Incontinence

Many patients are ashamed to bring up this topic and therefore suffer needlessly and in silence. However many sufferers can be helped, if not cured, by the non-surgical approach physiotherapists have to offer. Urinary incontinence is more common than bowel incontinence and is experienced by men who have had prostate cancer surgery, some women after childbirth and some older women.

There are different types of incontinence:

1. Urge incontinence: You begin to leak urine as soon as you feel the need to use the bathroom.
2. Stress incontinence: You leak when you cough, laugh or sneeze. Women with stress incontinence who are peri or post menopausal are one of the largest groups seeking advice and assistance with incontinence.
3. Mixed incontinence: A combination of both
4. Faecal incontinence: Loss of control over your bowels.

Or a more simple case where an elderly person can’t reach the bathroom in time because of his stiff knees.

Physiotherapists are primary practitioners for both males and females in the area of assessment and treatment of the various pelvic floor dysfunctions. The assessment and treatment of any client presenting with bladder or bowel incontinence, pelvic floor weakness or dysfunction, requires a knowledge of functional anatomy and physiology beyond the scope of undergraduate training.

As your physiotherapist, we will conduct a confidential assessment of how your bladder and bowel are working and affecting your life. We will then create a program for your specific problem. Treatment may include:

• Pelvic floor exercises
• Advice on eating and drinking habits
• Electrical stimulation

Because people are becoming more open about discussing this problem, more physiotherapy clinics are equipping themselves to handle these cases. Therefore, you do not have to live with this embarrassing problem any longer. We can help.

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