Exercises to strengthen the bladder in women

Physical activity is a benefit and necessity for humans: even the ancient sages said that movement is life. So, there are exercises that improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system (these are familiar walking, running, jumping, swimming, cycling) and increase lung capacity (breathing exercises). Special training for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes has been developed for the bladder and pelvic floor muscles. For many patients with genitourinary disorders, regular exercises recommended by the doctor help improve their well-being and regain their usual quality of life. Read more about fitness for delicate muscles below.

Purpose of the bladder and pelvic floor muscles

The bladder is a hollow muscular organ designed to store, retain and excrete urine. Its volume in an adult, depending on gender and age, varies from 250 to 400–500 ml.

If the bladder resembles a bowl, then the pelvic floor muscles look like a hammock. They support the pelvic organs (bladder, urethra, rectum, uterus and ovaries in women, prostate in men) and are also responsible for urinary retention.

When does your bladder need exercise?

One of the reasons to start bladder training is a diagnosis of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). Symptoms of this rather uncomfortable condition include frequent urination (more than 8 times a day). Treatment of OAB syndrome combines drug therapy and exercises to regulate bladder function.

When do the pelvic floor muscles need training?

The pelvic floor muscles, like any muscle in the body, can weaken, causing symptoms of incontinence and urinary incontinence. It's not the same thing! Let us explain: incontinence is the involuntary release of urine without urge, and with incontinence, the urge is expressed, but an attempt to hold urine in order to reach, for example, the toilet room, fails.

It is recommended to train the pelvic floor muscles for men and women with existing symptoms of urinary incontinence, after undergoing abdominal surgery and obesity, and for the fair sex, in addition, before and after childbirth (including after cesarean section) and after menopause.

How to train your bladder

The basic recommendation that urologists give to patients is to keep a urination diary for 3 days.

It is necessary to note in the self-observation questionnaire the time of urination, its approximate volume in milliliters, the presence or absence of urgent (unbearable, sudden, urgent) urges and cases of urinary incontinence. The records will help you see what the average interval between toilet visits is and understand whether there is cause for concern. The recommended break between urination during the day should be 2.5–3 hours, no more and no less. If the urge to urinate occurs more often, you need to be patient and gradually increase the periods between satisfying small needs to the recommended 2.5–3 hours. At the same time, you should not limit the usual volume of liquid consumed with drinks and meals. Regular training of bladder “endurance” in this way can give the first results several months later - you should not expect a great effect after a week of self-monitoring of the delicate process.

How to train your pelvic floor muscles

Firstly, the condition of the pelvic floor muscles is beneficially affected by general physical exercises, which strengthen the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, back and buttocks. These are swings and leg raises, twisting, stands with emphasis on the palms and feet, as in push-ups (the so-called plank), abdominal exercises, as well as spinal deflections familiar from school physical education lessons - “bridge” and “box”, which not only develop flexibility and improve figure and posture, but also tone the condition of internal organs. The types and sequence of exercises, frequency of approaches performed, duration of training, number of sessions per week and other issues of therapeutic and recreational load should be discussed with your doctor.

Secondly, a special method of training delicate muscles has been developed - Kegel exercises. Their author is the American gynecologist Arnold Kegel, who back in 1948 proposed treating urinary incontinence in women non-surgically, with the help of physical activity that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles (they are sometimes even called “Kegel muscles”).

How to do Kegel exercises

Before training, you need to empty your bladder. The cycle of exercises begins with a slow contraction of the pelvic muscles, as if to stop urination. Muscle tension should be maintained for a slow count of three, then relax and repeat the exercise.

The second part of the workout is contractions. It is necessary to tense and relax the pelvic muscles, accelerating the pace of compression and relaxation with each repetition. Finally, pushing movements are performed, similar to pushing, as if there is a need to excrete the rest of the urine.

How many times should you do Kegel exercises? Ideally - 5 times a day. You should start with 10 approaches to each exercise, then increase the load, adding 5 approaches every week. According to urologists, excellent results are achieved by those patients who were able to increase the level of training from the minimum (10 approaches) to the maximum (150 approaches for each exercise!).

