URINARY INCONTINENCE
According to the International Urogynecology Association (IUGA), urinary incontinence is basically all involuntary loss of urine, regardless of quantity and frequency.
Furthermore, it is not necessary to carry out any examination to prove incontinence, as the patient’s complaint is sufficient to require treatment.
TYPES OF URINARY INCONTINENCE:
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Stress urinary incontinence:
When urine loss occurs due to exertion, that is, it increases intra-abdominal pressure. In short, it could be a sneeze, a cough, carrying out a daily activity such as carrying bags from the supermarket, or during exercises at the gym.
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Urgent urinary incontinence (overactive bladder):
In these cases, the loss of urine occurs before an urgent urge to pee, thus resulting in urinary urgency due to an overactive bladder (bladder overactivity). It basically happens when we are getting home (key in the lock syndrome), on the way to the bathroom, and when we hear the sound of water.
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Mixed urinary incontinence:
Concisely, this is when the two types of urinary incontinence described above happen at the same time.
GRADES OF URINARY INCONTINENCE
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Mild urinary incontinence:
The first complaints are mild, that is, the losses are sporadic and in small quantities, as if they were drops. Unfortunately undervalued by patients.
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Moderate urinary incontinence:
When left untreated, losses begin to be more frequent, sometimes a few times a week; and the amount of pee increases, losing it in jets.
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Severe urinary incontinence:
Consequently, after a long time without treatment, losses become very frequent, that is, daily. Likewise, the amount of loss increases, losing everything.
SYMPTOMS
Initially, this pathology begins with the loss of just a few drops of pee when coughing or sneezing; it can also happen during activities that require some effort such as picking up a weight, jumping, running.
However, in some cases, pee leaks happen for no apparent reason, preceded by urinary urgency (a sudden urge to pee). Basically these losses happen when we are arriving home (key in the lock syndrome), on the way to the bathroom, or with the sound of water.
In less frequent cases, the person finds that at the end of the day their underwear is damp, with urine; without the person being able to identify the cause.
CAUSES
In principle, the most common cause is the inadequate functioning of the PERINEUM, either due to a weakness of these muscles, a lack of automatic contraction or also a lack of reflex< /strong> muscle. After all, these muscles close the urethra.
Likewise, physical activities can cause losses, after all, the effort made during exercise leads to a large increase in intra-abdominal pressure, overloading the pelvic floor muscles. Although they are women in excellent physical shape, they are not advised to work these muscles.
However, in some cases, urine loss occurs due to the so-called bladder hyperactivity, as the bladder muscles contract inappropriately.
Urinary incontinence affects more than half of women in adulthood and, due lifestyle, is increasing among younger women. However, this is not a condition exclusive to women and can also affect men and children .
However, because they find it embarrassing or because they think it is a normal progression of aging, few patients seek treatment. Therefore, these losses tend to worsen, forcing the constant use of absorbent pads and even diapers. Probably progressing to surgery if left untreated.
OUR TREATMENTS
According to International Continence Society physiotherapy should be first form of treatment for incontinence.
urogynecological physiotherapy is a treatment conservative, without side effects, in a simple and quickly solves this problem, also serving as a form of prevention.
Firstly, all our patients are evaluated so that it is possible to find the most appropriate treatment in each case. All of our services are individualized respecting the characteristics and objectives of each patient.
Finally, our treatments aim to improve the contraction capacity of the PERINEUM with the end to close the urethra and prevent urine loss. For this purpose, electrostimulation and kinesiotherapycom biofeedback.
We start with simple exercises to contract and relax the pelvic floor muscles, promoting perception. However, we associate these exercises with other movementss, finally we do these exercises standing.
Thus, the difficulty and intensity of the exercises evolves with each consultation following the innovative concept Active Perineal Rehabilitation and Series developed by physiotherapist Dr. Laira Ramos.