Do You Need Expensive Pelvic Gadgets to Heal Incontinence?
According to health professionals, urinary incontinence can affect as many as one out of every three women. Typically, this issue can be caused by different problems that affect the urinary system. However, there are quite a few suggested ways to fix incontinence, including pelvic gadgets. The question, though, is, do any of these gadgets work? So, before you leap to get one of those expensive devices that might not even help you, let’s look at a few of the things you need to know.
A Typical Story
Before we talk more about incontinence, it might help to look at what can happen when someone suspects that they’re dealing with that condition. For example, after having concerns with bladder trouble, people often research how to fix it. As you might imagine, pelvic gadgets will be one of the options. They’re particularly appealing because of the promise of fast healing.
However, you can purchase expensive gadgets in some cases, and they still don’t do the job. One example is a woman who spent $3,000 on a vaginal laser that requires annual follow-up treatment. Yet, even after this expensive and uncomfortable purchase and the associated follow-up, she hasn’t seen any changes in her condition. So, what do you need to know about incontinence so you can avoid the same mistake?
A Look at What Causes Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a general term used to describe conditions that affect how well the bladder holds and releases urine. Put another way; if you have incontinence, you may find that you have trouble with bladder leaks and are constantly running to the bathroom. You’re even more likely to see issues with incontinence when you exercise or do some other form of physical activity.
There are also five different types of incontinence depending on what caused it and the symptoms you experience.
- Stress Incontinence: for example, with stress incontinence, you’ll have trouble holding your urine whenever you lift something heavy, exercise, cough, or even laugh.
- Urge incontinence: also commonly known as overactive bladder, deals with the inability to control the feelings to go to the restroom even if you don’t need to go.
- Overflow incontinence: you cannot fully empty your bladder, so leaks are likely to happen when your bladder is full.
- Functional incontinence: on the other hand, occurs because a medical condition affects your urinary system. These conditions include arthritis, an injury, or in some cases, complications from surgery.
- Finally, some people can suffer from a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
How Pelvic Gadgets Are Supposed to Help
The treatments for incontinence will depend on what caused the issue in the first place. Sometimes, you’ll need medication or surgery, but many people only need to practice pelvic floor exercises and bladder control. That’s where these pelvic gadgets usually come in handy. They are touted as being able to help you do these pelvic exercises more effectively, so you’ll see better results.
However, the problem with this approach is that there isn’t much evidence to suggest that they make a difference.
Let’s look at some of the stories we’ve heard from our patients.
Kay used an Emsella chair that cost her $1,000 per session but made no difference in her condition because it only stimulated her gluteal muscles.
Maria tried the Innovo shorts for $449.95 and was disappointed because the electrodes weren’t positioned anywhere near her pelvic floor.
Lisa went for the annual Viveve vaginal rejuvenation laser treatment, costing $3,000 but still saw no lasting improvements.
Maya bought the Attain electrical stimulation unit for $499 but found this internal treatment quite uncomfortable with little reward for her efforts.
Patricia decided to try the in-office PTNS treatment where a doctor inserts a needle to stimulate the posterior tibial nerve. Unfortunately, the procedure cost thousands of dollars and had to be carried out three times per week. Not only did she find it painful, but she also didn’t see the results she expected.
For patients to solve the incontinence for good, it would be best to focus on strengthening the muscles by doing Kegel exercises, and yes, there are pelvic gadgets that do that too. But are they at least worth it? Well, there can be problems there too. Kegel balls, vaginal cones, and vagina gyms are all supposed to strengthen the essential core muscles. The problem is that it’s possible to use these devices without doing the exercises the right way. When this happens, people quit because they’re not seeing a difference, which never fixes incontinence. So, in the end, consistency is the key.
Most doctors suggest learning the correct way to do your Kegel exercises and doing them regularly to get rid of your incontinence.
Do You Need a Doctor’s Intervention?
The short answer to this question is “yes.” Many people are so embarrassed by the issue that they want to keep it to themselves as much as possible. Therefore, apart from wearing incontinence aids like adult diapers, they often search for options to solve the problem themselves. In addition, the availability of pelvic gadgets online makes it seem like you don’t need to see a doctor.
Since the causes of incontinence can vary, though, it’s a good idea to get a doctor involved. It’s essential to identify what’s going on and determine a plan for getting you better. Whether or not that plan can include pelvic gadgets will be something both of you can decide. Better yet, you’ll know if you’ve chosen the right one.
Another advantage of seeing a doctor is getting confirmation that you’re improving. Unfortunately, depending on what’s causing your incontinence, it’s not always possible to tell quickly that your condition has changed. However, you can know what’s happening with scheduled doctor visits to get reassurance that a solution is possible.
Aren’t You Ready to Stop Searching for Bathrooms All the Time?
Dealing with incontinence can be difficult – especially if you lead a busy life and enjoy being physically active. The last thing you need is to continue this disruption because you’re not approaching your treatment in the right way. While all pelvic gadgets aren’t created equally, it may be expensive to do that kind of trial and error on your own. It’s a much better idea to be guided by a medical professional. We’d love to help you on your journey to healing your incontinence once and for all.
In our practice, we focus on assessing your condition to ensure that we can help. We also have a proprietary system that includes bladder training and pelvic floor exercises specifically designed to assist people like you. So, give us a call today to see if we would be a good match in providing you the right solution.
425-224-2476