Benefits of bladder and pelvic floor muscle training

Regular fitness for delicate muscles is useful not only because it helps to reduce or completely eliminate the symptoms of urinary incontinence and prevent other urological and gynecological diseases. A pleasant “side effect” of training is an improvement in the quality of sexual life. However, like any other physical activity, exercises for the bladder and pelvic floor muscles may have contraindications, so before starting training, consultation with a specialist is advisable.

Stay in good shape!

Who are the exercises for?

A set of exercises according to the Kegel program will be useful:

• girls who are planning pregnancy in the near future;
• pregnant women, of course, in the absence of contraindications, which will be discussed below;
• women after the birth of a baby, when the muscles and tissues of the pelvis are stretched, and exercises will help restore them to tone;
• after 30 years, when the risk of developing prolapse of organs and systems of the pelvic cavity increases significantly;
• in case of prolapse or abnormal location of the pelvic organs, a set of Kegel exercises will help restore tone and, accordingly, their anatomically correct position;
• for urinary/fecal incontinence - exercises according to the program developed by Professor Kegel will help solve this problem;
• when diagnosing congestion in the pelvic organs and systems;
• with decreased libido in men and women, sensuality during sexual intercourse.

https://youtu.be/gM1n1YkaJTk

True and false feeling of fullness

The structure of the bladder is a reservoir where urine accumulates, with locking sphincters.
There are two sphincters, one of which a person controls consciously. They are located at the junction of the bladder and the urinary canal - the urethra. When the bladder is full, its walls stretch, an urge arises, but one of the sphincters holds back urine as long as the person wants it. When urinating, it relaxes the sphincter, urine comes out through the urethra. Normally, up to 20 ml of urine can remain in the cavity.

After urination, some of the fluid may be retained, causing a true feeling of fullness. Urine is either not excreted at all, then up to one liter of liquid can accumulate in a full bladder, or not all of it is evacuated. Pathology is considered to be an accumulation of more than 50 ml of fluid. Urine cannot be removed for two reasons:

• there is a mechanical barrier to its outflow;
• the muscles involved in the process of urination are weakened.

A true sensation of bladder distension is more common in men.

Tumors, stones, and anatomical abnormalities of the urinary tract can act as mechanical obstacles.

A false feeling of fullness is said to exist if there is no urine in the bladder, but the urge remains. This condition occurs due to signals generated in:

• brain or spinal cord;
• the organ itself;
• surrounding tissues.

Most often, a false sensation of incomplete emptying is recorded in women with bladder dysfunction.

In recent years, doctors have noted an increase in the number of patients with this pathology, which occurs without changes in the qualitative composition of urine. This proves that neuroendocrine pathologies and mental changes more often become a source of dysuria.

In pregnant women, the growing fetus puts pressure on the bladder, causing an unpleasant feeling that it is full, even with little urine.

Drinking diuretic drinks, such as those containing alcohol, caffeine or aspartame, causes a false urge.

Any feeling of fullness, if it occurs constantly, requires contacting a urologist.

Physiology of the Bladder

Urination is a complex physiological act that involves the process of simultaneous relaxation of the external and internal sphincter with synchronous contraction of the bladder muscles. The muscles of the perineum and abdominal muscles take an active part in urination.

The urea has very elastic walls. In the case of normal functioning of the receptors, the signal about the urge to void enters the brain when the volume of urine reaches 160-170 ml.

The anatomical features of the human bladder structure allow it to accommodate a urine volume of no more than 1000 ml (based on average values). Due to the weakened muscles of the organ, the process of excretion and accumulation of urine becomes chaotic and uncontrollable.

According to medical statistics, such problems are most often observed in older women and young children. When the muscle walls of the bladder lose tone, the brain stops receiving neural signals that indicate it is full. Such communication disorders are fraught with atony (incontinence) and provoke the process of uncontrolled urine release.

Causes of pathology

Treatment of a weak bladder in women should begin after the exact cause of the disease has been established. It is necessary to undergo an examination by a urologist and pass all the necessary tests.

Based on the results obtained, as well as after collecting anamnesis, the doctor will be able to determine why the patient suffers from this disease, and also prescribe effective treatment to relieve the woman of the problem and strengthen the bladder sphincter. For these purposes, special exercises are often recommended, with the help of which you can improve the functioning of the urinary organs.

