As you have already read in the previous newsletter, one of our physiotherapists, Sanne Mortensen, is specialized in pelvic floor problems.

 

Urinary incontinence is a common problem in elderly man and woman, but only half of those affected visits a doctor. Incontinence often has a multifactorial cause and problems like constipation, chronic coughing and poor mobility make it worse. 

The type of incontinence and the underlying cause are easily to determine using medical history, physical examination and additional tests. There is also an effective treatment available, consisting of bladder training, in the case of urge incontinence and pelvic floor muscle exercises, in the case of urinary stress incontinence. However elderly people  are  not very motivated for these exercises, because of other complaints, but also because they know too little about the subject.

 

In this newsletter Sanne, our physiotherapist, explains the different posibilities that are available to deal with pelvic floor problems.

The pelvic floor is composed of superficial and deep muscles found in both men and women alike, as well as ligaments, tendons and nerves. Collectively all of these structures form a supportive rounded funnel shape that acts not only to support the organs, but also aid in elimination processes, such as urinating, defecating and in sexual function. Any changes to these processes can be a sign of a pelvic floor dysfunction, and can have a serious impact on a person’s quality of life.

 

Physiotherapy for pelvic floor problems has a strong scientific evidence base. There are several techniques a specialised physiotherapist can teach and utilise to improve your bladder capacity, your pelvic floor strength and your overall quality of life. Treatments in pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, bladder retraining, electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles and relaxation techniques can form part of your treatment. Patients attend with a variety of conditions such as stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence following prostate surgery, chronic pelvic pain, pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain, vaginismus, dyspareunia.

 

A careful and detailed history will be taken, available treatment options will be discussed and goals will be agreed upon. An internal examination (vaginally or rectally) can be extremely useful for diagnostic and assessment purposes, but is never forced upon you and it is not obligatory. It can be performed, if you consent to it, at the first appointment, or a subsequent appointment. Your dignity is maintained throughout and you can request a chaperone to be present if desired.

 

Receiving a correct diagnosis is essential for the successful management of any medical condition. A General Practitioner, Urologist or a Gynaecologist should be contacted if you experience any problems with urination or your pelvic floor, to rule out serious diseases such as cancers (bladder, prostate, cervix), benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate), or nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis. A doctor will also be able to prescribe hormone creams for internal application or oral medicines that calm down the bladder, both treatments that work extremely well when combined with physiotherapy.  

 

So ditch the shame, and get help!

Sanne is available for appointments every Tuesday.