A properly functioning pelvic floor is responsible, among other things, for holding urine, gas and stool.
Urinary incontinence, in the simplest definition, is any involuntary leak of urine, whatever the cause — stress, urge or mixed. The additional problem is that fewer than half of the women affected mention it to a doctor.
Faecal incontinence most often follows birth injuries, surgery around the anus, stretching of the anal sphincters, menopause, or years of endurance sport and heavy lifting.
Both respond well to therapy. Neither is a normal consequence of having children or of getting older.
Therapy
- Detailed history
- Assessment of pelvic floor function
- Learning correct posture for passing urine and opening the bowels
- Individual pelvic floor training
- Learning correct contraction and release
- Breathing work