60–79, and nearly 50% of women aged 80 or older, according to the NIH.
So while age is a factor, “like any injury, pelvic floor dysfunction can develop overtime through everyday activities and overuse,” Neri said.
“The pelvic floor is resilient and great at providing support, but lack of proper coordination, excessive tension, and underlying illness may limit its ability to function well.”
If you have pelvic floor dysfunction, activities like powerlifting, high impact activity, chronic constipation and coughing — anything that increases tension and intra-abdominal pressure — can make things worse
“Additionally, hormonal changes and aging have their impacts on tissue elasticity, which is why we may see a spike in pelvic floor dysfunction during menopause,” Neri added.
For those who have it, pelvic floor dysfunction can cause a lot more than occasional discomfort — and it’s not always that easy to spot.
“Common symptoms we associate with pelvic floor dysfunction include pain — internal or external — around the pelvis, hips, or low back, urinary or fecal incontinence, urgency of urination, heaviness or pressure inside the pelvis, sexual dysfunction including pain or difficulty achieving climax and more,” she said.
“Pelvic floor dysfunction can show up in many different ways, and can look as ‘simple’ as chronic low back pain, which people might never think to see a pelvic floor therapist for.”
And, of course, it can lead to incontinence.
Speaking of using the toilet, Neri previously warned that women should never squat over the toilet seat.
“It’s not good for your pelvic floor because it creates tension,” Neri explained, adding that “it’s the hover-ers that pee on the seat!”
She’s also not a fan of peeing “just in case,” like before leaving the house when you don’t really need to go.
“You can train your bladder to need to go more often by doing this,” she warned.
