The first sign of bladder weakness is usually the loss of a few drops of urine here and there. And for most of us, at this stage it’s usually no big deal. The trouble is, once the muscles supporting your bladder are weakened through childbirth or menopause, they may well continue to get weaker, unless you give them some serious attention.
A laugh, a sneeze, a cough, or a spot of aerobic exercise increases the pressure on your bladder, and if your pelvic floor muscles become too weak to stand up to that stress, and keep the urethra in place and tightly shut, you’ll leak some urine. That’s why they call it urinary ‘stress’ incontinence – your bladder is under pressure.
The pelvic floor is a "hammock" of muscles that hold the pelvic organs in place. During pregnancy and delivery, the pelvic floor can become stretched and weakened, commonly causing urine control problems for months to years after childbirth. At menopause, lower oestrogen levels will also thin and weaken urethral walls and decrease sealing forces. One in four women will suffer – making it as common as hayfever. But the good news is, that Kari Bø’s Pelvicore Technique of pelvic floor strength training has been clinically proven to cure urinary stress incontinence in up to 70% of women with the problem.
Stress incontinence is the most common type of bladder weakness, and most women who suffer from it will find they can get back in control if they take up the specially devised Pelvicore training programme. The other types of bladder weakness include urge incontinence - when you have a sudden and strong urge to pass urine - and overflow – when the bladder does not empty completely, so urine builds up and may drip out, in a sort of ‘overflow’ situation.
Bladder weakness of all types are often easily treated and managed, so visit a GP or special incontinence nurse who can advise you on the best course of action for you.