Are you a mom under 40? One of your greatest joys, having children, can also be the beginning of one of your most embarrassing problems. Pregnancy stretches the pelvic muscles to carry the weight of the growing baby. In childbirth, the perineum, vaginal walls and surrounding tissues are stretched to their maximum and do not always heal or rebound back to their original strength.
The result can be mild incontinence. The most common form following childbirth is stress incontinence, the loss of a small amount of urine when exercising, sneezing or coughing. Other women experience urge incontinence, which is sudden strong urges to urinate, usually with a very short window of time to get to the restroom. At first, this may seem a minor inconvenience. After all, moms of young children usually stick close to home.
As women recover from childbirth, they often turn to exercise, to regain body strength and muscle tone. Abdominal exercises help firm up the abdomen and Kegel exercises are often done to help strengthen the pelvic muscles. The pelvic muscles can be difficult to strengthen and strengthening efforts often produce minimal results. Many women join a gym, do Crossfit, or simply exercise at home. Women in classes such as Crossfit may lose urine when jumping rope. If this is you, you may smile or even laugh to lighten the moment, or to divert attention, as you run to the restroom before the jump rope exercise. You may even stop going to class. This stuff is not easy to talk about and you may feel isolated. Then one day, reality hits, and you realize that this is no laughing matter.
If the situation goes unchecked, it will get worse with time. As the body ages, the pelvic muscles further weaken. Menopausal hormone changes further worsen incontinence, and the problem has a bigger impact on the individual’s life. Affected individuals start to pay for pads and other hygienic protection and may limit social contacts because of fear of leaking or odor. These individuals may also experience a loss of self-confidence and isolation.
Whatever phase of life you are in, you should know that you are not alone. According to the National Association for Continence, more than 25 million women suffer from some form of incontinence. Both men and women suffer from nocturia, which means frequent bathroom trips at night.
The staff at Skin Restoration Center is excited to announce what we think is the most promising option for mild to moderate urinary incontinence. The Emsella is a breakthrough technology that is now being offered by urology and gynecology specialists throughout the country. Emsella is a chair that utilizes high frequency electromagnetic energy to stimulate pelvic muscle contractions. Sitting on the chair for 28 minutes stimulates the user to perform 11,200 Kegel exercises; more than most mothers can do in the baby’s first year of life. An Emsella treatment is painless and noninvasive. Individuals remain fully clothed and there is no downtime.
Studies report that 95% of patients treated with Emsella report improvement in their quality of life. After a treatment series, patients report that they can reduce or totally eliminate the use of hygienic pads. They also have fewer bathroom trips and report that frequent urges instead feel like normal sensations. As an added benefit, many women report that their sexual orgasm is stronger and thus more pleasurable.
Just a word of caution: nothing can replace the relationship you have with your primary care provider. If you are experiencing incontinence, talk to your provider to eliminate underlying illness or complications. For uncomplicated mild to moderate incontinence, Emsella can help. You can get a free consultation by calling The Skin Restoration Center at 928-308-0915.
Go ahead. Enjoy those children, put them in their car seats, and keep yourself in the driver’s seat. Emsella is one of the simplest things a woman can do for herself! QCBN
By Carol Johnson RN, MSN, NNP-BC, LSO
Carol Johnson, RN, MSN, NNP-BC, LSO, is a nurse practitioner and the founder and director of Skin Restoration. In addition to her practitioner credentials, she is licensed by the State of Arizona as a medical director for a laser facility. She has taken numerous courses in advanced injecting and laser treatments. Johnson particularly enjoys meeting people and helping them make good choices to care for their appearance.
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