The causes of bladder pathology differ by gender. In men it is usually caused by:

1. Multiple births. As the fetus passes through the birth canal, muscles can become stretched and torn, which can lead to weakness of the urethral sphincter, which helps retain fluid.
2. Long-term respiratory diseases, which are accompanied by a severe cough.
3. Varicose veins lead to side effects in the form of bladder diseases.
4. Surgical interventions on the pelvic organs.
5. Individual anatomical features of a particular woman.
6. Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract.
7. Mental and psychological disorders.
8. Menopause. After menopause, the level of estrogen drops, which is responsible for the elasticity of muscles, including urine.

When the organ fills with fluid, it puts pressure on the receptors, and the brain receives a signal to urinate.

To prevent spontaneous leakage of urine, there is a special muscle - the sphincter, which holds fluid inside the bladder. However, a decrease in the tone of this muscle weakens its function and promotes the leakage of urine involuntarily.

Factors that provoke urinary incontinence:

• hormonal disorders;
• infectious diseases of the genitourinary system (cystitis, urethritis, etc.);
• cystitis;
• postponed childbirth;
• menopause period;
• prolonged stress and frequent nervous strain;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• alcohol abuse;
• age-related changes;
• congenital anomalies of the bladder and urethra;
• injuries.

The risk of developing incontinence increases with advancing age. This is largely facilitated by menopause, during which the level of the female hormone estrogen decreases and thereby the muscle tone of the bladder walls decreases.

In addition, with age, all muscles weaken, including the sphincter, which becomes the cause of pathology.

Men have a different structure of the urethra, therefore the reasons for a weak bladder have their own characteristics:

• diabetes;
• BPH;
• the result of surgery on the prostate gland;
• psycho-emotional disorders and neuroses;
• bladder infections;
• prostatic hyperplasia;
• suffered a stroke.

In children, urinary incontinence up to 2-3 years of age is considered normal, since the reflex nervous system has not yet had time to fully form.

Simply put, the child has not yet learned to endure. In addition, the muscles are still very weak and cannot cope with their task. Although there are children who are able to retain urine as early as 1.5 years.

By the age of 5, a healthy child should no longer have problems with a weak bladder. The following factors may contribute to the development of pathology:

• mental disorders;
• hormonal imbalance;
• malfunction of the thyroid gland;
• structural anomalies of the urinary tract and bladder;
• infectious diseases of the bladder;
• trauma (including intrauterine).

Contraindications

Despite all the benefits of this set of trainings, they also have their contraindications. These restrictions are:

• the course of acute and chronic diseases provoked by the inflammatory process in the acute stage;
• diagnosing erosive lesions of the cavity and cervix and oncology;
• internal bleeding and local inflammatory diseases;
• diseases and pathological abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as recently undergone surgery;
• during the period of gestation with increased uterine tone in a woman and suspected premature birth or miscarriage.

Strengthening the muscles of the genitourinary system in women: methods

Women who suffer from urinary hyperactivity (frequent, forceful and sudden urination) need to know about ways to help strengthen the muscles of the genitourinary system. In such cases, a person does not have time to get to the toilet, and urination occurs uncontrollably - this is incontinence.

There are two ways to go in this case:

• First, you need to create a schedule for going to the toilet - this helps to train your muscles and establish control over your bladder. For example, every hour and a half, even if there is an urge.
• You also need to perform special exercises called “Kegels”. When performing the complex, the muscles adapt to control the flow of urine. Exercises help solve quite a lot of problems and incontinence goes away.

Causes of urinary problems

If the body functions without any serious disturbances, the urinary musculature must block the urethral canal, so urine cannot be released uncontrollably. In men, problems with a weak bladder often arise due to chronic prostatitis or prostate adenoma.

Women often have to deal with similar problems during pregnancy and the postpartum period, when the tone of the muscles of the perineum and pelvis is significantly reduced. Due to increased pressure on a number of internal organs, constant compression of the bladder is created, which leads to weakening of the muscular sphincter and the muscles surrounding the bladder.

