Pelvic floor exercises

Been doing a bit of research - and yep.....childless women can still get this problem (but it isn't nearly so many of us as amongst women who've had children).

Vaginal oestrogen can help - it comes under the realm of conventional health treatment. But if push came to shove and it was conventional medicine or a problem = conventional medicine it would have to be I guess.

It took a lot of hunting down that fact - but lose weight! I'm around 2 stone overweight (still - I know!) but going from 10 stones down to 9 stones even takes the risk of this down by 10%. So much simpler than "Live with it - and tough luck you often go out in clothing that does not allow for things like that (ie I wear leggings a lot and once I've lost that surplus weight finally - I'll be back into well-fitting jeans as well). I rarely wear hide-all type clothing (like loose dresses or skirts) - my way of dressing is leggings and jeans. So a relief to know a combination of lose the surplus weight/vaginal oestrogen if need be should do the trick and get things back to normal - with strengthen-that-area type exercises if that's not enough to normalise things.

So there is more hope than one would derive from "Live with it...."....

NO chance - speaking personally. I know there's an influencer out there now who is pretty young/attractive/dating agegroup and she has bad problems with this - because she has MS.

She's making a thing of being very open about this - and even videoing herself wearing all sorts of this. Good for her for bringing this issue out in the open and at an age where she's probably expecting to be dating and certainly expecting to be generally "out and about and dressing up".

But I have found quite a few exercise videos on YouTube specifically focusing on strengthening the relevant bits of ones anatomy. Have also found ones on relevant points to do DIY acupressure on to get one's body to stop feeling like it needs to go when you know you don't/shouldn't. There's certainly one there I've seen to date that could be done very inconspicuously and readily - ie a point on the hands.

You can buy incontinence pads from Tesco...various sizes.

icanhandthemback

*CariadAgain*, there are so many things you can use nowadays so that you are not a house prisoner. Apart from exercising the appropriate muscles, there are continence pads available for all levels of incontinence. I have found that Aldi's sell a very good panty pad at a very reasonable price. I find the largest give me reassurance for the minor bladder leaks and are long enough to help in worse leaks from my IBS. Boots do their own version of the Tena Lady pants but much cheaper for more persistent leakage. There are also lots of reusable pants or pads too which can easily be found with an internet search.
No-one should be embarrassed if they have a problem. It is a widespread problem which happens to most women at some point or other.

Sympathies on that one. A good friend of mine (in similar agegroup to me) surprised me the other day when she said she'd got an issue with this and uses them (though I know she has had a child). But I wasnt aware she'd got that issue and she "deals with it" that way. Each to their own - but I was through buying sanitary stuff myself when periods ended (and very thankful to be so at last - as I'd had lots of period problems all round and I used to worry my body would embarrass me with them and thankfully managed to prevent it doing that to me more than once).

Hence my own take on it would be that I was "under house arrest" and would "scream and stay in" personally. Each to their own - and I can understand why someone else would make the decision to "Adapt and go out".Though I've certainly become very aware that vandals need dealing with very firmly - as three of the public loos in this little town are out of action thanks to them and the little darlings are going to cop it if I catch them at it ever.

Anyways - that book is due to turn up today and I guess I'd better put this issue at the top of my "Get my health back to normal priority list". The joys of getting older and apres-Covid - 10 items on the "Restore health to normal" list.

Men have incontinence problems too Cariad it’s not just childbirth!

CariadAgain, there are so many things you can use nowadays so that you are not a house prisoner. Apart from exercising the appropriate muscles, there are continence pads available for all levels of incontinence. I have found that Aldi's sell a very good panty pad at a very reasonable price. I find the largest give me reassurance for the minor bladder leaks and are long enough to help in worse leaks from my IBS. Boots do their own version of the Tena Lady pants but much cheaper for more persistent leakage. There are also lots of reusable pants or pads too which can easily be found with an internet search.
No-one should be embarrassed if they have a problem. It is a widespread problem which happens to most women at some point or other.

icanhandthemback

CariadAgain

Following this with interest - though I don't understand why I've been having a few problems in that direction recently (given that I've never had children or even been pregnant).

I'm about 2 stones overweight - around 10.5 stones, when I should be 8.5 stones - but that has been the case basically for some years now (ie down to around 9.5 stones and then Lockdown hit - and so the weight went back on again).

Can this even happen to childless women who are only mildly overweight?

Yes, it doesn't really just target women who have had children. It is an age and menopause thing.

I'm surprised at that then - as I know pregnancy and childbirth badly affects a lot of womens bodies and thought I was safe from that (having done neither).

Have made a couple of notes then on how to "get back to normal" - as I'm blowed if I'm going to need more than one hand to count how many times my body has misbehaved on me like that.

1. I'm seeing a chiropractor currently re loss of sense of smell during Covid - one visit to date specifying that was the main issue I'm seeing him about and he has viewed a YouTube video I've come across re chiropractic sometimes being able to get that back to normal (cautious optimism = I think we might be making progress on that). So I'll have a word with him about whether pelvic alignment has gone a bit adrift or something and whether chiropractic might be able to help with that too.

2. Have just come across mention of a female medic called Isa Herrara, had a quick checkout of her on YouTube and now awaiting a book she's written that covers that sort of issue and will see what there might be there that will help.

I'm blowed if my body is going to put me in a position where I feel I'm "under house arrest" in order that there's no risk of it embarrassing me. Am certainly not going to let it put me in a position where I feel I've got to be indoors somewhere-or-other where there is a loo to hand in case it misbehaves on me! Onwards and upwards - and back to normal.....

