Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about bathroom habits. Or, rather, we don’t up until something goes wrong.
If you struggle with making it to the bathroom on time, you leak when you move around, or you’ve found that it’s suddenly much more difficult to hold in your urine, then you might benefit from a urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala.
At Mid-Florida Age Management, we have a wide variety of tools you can choose from to help minimize incontinence. If you’ve never considered one of these treatments before, allow us to break down the basics behind your options to get back to a typical bathroom routine.
What causes urinary incontinence?
To understand the science behind our many treatment options for urinary incontinence, we first need to understand the basics of the condition. People who have urinary incontinence struggle to maintain control of their bladder. There are several different types of urinary incontinence, but we’ll be looking at 2 of them today.
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence is when a patient leaks or urinates whenever they experience stress or pressure to the bladder. Leaks may occur after a laugh, a sneeze, or physical exertion.
Stress incontinence stems from a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, because the pelvic floor can’t fully support the bladder, increasing outside pressure from other organs. To treat stress urinary incontinence, we need to rebuild the pelvic floor muscles to create more support.
Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence is a condition that prevents a patient from holding their bladder for long periods of time. They may feel that they have to use the restroom more frequently, urinate involuntarily, or don’t feel a need to urinate until it’s very urgent.
Urge incontinence has many possible causes, including infections, nerve disorders, or obesity. If you experience urge incontinence, pelvic floor strengthening won’t improve your symptoms. Talk to a provider if you don’t know which type of incontinence you’re experiencing.
Mixed Incontinence
Stress and urge incontinence are two of the most common types of urinary incontinence, but they aren’t mutually exclusive conditions. In fact, many people develop symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence. This condition is called mixed incontinence.
Patients with this condition are at risk of accidental urination because of sudden pressure that may arise from sneezes or laughter, but they also may have difficulty holding in their urine.
Mixed incontinence may also manifest as a sudden and uncontrollable need to urinate. Mixed incontinence can be a massive inconvenience in your daily life, but our team can reduce the symptoms with urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala.
Overflow Incontinence
Another common type of incontinence is overflow incontinence. This type of incontinence covers accidental dribbling or urination after you’ve finished using the bathroom.
If it seems impossible to empty your bladder completely, even when you’ve used the restroom multiple times, then you may have overflow incontinence. Another common symptom is the inability to urinate on command, and needing to start and stop while you pee.
While many older people experience this type of incontinence, it isn’t a foregone conclusion, and it doesn’t need to be a permanent condition. If you’re tired of accidental dribbling after using the restroom, we can help with urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala.
Temporary Incontinence
Incontinence isn’t always permanent. Some people experience urinary incontinence over a short time period—this condition is called, fittingly, temporary incontinence.
Many people experience this condition as a side effect of certain medications. Diuretics are another common reason people experience temporary urinary incontinence.
Diuretics cause the user to urinate at higher levels. They come in many common forms, such as alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks (such as soda), citrus fruits, and more. If you often consume any of these common diuretics, then you may experience temporary urinary incontinence. Cut these out of your daily routine, and you can feel more in control of your bathroom habits.
Other Causes of Urinary Incontinence
Some physical changes may lead to persistent symptoms of urinary incontinence. In these cases, we may not be able to address your urinary incontinence with a pelvic floor treatment. For instance, the vast majority of pregnant women experience urinary incontinence.
A combination of hormonal changes and the pressure of the fetus on the bladder can make it more difficult to hold urine. Many women experience total relief from their symptoms following pregnancy.
Physical obstructions, like urinary stones or tumors, may also cause urinary incontinence.
There are a variety of other reasons you may experience urinary incontinence. Some of these reasons include:
Menopause
Throughout menopause, the body produces smaller amounts of estrogen. Estrogen helps the body maintain healthy bladder and urethra tissue, so with less estrogen, a patient may develop urinary incontinence.
Enlarged Prostate/Cancer
An enlarged prostate can contribute to the development of urinary incontinence. The prostate can press against the urethra, making it harder to urinate on command. Frequent urination can also be a sign of prostate cancer, so be sure to schedule regular check-ups with your physician.
Neurological Disorders
Some neurological disorders, like strokes or multiple sclerosis, can make it harder to hold urine, leading to accidents and dribbles.
If you suspect that your urinary incontinence may stem from one of the above conditions, pelvic floor treatments will not provide lasting results. We recommend consulting with a primary care physician.
Are You At Risk of Urinary Incontinence?
Not everyone’s risk of developing urinary incontinence is equal. Some people may have a higher chance of developing it than others. You may be at risk of developing urinary incontinence as a result of:
Your Age
Your body is always changing. As you age, you may notice your muscles growing weaker over time. After the muscles in your pelvic floor weaken, you will have a harder time controlling when and where you go to the bathroom.
Your Gender
Anyone can have urinary incontinence, though women have a higher chance of developing the condition. This increased risk stems from factors like menopause, pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes.
Your History
Do you think you may need urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala? Then you should start by checking your family history. If your family members have urinary incontinence, you may be at a higher risk of developing it yourself.
Your Weight
Overweight and obese people are more likely to develop urinary incontinence. Extra weight may put pressure on your bladder, which can cause you to urinate more frequently.
Your Habits
Lifestyle habits like smoking may cause urinary incontinence. Maintain healthy lifestyle choices and you can decrease your risk of urinary incontinence.
