The Lawyer Who Couldn’t Hold It In

 Jessica was absolutely the best at her game. She was the leading attorney at her firm, and when it came to winning, no one came close to her. She could defend any criminal case with ease. On a fateful day, after trial, she began to feel the sudden urge to go to the bathroom to pee. This urge was an unusual occurrence because she usually urinated three times a day; immediately when she woke up from bed, a few hours after she returned from work and when she was going to bed every night. “What is happening to my body?”. She asked herself as she frantically searched high and low for a nearby bathroom.

Unfortunately, the search was too intense, and she just located the door for the bathroom, when it happened. Her bladder began to release its contents on the floor. Humiliated, she forced the bathroom door open and burst into the closest stall to finish what had already started. Relieved, yet mortified, she thought to herself, now would be a good time to cut back on her water intake because this was getting out of hand.

Little did she know that 20 minutes later, the sudden urge would reappear. She realized that she could not hold urine as she used to at first. She screamed, “Mother of Joseph,” as she started leaking urine down her thigh on her way to the bathroom. At that moment, she concluded it was high time that she paid a visit to her doctor to address this issue.

 Later that night, she lost plenty of sleep because she had to wake up every hour to use the bathroom. She laid on the bed very disturbed and played Dr. Google on her phone all night long. What could this be? Overactive bladder, UTI? Is my kidney failing? Do I have cancer? She was driving herself crazy with assumptions. As soon as morning approached, she hopped out of bed and was off to see her doctor.

In the consulting room, the doctor already knew the diagnosis when she started narrating her experience. She then proceeded to conduct a thorough physical examination on Maria and penned down the diagnosis. ‘Jessica, you suffer from an Overactive Bladder. Those words, though disappointing, gave Jessica a sense of hope and a feeling of relief. Now she has an answer. She doesn’t have to be the lawyer who can’t hold it in anymore.

Jessica’s doctor instructed her to keep a bladder diary to note how often she visited the bathroom and any time she leaked urine.  The doctor also requested an ultrasound scan to assess her bladder.  After her examination, Jessica ended up leaving the consulting room a delighted lady.

 

What is an Overactive Bladder?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition that is a group of urinary symptoms. The most common symptom being, a sudden, uncontrolled urge to pass urine. Some people tend to leak urine in response to this urge they feel. Another symptom is the need to wake many times during the night to urinate.

 What Causes an Overactive Bladder?

It is most often caused by involuntary contraction of the bladder muscles.  It can also be caused by lifestyle habits such as excessive caffeine or alcohol intake.

 Other factors could include: 

• stress
• neurological disorders
•   hormonal changes
•   weak pelvic floor muscles
•   postural control
•   or excessive weight

 

How to Manage the Condition

Fortunately, for sufferers like Jessica, there are a few options to manage this condition. You could try one treatment alone or a combination of several treatments at the same time. Treatment modalities such as behavioral therapy prescribe an adjustment in the types of foods the patient consumes.

Exercises such as Kegel exercises and quick flicks help tighten the pelvic muscles and strengthen the pelvic floor, eventually relaxing the bladder muscles and reducing urgency and frequency.  They also have the added benefit of enhancing one’s sexual prowess if you get where we’re going with this. 

 TV ads abound featuring happy, middle-aged people laughing and dancing— while wearing body-hugging versions of adult diapers. As a middle-aged woman, it may be hard to accept that adult diapers are even a thought. Yet if bladder leakage is affecting your quality of life, they may be a viable option.

 

Use Physical Therapy to Strengthen Your Bladder

That’s where our Bladder Strong Program comes in. In our advanced pelvic floor physical therapy program, you are taught strategies to help you improve control in as little as 3 sessions. To learn more please visit our website at www.lillypt.com