The Link Between Kegel Exercises and Urinary Incontinence

Kegel exercises are exercises to strengthen the muscles of the perineum that consist in contracting and relaxing the pelvic muscles. They are particularly effective in women, more exposed to incontinence after pregnancy.

Against incontinence, contract your pelvic muscles

Urinary incontinence is a very common condition that affects older people and women more often, but not only. Men are not spared, while young women, sports in particular, can also suffer. However, incontinence remains largely a taboo subject.

In addition to prompting those concerned to consult promptly, it is advisable to recommend the prevention of maintaining the perineum, or even strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, often released after a first pregnancy, or even before if necessary. In this area, the realization of Kegel exercises is recommended. If you haven’t got a kegel ball already, you can buy one at Loveballs.

Very effective in women, after childbirth or in older women who suffer from stress or urge incontinence, they are also recommended for men, especially after removal of the prostate. Below you will know how the kegel exercises and incontinence can be helpful for you.

Kegel exercises in practice: Slow version

Contract the muscles used to hold the urine and hold this contraction for 10 seconds. Release for 10 seconds before exercise, 10 to 20 times. Be careful not to contract the muscles of the perineum: do not contract the muscles of the abdomen, buttocks or thighs.

Quick version

Contract then relax the pelvic floor muscles as fast as possible for one minute. The exercises should be done at least 3 times a day (or 5 times a day).

They can be practiced while lying down, sitting or standing.

If it is difficult to identify the muscles to be contracted, you can perform the exercise by inserting a finger into the vagina to verify that you feel the contraction on the finger.

Muscle strength usually improves in 2 to 3 months. From 40% to 75% of the women who use it notice an improvement in their urinary control.

Note that regular exercise can also improve sexual function and sexual pleasure.

It is a technique to relearn how to better control the perineum through the use of sensory stimuli (visual and auditory) sent by electrodes placed partly on the abdomen and to become aware of certain physiological functions. The visualization of the muscular efforts is projected on a screen which allows better apprehending its perineum. But it is useless to continue if this method brings no result.

Kegel exercises in the treatment of incontinence

They are suitable for both men and women and are indicated for toning pelvic floor muscles. They aim to increase the efficiency of the bladder, optimize the tone of the muscles and control the micturition periods by significantly reducing urine leakage. They are frequently used after childbirth.

For a conclusive result, it is necessary to repeat the contraction exercises for several weeks, to be regular and to do them correctly. At first, it is important to find the right muscles to tighten. For this, it is advisable to sit and not to hesitate to practice several tests before getting there. To identify them, it is necessary to put in situation and simulate the urge to urinate or let the gases escape . In the case of a failure, it is better to ask for help from your doctor or a nurse. Once this step gained and the muscles checked through the pressurefelt on the periphery, the exercises can begin. It is necessary to take your time and stay focused during this stage because the contraction of the bad muscles would be useless. The goal is to repeat at least fifty times a day the following exercises: contract the pelvic muscles, retain them and count to five each time. Release for five seconds and repeat the same exercise, which is to repeat. In addition, a quick exercise involves tightening and releasing the pelvic floor muscles as quickly as possible for one minute. In the supine position, once the exercises are under control, it is advisable to sit and stand up. Finally, patience is the key to these exercises, both to find the right muscles to contract and to see improvement,

There is no complication as such when one suffers from incontinence or at least it is on a completely different plane than medical.  Here are some tips to limit the appearance of incontinence.

Incontinence can certainly bring a lot of inconveniences in everyday life and let appear or aggravate urinary tract infections or skin or give rise to local fungal infections but the worst of all complications is not to talk about it to his doctor. Indeed, we must be able to talk freely because incontinence is not inevitable.

Incontinence can quickly lead to suffer psychologically and change his own behavior. Incontinence can lock up the subject. He can live it as a real social handicap of the first importance. An incontinent person may feel completely excluded and feel a profound abandonment of the social group “. Indeed, the fear of stains on his clothes or the emanation of an uncomfortable smell can strongly isolate a patient who can adopt a self-withdrawing attitude. It is fundamental to open oneself to the medical profession that can provide solutions to this problem of incontinence. In addition, the economic aspect is quickly taken into account. Protections (absorbent or non-absorbent products) are expensive and are not reimbursed at all or very much by Health Insurance.

Some tips to prevent incontinence

Several small tips can improve the daily life in case of incontinence.

• Strengthen the muscles: do not hesitate to tone the muscles of the perineum through exercises that are easy to do at home.
• The constipation including chronic incontinence worse in heavily on the bladder.
• Consumption of fluid such as water must remain stable even in case of incontinence (bladder drainage should continue to be normal). On the other hand, avoid excessive drinking caffeine and alcohol that damage the bladder wall.
• Avoid carrying heavy loads except to adopt the rule of folding knees and not to bend your back.
• Keep a good, healthy diet to avoid weight gain. Overweight significantly increases the pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which leads to incontinence symptoms.
• Smoking is prohibited especially for cases of stress incontinence. Coughing episodes can occur, just as it is necessary to guard against recurrent bronchitis.

Finally, it is essential to rehabilitate mentally especially in case of syndrome of the key of the door . The behavior must be corrected because the urge to urinate everything. Thoughts are turned towards this desire. However, we must learn the intentional distraction that is to say that it is necessary to keep busy when the desire to urinate is felt. Thus, learning to remember is also to set goals to reach or go to the bathroom every two hours for example or a fixed schedule that rehabilitates the bladder.

The subject is taboo but as the mentalities change. It is necessary to be able to talk about it in case of medical care and to get involved yourself in the fight against incontinence. Small daily actions that become habits prevent aggravation and withdrawal.