The Many Options for Urinary Incontinence Treatment
In Ocala, our team can perform a variety of urinary incontinence treatments. Each one could be an effective option for strengthening your pelvic floor and reducing your symptoms. If you’re interested in learning more about your options, read on below for an in-depth breakdown of what to expect from each treatment.
Emsella
The first choice you have to treat stress urinary incontinence is the Emsella, a chair that emits electromagnetic energy.
If you’ve ever performed sit-ups or crunches as an abdominal workout, then you’ve taken advantage of the healing power of muscle contractions. Emsella can tone and define the pelvic floor muscles in the same way, only much more efficiently. This is because Emsella stimulates thousands of contractions at once.
During your Emsella treatment, you simply sit down on the device. The electromagnetic energy radiates upwards in a cone shape to contract the muscles in your pelvic floor, essentially giving them a workout. As your pelvic floor gets stronger, you can hold your urine for longer and minimize leaks.
Emfemme
Another option we offer for urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala is the Emfemme. This treatment uses a special applicator, which stimulates the vaginal walls with radiofrequency energy.
Radiofrequency (RF) energy enhances blood flow and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin proteins in the treatment area. The body uses these proteins to provide the skin with increased structure and firmness. Collagen and elastin proteins allow the body to repair any injuries and weaknesses in the treatment area and increase support for the bladder. The Emfemme also treats vaginal laxity and dryness along with urinary incontinence.
O-Shot®
The O-Shot® (which stands for the “Orgasm Shot”) treats urinary incontinence with PRP, “platelet-rich plasma.” The body produces PRP naturally as part of your blood, and the growth factors it contains increase cellular regeneration and collagen production.
During the procedure, we’ll draw some blood and separate out the PRP using a centrifuge. We’ll then inject the PRP into the treatment area.
The PRP strengthens the vaginal tissue and walls for better bladder control. It can also make sex more pleasurable, which is where the treatment gets its name.
One of the biggest advantages of the O-Shot is that the treatment uses your body’s own healing plasma. This drastically reduces the risk of any adverse reaction, because your body isn’t responding to any foreign, synthetic materials. The O-Shot uses your body’s own, natural healing powers as a urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala.
Gainswave for Her
The Gainswave for Her is our last choice for pelvic floor therapy in Ocala. The Gainswave for Her treats urinary incontinence with shockwave therapy.
This procedure causes almost no discomfort, and not only does it increase collagen production in the treatment area, it also causes additional blood flow to the pelvic region. This strengthens the bladder tissue and the pelvic floor muscles for fewer accidents.
You’ll likely need multiple treatment sessions to see the best results with Gainswave for Her, but each session should only last about 15 to 20 minutes. And with no downtime, you don’t have to put your life on hold to see the wellness results you deserve.
Finding Your Ideal Treatment
With so many options available for urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala, our team members can make a recommendation based on your needs. To find the best treatment for you, you’ll need to meet with our experts for a consultation.
During this in-person meeting, our experts get to know you on a more personal level. We ask you about your symptoms, expectations, and overall treatment goals. Once we have a better idea of what you’re looking for, we can develop a personalized treatment plan. Personalized treatments are the best way for you to experience ideal results.
Don’t Wait to Meet With a Medical Professional
It can be hard to make time to go to the doctor for urinary incontinence in Ocala. Maybe you’re putting off your appointment because you’re embarrassed about the intimate nature of the condition. Maybe you’re concerned it’s a sign of a more serious issue. No matter the reason, don’t let that stop you from getting the help you need. A serious condition may only worsen if you put off treatment.
Additionally, you don’t have to worry about feeling embarrassed when you work with our team. We provide expert guidance without judgement. Sensitive conditions like urinary incontinence are a natural part of life, and the only way to experience relief from them is by reaching out to a medical professional.
Preventing Urinary Incontinence
If you’ve got a family history of urinary incontinence, and you want to avoid developing it yourself, then you need to prioritize healthy lifestyle choices. Because obesity can contribute to urinary incontinence, develop a fitness or nutritional plan to maintain a healthy weight.
We also recommend adding more fiber to your diet. Constipation can lead to urinary incontinence, and a fiber-rich diet can ease constipation. If you’re a smoker, do your best to cut out this habit, as it can cause difficulty in controlling urination.
Our nutrition counselors and medical weight loss experts can provide the training and education you need to cut out your unhealthy habits. In many ways, prevention is the best urinary incontinence treatment in Ocala.
Learning More About Your Options
Do you want to learn more about your options for urinary incontinence treatment? In Ocala, we don’t just want to provide you with the best possible treatments. We want to educate you, so you leave our clinic with more knowledge about your condition and the available methods to treat it.
To get all the information you need about urinary incontinence treatments, take advantage of the Mid-Florida Age Management blog. This online resource contains write-ups about a variety of our wellness and aesthetic treatments. Best of all, this resource is absolutely free, and we update it each month, so there’s always something to learn.
Find the Right Treatment for You
To decide between your many options for urinary incontinence treatments, try our online planning tool. You can receive a free, personalized treatment plan online.
Just answer some basic questions about your condition and send it to our team. It’s simple, and it allows you to get started on your treatment journey right away.
Once we have all your information, we can use it to create a personalized treatment recommendation before you come in for your consultation. This allows our team members to get a better idea of how to address your urinary incontinence prior to your initial appointment.