CariadAgain

Following this with interest - though I don't understand why I've been having a few problems in that direction recently (given that I've never had children or even been pregnant).

I'm about 2 stones overweight - around 10.5 stones, when I should be 8.5 stones - but that has been the case basically for some years now (ie down to around 9.5 stones and then Lockdown hit - and so the weight went back on again).

Can this even happen to childless women who are only mildly overweight?

Yes, it doesn't really just target women who have had children. It is an age and menopause thing.

I use the exercises as a preventative measure, touch wood I’ve never had an issue, but became aware I might as I aged.

Following this with interest - though I don't understand why I've been having a few problems in that direction recently (given that I've never had children or even been pregnant).

I'm about 2 stones overweight - around 10.5 stones, when I should be 8.5 stones - but that has been the case basically for some years now (ie down to around 9.5 stones and then Lockdown hit - and so the weight went back on again).

Can this even happen to childless women who are only mildly overweight?

Please be aware that any internal pelvic floor exerciser does not work if you have a ring pesssary. The blurb and instructions don’t mention this.

I was so desperate that I bought at great expense what is basically a pair of electrified pull on shorts. I couldn’t stand the feel of the electric tingling at a strong enough rate to make much difference. I’ve been this week to the nurse to have a ring pessary inserted which seems to be doing the trick so far.

Just to add you do need to use it forever! But it’s worth it.

The Squeezy app saved my pelvic floor. I had a rectocele and at the time I felt like it was the end of the world, that I would need a repair operation and these were controversial at the time. But I tried the app and it worked.

There were these as well, but…….. Didn’t like the look of them at all 😵‍💫😁

AuntieE

I am quite fascinated by all these apps you are talking about.

In Denmark most women with urine incontinence, which after all is many of us over a certain age, just do the exercises that were recommended after childbirth.

Anyone who is uncertain whether she is doing them correctly or not, just makes an appointment with a physiotherapist, a practice nurse, used to dealing with urine incontinence, or a midwife. Some women PT instructors are also qualified to advise.

The important thing, as far as I know is to do the exercises regularly, and if you feel a sneeze, cough or laugh coming on to squeeze everything from your bottom forwards hard.

must admit I don't have any major incontinence, but this "do excercises regularly" bit is important I think.I hate doing them.

The NHS app sounds like the next step if after a few months of doing pelvic floor excercises religiously twice a day you're still having problems.

icanhandthemback

I have a Kegal8. When I remember to use it, it certainly makes a difference.

Good to hear as I have just ordered the set above 😁

I have a Kegal8. When I remember to use it, it certainly makes a difference.

I am quite fascinated by all these apps you are talking about.

In Denmark most women with urine incontinence, which after all is many of us over a certain age, just do the exercises that were recommended after childbirth.

Anyone who is uncertain whether she is doing them correctly or not, just makes an appointment with a physiotherapist, a practice nurse, used to dealing with urine incontinence, or a midwife. Some women PT instructors are also qualified to advise.

The important thing, as far as I know is to do the exercises regularly, and if you feel a sneeze, cough or laugh coming on to squeeze everything from your bottom forwards hard.

I had stress incontinence. I was referred to the well women's clinic. They said kegels exercises and devices wouldn't help me instead I had to avoid coffee, tea, fruit teas, green tea, fruit juice, alcohol. Basically only drink water. I tried that for a few years (I did drink decafinated beverages) but it just got worse. With stress incontinence it's not just a little leak when you cough it's a complete contraction of the bladder which empties suddenly and unpredictably. I used pads and period pants.
Last year I looked at mumsnet recommendations for devices and found a tens device with a programme for stress incontinence. It worked, very quickly I reduced the size of pads and just wear period pants (although I don't really need to). I did have a recurrence when I had flu but normal now and no longer use the device. It relaxes the bladder and isn't unpleasant

I went to a pelvic floor physiotherapist. It was the best thing I ever did for urine leakage. This was maybe 15 years ago.

I see various devices advertised. I guess they short cut the process of doing the pelvic exercises~~~

Sorry I don’t know how to put links on here but if you go on You Tube and search “Rotunda Hospital Dublin” there are some good videos made by physios at the hospital who specialise in women’s pelvic health. As I remember they don’t recommend devices but they give a good explanation of the pelvic floor and how to do pelvic floor exercises. I think the hospital is a well regarded teaching hospital.

I used the gp online service which is how you book an appt at my gp, not that you'll see an actual gp, but hey ho. I described my problem of worsening leakage no matter how many pelvic floor excercises I did, and asked to see the incontinence nurse if they had one. I got an appt to see the women's health nurse. She was top class and referred me to a pelvic physio, another woman, fab! I had an ultrasound scan at my appt after a thorough interview and the scan showed I had an issue with one of the little muscles which closes the top of the bladder, there's 2, one was working fine, the other one had nodded off and was just chilling. Not a pelvic floor issue after all. She gave me a single excercise, which was so simple, to try to awaken this muscle, which after about 4 weeks it did, then I had another excercise after that to continue the improvement. So, if you've got a leakage problem, go and see someone instead of stumbling about in the dark with self help which could be useless. It's easier to see a nurse than a gp, and if you have to wait a few weeks for an appt, what difference does a few more weeks make? It made a huge difference to me. The physio was excellent. You might still end up using a gadget or taking a pill, but at least it will be the right one.

I was told by a physio to sit on a hard chair, imagine you are just about to f**t when the Queen comes in and you have to stand up to curtsey but have to hold it in so as not to cause offence. That is , if laughing doesn’t cause anything worse.. And repeat several times

Thank you for taking the time to reply ..💐