Incontinence Products for Women

Women who suffer from stress incontinence are likely to benefit from regular exercises to help them regain bladder control, it has been claimed.

Stress incontinence occurs when the pelvic floor muscles have weakened and are unable to prevent urination. Typically, leakage occurs when the person's bladder is under pressure, such as when they cough, laugh or move heavy objects.

Writing on the South Coast Today website in response to a reader's question, medic Dr Paul Donohue revealed that Kegel exercises are an important approach for treating stress incontinence. "First you have to learn which muscles to contract," he revealed. "You learn by deliberately stopping the flow of urine.

"When you have learned what to do, begin the exercises when you're not urinating. Contract those muscles tightly, hold that contraction for three seconds, relax and rest for three seconds, and perform another 11 consecutive contractions and relaxations."

According to Dr Donohue, these exercises should be performed several times each day and the contractions should gradually be lengthened until the muscles are being squeezed for ten seconds each time.

The medic noted that people with adult continence will not notice an improvement overnight, but that they should soon see "enough improvement to restart your social life".