INTRODUCING WOMEN’S HEALTH AT EXCELLCARE PHYSICAL THERAPY!
Understanding Incontinence
While more women than men are affected, men can have urinary problems too, especially after prostate surgery. Many young people also can get urinary incontinence. Fortunately, there are many treatments that can help with urinary incontinence. BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT: Some people find relief by making simple lifestyle changes. If you have stress incontinence and leak urine when you cough, sneeze, or laugh, your physiotherapist may tell you to limit how much you drink. If you have urge incontinence, in which you get the sudden urge to urinate and have trouble making it to the bathroom, you may be told to avoid spicy foods, caffeine, and carbonated drinks, as they can irritate the bladder and make the problem worse. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, known as Kegels, can sometimes help with incontinence. Sometimes they are combined with biofeedback techniques to help you know if you are doing the exercises properly. For urge incontinence, bladder training can also help by gradually increasing the interval time between trips to the bathroom, working up to longer and longer intervals between bathroom stops. DEVICES AND ABSORBENT PRODUCTS: Protective pads and panty liners can help avoid embarrassing situations. A pessary, a plastic device inserted into the vagina, may help prevent urine leakage by supporting the neck of the bladder; it is most useful for stress incontinence. Mild to moderate cases of common types of incontinence can be cured or greatly improved by behavioral or exercise therapy. We can also teach you habits and techniques to reduce urgency and urge incontinence (or leaking with a strong urge on the way to the bathroom).
We are excited to announce that we now are specialized to treat women, and the various problems that we can run into throughout their life. Laura and Jola, our women’s health therapists at Excellcare, implement a personalized treatment plan that is focused on the unique structure of a woman. The therapists at Excellcare evaluate conditions specific to women and create a plan of care that will return the patient to their highest function. Some common diagnoses are: INCONTINENCE: Due to changes in estrogen in a women’s lifespan, and/or physical stresses such as childbirth, many women experience leakage of urine. With proper strengthening of the pelvic floor, this issue can be vastly improved. ORGAN PROLAPSE: The bladder, uterus, and/or rectumcan prolapse, and push into the vaginal wall. Many of times, women notice this after pregnancy due to the weight of the baby. Hormonal changes and delivery of the baby can cause insult and weakness to the pelvic floor, which leads to the prolapse. We work on engaging the pelvic floor muscles, which act as a supportive hammock to the organs. OVERACTIVE BLADDER: If you have a increased urinary frequency, more than 7X a day, pelvic floor physical therapy can retrain behavioral techniques, and work on sphincter function. DRA: Diastasis Recti can affect up to 2/3 of pregnant women. Diastasis Recti refers to a gap that can happen between the abdominal muscles after stretching of the tissue takes place during pregnancy. If a DRA is present, you will want to avoid certain exercises such as crunches, and begin to repair the separation through facilitating the stabilizing muscles. PELVIC PAIN: Pelvic pain can arise with any of the diagnosis listed above, and can be addressed with an evaluation of pelvic floor function. Treatment may consist of strengthening and coordinating muscles, teaching relaxation techniques, and releases for shortened muscles. WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR THERAPY SESSION: We focus on external and internal manual mobilization, education on toileting and positional modifications, biofeedback in order to teach contraction of specific muscles, and strengthening exercises as needed for the hip and pelvic floor. Your assessment may also include examination of the lumbar spine. Our goal is for you to function more comfortably, doing the things that you love to do! CALL (773)779-1111 OR GO TO EXCELLCARE.NETAND CLICK REQUEST FREE CONSULTATION TO SCHEDULE WITH US!
Patient Success Spotlight
“I recieved excellent care here the staff is great My hip pain is gone. I highly recomend this place. I have recieved treatments here several times. Everyone is great and so sweet and helpful.” -L.B. “Everyone is great and so sweet and helpful.”
www.excellcare.net
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