Bladder Control Exercises
Weak bladder muscles are generally the most common cause for urinary incontinence. After a careful physical check-up is done to eliminate other complications, most physicians recommend bladder control exercises.
Bladder control exercises concentrate mainly on strengthening the pelvic muscles. Kegel exercises are ideal for this purpose and are simple to perform. It can also be done anywhere at any time and generally requires no specialized equipment. With a little know-how or by consulting a physical therapist, patients can learn how to contract and release their pelvic floor muscles.
When initially performing bladder control exercises, some individuals are unsure as to which muscles should actually be tightened. Well, an easy method of discovering an answer to this would be for the person concerned to stop the flow of urine once begun. However this is only done to help the patient identify the correct muscles, and it should be borne in mind that this need not be done on an on-going basis.
After identifying the pelvic floor muscles, the next step in bladder control exercises is to sit or lie down (preferably after emptying the bladder). Then patients are advised to tighten the pelvic floor muscles for approximately three seconds and relax for the next three seconds, and repeat this procedure 10-15 times. After the patient is comfortable with this routine, she can extend the time of contraction/relaxation to four or five seconds at a time. Ideally, bladder control exercises should be performed four or five times a day, so as to reap its optimal benefits.
In order to obtain the promised benefits of bladder control exercises, it is generally recommended that abdominal, buttock or thigh muscles are not flexed simultaneously, thus ensuring that only the pelvic muscles are exercised.
Many expect overnight changes after performing bladder control exercises but this is generally erring on the side of optimism. In reality, it might take a few weeks before an individual begins to notice a positive change or improvement in his/her condition.
Bladder control exercises are recommended for pregnant women who opt for vaginal deliveries and for those who suffer from stress /urge incontinence. It is also deemed helpful in treating vaginal and uterine prolapse. Contrary to popular belief, bladder control exercises are not just recommended for women, but are also helpful for men who suffer from benign prostate hyperplasia or prostatitis.
Bladder control exercises are recommended by most physicians, as it is one of the few options of treatment that have no potential side-effects or complications that merit attention.