Urinary-incontinence | South Carolina | Rebecca's Physical Therapy

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence comes in many forms.

Stress urinary incontinence is the loss of urine associated with decreased strength of the pelvic floor muscles. This is the loss of urine associated with coughing, laughing, lifting, etc...

Urge urinary incontinence (overactive bladder syndrome) occurs when the bladder contracts and empties without control. This is usually a larger loss of urine. This is also characterized by very frequent urges to urinate and sometimes with the feeling that there has been incomplete emptying of the bladder.

Mixed incontinence is a combination of stress and urge incontinence.

Functional incontinence is loss of urine associated with not being able to get to the toilet. This is primarily a mobility issue (i.e. broken hip).

We treat urinary incontinence with a variety of protocols. Electrical stimulation can be used to aid with strengthening, decreasing bladder irritability and retraining the pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor strengthening, biofeedback, functional rehabilitation of the pelvic floor, behavioral modification, and timed voiding are techniques employed to treat this condition.

Often, our patients will be using 5-6 pads per day at their evaluation. Within 6-12 weeks, they are pad free, and have returned to the activities without the stress of leakage of urine.