People experience old age in different ways. Older people often face a variety of ailments. Women and men are very different, and their health problems are also different. But there is one similarity - problems with urination. This problem causes a lot of discomfort for older people. Leaving the house for a long time causes a lot of unpleasant sensations: odors, stains on clothes and a feeling of discomfort. Of course, every problem has a solution, just as every disease has a course of treatment.

Very simple and easy exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles will help strengthen a weak bladder. The first thing to start with is to find out the cause of the disease. The human bladder stores as much urine as it can naturally hold. When we want to go to the toilet, the bladder is full, and then the muscles contract and we empty ourselves.

There are situations when it is not always possible to do this on time, and a person delays this process and retains urine with his muscles. This situation is not good for the future. Since the muscles are stretched due to high urine retention in urea, this leads to incontinence in the future.

It is a known fact that women have a bladder several times weaker than men. The main factor behind muscle weakening in women is pregnancy and childbirth. During the birth process, the muscles stretch and thereby weaken, subsequently the organs descend and put pressure on the bladder.

Another factor that affects the symptoms of incontinence in old age in the female half of humanity is that when menopause occurs, the woman’s body is rebuilt, and at the same time the pelvic muscles weaken and the bladder becomes weak.

A delicate adult problem

Today on the agenda are problems specifically for adults. Childhood urinary incontinence is common and not hidden. In most cases, parents immediately turn to the pediatrician for help, but it is quite difficult for adult women to ask for medical help in such cases.

Please note that this is a disease. It may be a specific illness, so there is no need to delay visiting a doctor. Nothing will stabilize on its own unless you take care of your health and try to strengthen your bladder muscles.

Let's take the first steps towards recovery and try to understand why urinary incontinence occurs, and without knowing the basics of the functioning of the bladder, this will not be possible. Look at the picture:

In a healthy state, the bladder sphincter muscles are tightly closed and urine does not flow out. In order for a person to have a bowel movement, a signal to the brain will be needed that will cause the muscles to relax. Such signals are sent by receptors located in the walls of the bladder. When it is full, a slight pressure is felt in the lower abdomen, which is a sign that you should visit the toilet.

The sphincter is like a valve. Upon completion of the act of urination, the bladder contracts, and the sphincter will reliably ensure that urine does not leak from the bladder into the urethra.

When a woman coughs, sneezes, or laughs loudly, a few drops of urine may be released involuntarily. What are the reasons for this incident? Obviously, some link in a well-coordinated mechanism (in our case, the bladder) has broken. Just a few drops, but these are already alarming notes.

The bladder muscles stop functioning normally. Most often this occurs in women after 40 years of age and every second woman suffers from the problem. Involuntary loss of urine is associated with hormonal changes during the approaching menopause, and the problem will only increase, which is why it is important to know how to strengthen a woman’s bladder when its muscles are weakening.

How to check if it's done correctly?

Before you start doing gymnastics according to the developed Kegel program, you should visit the toilet and empty your bladder. To get a positive result, you should start practicing gradually, increasing the number of exercises more than once.

It is worth starting the practice of doing exercises 3-4 times a day, performing from 5 to 25 approaches. If you try to do everything at once, this will only worsen the situation and the course of the disease.

If you perform all the exercises correctly, a positive result will be noticeable after 1-1.5 months, but if the muscles of the pelvic organs are too weak, this period can increase to 3 months.

You can independently check the strength of contraction of the vaginal muscles using a special device - a perineal meter with feedback. It will show whether the force of contraction of the muscles of the organs and systems of the small pelvis increases or not. If there are no positive results, you should consult a doctor and have a consultation with him.

Folk remedies for illness

Treatment with folk remedies can be carried out only after the cause of the disease is determined. If the doctor has approved the possibility of treatment with folk remedies, then you can act. Treatment with folk remedies is completely safe if there are no contraindications.

To strengthen the bladder, you can use the following recipes:

1. Rue and wormwood.

You need to take dried rue and wormwood in a 2:1 ratio, then mix the herbs. Take one teaspoon of the mixture and pour a glass of boiling water over it. The broth must brew, after which it must be strained. The resulting liquid should be drunk twice a day, 1/4 cup. This course of treatment must be carried out for 10 days, and after a two-day break, you can start the course of treatment again. In addition to strengthening the bladder, the decoction will relieve symptoms of inflammation of the organ, if such symptoms exist.

