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Get Rid of Leaky Overactive Bladder Symptoms
by Tara Galles, MS, OTR
Darlene was sick and tired of shelling out $1,000 each year for bladder leakage products, but when the urge hit her, making it to the bathroom without an accident was like rolling dice. She was 79 and unwilling to resign herself to the idea of needing adult diapers. I met Darlene at a bladder control seminar I was giving. The next day she called to get my fax number. She was having her doctor fax orders for her to start pelvic floor therapy. She wanted an appointment by the next week.
DARLENE HAD DECIDED TO TAKE CONTROL!
by Tara Galles, MS, OTR
Darlene was sick and tired of shelling out $1,000 each year for bladder leakage products, but when the urge hit her, making it to the bathroom without an accident was like rolling dice. She was 79 and unwilling to resign herself to the idea of needing adult diapers. I met Darlene at a bladder control seminar I was giving. The next day she called to get my fax number. She was having her doctor fax orders for her to start pelvic floor therapy. She wanted an appointment by the next week.
DARLENE HAD DECIDED TO TAKE CONTROL!
Darlene came in for her first visit lamenting that she had tried every pill, talked to every doctor, and was even offered surgery. She didn’t feel surgery was a good option for her because her aunt had multiple mid-urethral slings and those didn’t fix the leaky bladder.
Darlene’s bladder wasn’t so much of a leaky valve, but a dam. When the overactive bladder created painful urges, the floodgate would burst. She had tried Kegel exercises, but said they didn’t work. (Kegel exercises are often contraindicated for overactive bladder conditions because they will heighten urinary urge.)
THERE ARE MANY REASONS WOMEN EXPERIENCE LEAKY BLADDERS, AND THERE ARE MANY TREATMENTS
The idea that one intervention, Kegel exercises, can cure all bladder issues is outdated and inaccurate. As therapists, we don’t just issue one exercise for all shoulder or neck injuries, so why would we for urogynecology issues?
For a little history, Dr. Arnold Kegel developed gynecology exercises in the 1940’s. His method was groundbreaking because he was the first doctor to prescribe the mechanical solution of exercise for the mechanical problem of leaky bladders. Prior to Dr. Kegel, doctors only used chemical solutions to cure this mechanical problem. Dr. Kegel is still celebrated as the founder of gynecological exercise; however, exercise science and techniques have advanced quite dramatically since he practiced medicine in the last century. Kegel exercises alone do not typically fix bladder leakage issues, if they did, we wouldn’t see drugstore shelves lined with adult urinary leakage products, right? Right!
IT’S USUALLY MORE THAN JUST ‘A LEAK’
When I completed Darlene’s evaluation, I noticed her bladder was collapsing into her vagina. This type of prolapse is called cystocele. She was aware of a bulge down there, but hadn’t reported it to her doctor. At her age, pelvic exams are not routine. While prolapse doesn’t necessarily cause leaky bladders, it can certainly alter function. Proper exercise will recede a mild or moderate prolapse. In Darlene’s case, she needed additional support, so I sent her to the gynecologist to be fit for a pessary. A pessary is a removable silicone ring that supports the internal pelvic structures including the bladder, vagina, and rectum.
“I’M ONLY WEARING A PANTY-LINER!”
After 8 weeks of therapy, Darlene waltzed into my clinic exclaiming, “I’m only wearing a panty-liner!” Her smile was priceless because she was so genuinely happy. She told me she probably didn’t need the liner, but wore it just in case. She gave me a big hug and thanked me. I reminded her that it was her compliance to my instruction, such as the bladder retraining schedule, the pessary, and completing her home exercise program every day, that enabled her to Take CONTROL! Pelvic floor therapists are merely guides, helping women Take CONTROL! of sensitive health issues like a leaky overactive bladder.
THE HIDDEN DANGER OF LEAKY BLADDERS
I continued to see Darlene for two weeks after that because her urge continued to wake her up each night. We needed to adjust her bladder training program to address this issue. With the success of only wearing panty-liners throughout the day, she discussed being done with therapy. I understood her logic because she had improved from waking up two to three times each night to urinate and was no longer experiencing accidents on the way to the toilet in the middle of the night.
I provided education about how falls pose a serious health risk for women her age, and the fact that many falls are the result of hurried nighttime trips to the bathroom. Continuing with pelvic floor therapy until she slept through the night would reduce her risk for injury. She agreed and two weeks later she was sleeping through the night! She told me she would probably not give up wearing the panty liners during the day and briefly at night, even though they now stayed dry, and that’s okay!
AT AGE 80, DARLENE HAD CONTROL!
Women often submit to the idea that the squirts, gushes, and leaks are just part of being a woman, but that’s not true. A leaky overactive bladder is not a normal result of aging. A leaky overactive bladder is a result of mechanical dysfunctions in the pelvic musculature, neurological processes, or a combination of these and other issues. A pelvic floor therapy evaluation can determine the cause of your leaky bladder and guide you to take control.
NO TWO LEAKY BLADDERS ARE EXACTLY ALIKE
It is important for each woman to have an individualized treatment plan to take control of bladder symptoms because no two leaky overactive bladders are exactly alike. An individualized plan allows you to Take CONTROL!
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF LEAKY BLADDERS
In Darlene’s case, she saved over $800 each year on urinary products because she went to therapy. Her therapy costs were paid 100% by Medicare and her secondary insurance. Additionally, she reduced her falling risk and her risk for urinary tract infections. A moist pelvic environment from saturated products increases the risk of urinary tract infections. For a woman who had just turned 80, these risk reductions are significant!
However, it isn’t just mature women who experience health risks from leaky bladders. Women of all ages experience leaky overactive bladders. This is a frustrating issue that reduces the quality of your life. Urinary issues do not typically resolve on their own; therefore, they usually just get worse.
So, what are you waiting for? Are you resigned to grow up to spending $1,000 each year to wear diapers? If you are struggling with a leaky overactive bladder, decide to Take CONTROL! Talk to your medical provider—physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner—about trying pelvic floor therapy and call us at 765.319.8420 to make your appointment. If you are curious about what your insurance will pay, just ask us to verify that for you when you call. You can feel like a natural woman again. We’ll guide you to take control of your leaky overactive bladder!
Patient name and details modified to protect confidentiality. Story used with permission.
Tara Galles, MS, OTR
Tara Galles, MS, OTR, is owner of You’re in CONTROL! With over 20 years of clinical experience she compassionately moves each woman to take CONTROL! of their body and rehabilitates them to feel like a natural woman again. As a mother of four children she also understands what it’s like to be a pelvic rehab patient. You may contact Tara about your pelvic issue at (765) 319-8420, or make an appointment using the button at the top of the page.