Urinary Incontinence
You cough (dribble). You laugh (dribble). You sneeze (dribble). Are you among the large number of women who experience the uncomfortable, and often embarrassing, effects of urinary incontinence, the inability to control when your bladder empties?
- Women tend to have it twice as often as men
- Women over the age of 50 experience it more frequently
- Younger women often experience it after the birth of a child
Normally when you urinate, the muscles of your bladder contract, allowing urine to pass into the urethra. Once you have emptied your bladder, the muscles relax, allowing urine to collect until your bladder become full again.
With incontinence, the bladder muscles contract at inappropriate times, causing urine to leak from the bladder. It can happen anytime. Because of their embarrassment, many women fail to discuss this issue with their doctor, yet it is treatable in eight out of 10 cases.
What controls these muscles? You guessed it, the nervous system—the central focus of chiropractic care. When muscles or tissues are not working properly, our first thought is that there may be some type of interference to the communications between the brain and the organ or tissue. A spinal problem in the lower back is a common culprit.
Other non-drug approaches include Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles that control when the bladder empties, bladder training, which helps you lengthen the amount of time between trips to the bathroom, and relaxation techniques, such as breathing and biofeedback.
If you suffer with this condition, please don’t be embarrassed. Please mention it at your next visit. Or forward this article to someone you think we could help.Thanks!
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