1. Sage and chicory.

You need to take 100 g of sage and chicory and mix the herbs. The resulting mixture (3 tbsp) should be poured with 3 cups of boiling water and let the broth brew. It is advisable that the decoction infuse all night, and in the morning you can start taking the decoction. The decoction should be drunk in the amount of 4 glasses per day, half an hour before meals.

A weak bladder becomes a big problem for its owner, be it a man or a woman. But it is women who have to deal with this disease several times more often. They are afraid to go to the hospital, embarrassed to talk about the problem that has arisen. But you shouldn't do this! The problem can be solved if the treatment is carried out by an experienced doctor.

Women and men have different structures of the genitourinary system. Female organs are more vulnerable because their urethra is shorter. This increases the risk of developing infectious diseases of both the bladder and other organs. The period of gestation and the process of childbirth affects the state of muscle tone. Because of these factors, bladder weakness occurs several times more often in women than in men.

Weakening is also affected by:

• and kidneys;
• hypothermia;
• age-related changes;
• hormonal status (when it comes to menopause).

The main signs of a weak bladder:

• frequent urge to urinate;
• the desire to go to the toilet occurs at night;
• urinary incontinence.

Traditional medicine methods

So, the question of how to strengthen the bladder in women is very relevant for many representatives of the fairer sex. The first step to eliminating such an unpleasant phenomenon is contacting a qualified specialist who will help identify the root cause of the weakening of the muscle tissue of the organ and develop acceptable treatment tactics.

The optimal treatment regimen is often based on the following points:

• Taking medications in the form of tablets that help eliminate inflammatory processes, if any have been diagnosed. It is also recommended to take vitamins, medications, and dietary supplements that help stimulate metabolic and regenerative processes in tissues. It must be remembered that you can take any medications only with a doctor’s prescription.
• Correction of the usual diet. Reasons that contribute to the weakening of bladder tissue include systematically occurring constipation and the presence of a large number of extra pounds. To eliminate these provoking factors, as well as to provide the body with the necessary vitamins and microelements, it is important to reduce the amount of artificial food in the diet, eat more grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. It will not be superfluous to drink large amounts of liquid.
• Regular bladder training. A particularly effective method of eliminating incontinence is physical activity. To strengthen the muscle tissue of the organ, it is recommended to perform only specific exercises to strengthen the bladder or combine them with various sports, including running, swimming, walking and many others.

But what should a woman do and how can she strengthen her bladder if physical exercise is contraindicated for some reason? In such a situation, strengthening the bladder can be done using simple and affordable products made from natural raw materials according to alternative medicine recipes.

The simplest and most accessible recipes for everyone include:

1. Rose hip decoction. To prepare it, you should thoroughly mix a tablespoon of pre-dried foxglove, four tablespoons of rose hips, ground in a coffee grinder, and a spoonful of rose hip inflorescences. Pour the finished mixture with two glasses of purified water, stir, boil for several minutes, cool, you can add a little honey or syrup to improve the taste. The finished drink should be consumed in the amount of one glass.
2. Plantain infusion. Several large fresh leaves of the plant should be thoroughly washed, cut, lightly kneaded with your hands, and then steamed with a glass of boiling water. Leave the resulting infusion for about three hours, then take a large spoon at least three times a day.
3. Onion infusion. A small onion should be peeled, finely chopped, lightly mashed with a fork, then pour a glass of very hot water, previously brought to a boil. Leave for thirty minutes. The finished medicine should be drunk in small portions throughout the day. This drink has powerful antiviral properties and is useful for treating infectious and viral diseases.
4. Infusion of yarrow. In order to prepare this restorative, tonic and anti-inflammatory remedy, you need to brew two small tablespoons of pre-dried yarrow with two glasses of boiling water, additionally boil over high heat for three minutes, and cool. This infusion should be consumed in the amount of half a glass.
5. No less useful will be the use of medicinal teas prepared from rose hips, hawthorn, berries and black currant leaves. Such drinks effectively increase immune strength and have a tonic and general strengthening effect.

