Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Spring 2018

14 VITALITY Spring 2018 COMMUNITY Sneezing should make you reach for tissues. But if you find yourself grabbing toilet paper instead because you leaked some urine, you’re not alone. Many women struggle with stress incontinence—a loss of bladder control triggered by activities that can put pressure on the bladder, such as sneezing, laughing or exercising. WHY DOES IT HAPPEN? Pelvic muscles weakened by childbirth are often to blame. Menopause may also play a role. Some doctors suspect that dropping estrogen levels weaken pelvic muscles, which could explain why more older women have stress incontinence than younger ones. Stress incontinence is the most common type of incontinence in women—but it’s not the only one. Women may also have: » » Urge incontinence. Here, the need to urinate comes on suddenly, before you can get to the bathroom. can stopping smoking, drinking less caffeine and eating enough fiber to avoid constipation. Bladder training. You may regain bladder control by going to the bathroom at set times—before you get the urge—and slowly increasing the time between trips. Medications. Estrogen cream may help if you have mild stress incontinence. And certain medicines can also prevent the bladder spasms that cause urge incontinence. Surgery. When more conservative measures fail, surgery may be helpful for stress incontinence. Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Urological Association; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Treatment for chronic pelvic conditions CMH Rehabilitation Services offers treatment for chronic pelvic floor/girdle conditions, also called pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). Common conditions include pelvic pain, urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse due to multiple or traumatic vaginal childbirths, tearing, and bladder leakage. “Pelvic pain is considered ‘chronic’ when it lasts for more than six months,” says Taylor Grabowski, DPT, physical therapist with CMH Outpatient Rehabilitation Services in Bolivar. “Treatment with a physical therapist can help restore strength and flexibility to the muscles and joints in the pelvic region and reduce a woman’s pain.” Grabowski specializes in women’s health and completed training in the treatment of PFD from the nationally recognized Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. Call 417-328-6453 to for additional information about treatment for PFD. INCONTINENCE Women: Don’t keep it a secret Yes, admitting to accidents can be embarrassing. But don’t keep a treatable problem a secret. Incontinence can often be controlled or cured. Taylor Grabowski, DPT ➜ » » Mixed incontinence. This is a combination, often of both stress and urge incontinence. SPEAK UP Yes, admitting to accidents can be embarrassing. But don’t keep a treatable problem a secret. Incontinence can often be controlled or cured. And the first step in managing it is to tell your primary care provider that you’re having problems. Your provider may advise: Kegel exercises. You do them by squeezing the muscles you use to stop or slow urination. Lifestyle changes. If you’re overweight, dropping pounds may make urine leaks less frequent. So WOMEN’S HEALTH