Drugs prepared according to alternative medicine recipes are effective only if they are used systematically and regularly. The above recipes for decoctions and infusions will help increase the overall tone of the body, remove toxins and waste, and increase immune strength.

Basic therapeutic intervention aimed at strengthening the bladder in women involves regularly performing an individually selected set of specific Kegel exercises. The goal of such physical therapy is to increase the tone of the muscles surrounding the urinary cavity.

If the exercises do not have a positive effect, the doctor must select the optimal course of medications for the patient. Many doctors create special schedules for their patients to go to the toilet. The interval varies from an hour to two, and is selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

To strengthen the muscles surrounding the bladder, a course of pharmaceutical drugs is usually prescribed in combination with a number of physiotherapeutic procedures and a well-chosen diet.

Good results are demonstrated by medications such as Oxybutynin, Propantheline and Flapvoxate, which help strengthen the muscular system and prevent spasms.

In case of uncontrolled urination caused by a stressful situation, the doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• Clenbuterol;
• Ephedrine;
• Midodrine;
• Duloxetine.

With the help of these medications, you can increase contractility and smooth muscle tone.

It must be borne in mind that they have a number of contraindications and side effects, so taking them on your own is strongly not recommended.

Myotropic, hormonal and sedative drugs are often prescribed.

Surgical intervention is resorted to in the most extreme cases, when other therapeutic methods are not effective enough. At the moment, the following operation options are most often used:

1. Neuromodulation. The patient is implanted with a special electrode and generator that sends impulses directly to the brain, which leads to the restoration of urinary function.
2. Cytoplasty. It involves increasing the volume of the bladder and reducing its instability through surgery.

If a course of tablets does not bring a positive result, the patient may be prescribed a botulinum toxin injection. The substance is a refined toxin that acts on a number of nerve endings and blocks the release of acetylcholine, which leads to involuntary muscle contraction.

Such manipulations should be carried out by a qualified medical specialist. Before starting the procedure, the doctor must administer local anesthesia. The duration of the effect varies in the range of 7-9 months.

To strengthen the bladder, Kegel exercises can be used, which are suitable for both women and men. However, positive results can only be achieved if the complex is performed regularly and the load is gradually increased.

Kegel exercises are varied in nature and include bending, squatting, twisting the torso, rotating the pelvis, as well as consistent relaxation and tension of various muscle groups. The most effective exercises include the following:

1. Having taken the starting position lying on the floor, you need to alternately raise your right and left legs to the point where the body forms a right angle. Having fixed your legs in this position for a few seconds, they smoothly lower back to the level of the floor surface. During the exercise, the angle changes from 90 to 45 degrees.
2. Walking with a ball held between your thighs. Performed for several minutes at a low pace.
3. Having taken the initial standing position and choosing a chair as a support, you need to begin slow squats, during which your knees look in different directions. The exercise should cause noticeable tension in the pelvic muscles.
4. Lying on your back, your legs need to be bent at the knees and slightly apart to the sides, squeezing your feet together. Having fixed your legs in this position, you need to try to remain motionless for 4-7 seconds.

One of the basic and most effective exercises is considered to be rhythmic tension and relaxation of the pelvic muscles, which is best performed daily after waking up 100 times. It is necessary to contract those muscles that are responsible for blocking the process of urination.

In case of urinary incontinence caused by stress, women and men are most often selected for complex therapy, which includes the following elements:

• weight loss and getting rid of excess fat;
• physiotherapy;
• hormonal drugs;
• Kegel exercises;
• treatment of concomitant diseases.

Stress urinary incontinence in women can be triggered by features of the anatomical structure of the urinary system or problems that arise during the postpartum period. In such cases, doctors often resort to surgery.

Sling operations involve the installation of an implant that fuses with the tissue and takes root in the genitourinary system. Colposuspension involves suturing tissue to the ligaments of the inguinal region and the anterior abdominal wall. There are special volume-forming gels that narrow the lumens of the canals and slow down the outflow of urine.

People suffering from problems with urinary tract should introduce plant fiber into their diet. It can stabilize the digestive process, rid the intestines of various toxins and wastes and prevent constipation.

An important element necessary to strengthen tissues is zinc. The highest concentration of this element is observed in pumpkin and sunflower seeds, seafood and red fish. It is necessary to consume vitamin E in sufficient quantities. It is found in green vegetables, nuts and wheat sprouts.

Pathology treatment methods

There are special exercises for the bladder that can help you get rid of the problem in question. If there is no therapeutic effect from gymnastics, then doctors prescribe medications to strengthen the bladder muscles.

Medicines that strengthen the urinary system are prescribed in parallel with physiotherapeutic procedures, special exercises, diet and other treatment methods. Each product is used individually, as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account concomitant pathologies and the type of incontinence, as well as after a detailed study of the instructions for use.

Good results can be achieved by using Flavoxate, Propanthelin, Oxybutynin, which strengthen the muscular apparatus of the bladder, relieve and prevent spasms.

Uncontrolled urination caused by stress is treated with Duloxetine, Imipramine, Midodrine, Methoxamine, Ephedrine, Clenbuterol. These medications increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscles, but have numerous side effects.

In some cases, sedative pills, hormonal drugs (during menopause) and myotropic drugs are appropriate.

Paralysis or relaxation of the muscles that have been exposed to botulinum toxin occurs while other muscles continue to function normally. Thus, the problem of uncontrolled urination is solved. The injection is performed in a medical facility using local anesthesia. The effect is observed for 6-10 months.

In extreme cases, surgical intervention is possible:

• cystoplasty, with which doctors increase the capacity of the bladder and reduce its instability;
• Neuromodulation – results in continuous stimulation of the nerve. During surgery, a pulse generator and electrode are implanted, resulting in easier and more balanced urination.

Physiotherapeutic procedures have proven themselves well:

• electrophoresis;
• ultrasound;
• electrical stimulation of the bladder.

Treatment for a weak bladder in women can be carried out using an intravaginal device - a pessary. The product is made of silicone and prevents involuntary urination. The effect of the pessary depends on the type of pathology, clinical picture and individual characteristics of the body structure.

Pregnancy and childbirth can help women relax their bladder. This is a normal condition and usually goes away within a few weeks or months.

In men, bladder weakness can be caused by prostatitis or prostate adenoma, so the fight against these pathologies must be addressed first.

Impaired urination in a child, in most cases, is caused by impaired nervous regulation and should be treated only after consultation with a doctor.

You can also strengthen the bladder muscles with folk remedies, which can solve the problem of urination and not cause harm to the body.

Pour boiling water (1 cup) over dill seeds (1 tablespoon). Leave for several hours. Drink in one go. The infusion has an excellent strengthening effect.

Pour shepherd's purse herb (3 tsp) with cold water (1 glass), strain, and leave for 8 hours. Use 2 tbsp. spoons up to 4 times a day.

Marshmallow has a good supporting effect on the bladder. Pour the root of the plant (6 g) with cold water (200 ml), leave for 10 hours. The prepared product is drunk one day before.

How to identify the pelvic floor muscles?

To determine the muscle tissues of the small pelvis that need to be trained, just lie on your back and insert a finger into the vagina, closer to the side wall.

Next, you should contract your muscles, as during a volitional cessation of urination, and feel the tension. These muscles are worth training.

There is a simpler way - while visiting the toilet and urinating, use your willpower to try to stop this process. Remember the sensations themselves and reproduce them during training using Kegel exercises.

To solve such a delicate problem as involuntary urination, it is important to think not only about how to strengthen the muscles of the bladder, but also the muscle tissue of the pelvic floor. The following exercise options have an excellent strengthening effect that increases the tone of muscle tissue:

• To begin, you should sit on the floor, stretching out your legs and pressing them firmly against a hard surface. Next, you should lift each leg one by one, trying to pull it towards your stomach. To strengthen and increase the load, you can perform this exercise at an accelerated pace.
• To quickly strengthen your muscles, you can also use the following exercise: lying on the floor, you should hold a small, fairly dense ball between your knees, and then pull your legs with the ball towards your stomach. You should train in this way slowly, tensing the muscle tissue of the perineum.
• There is another option for training with a ball: you should hold the ball between your knees while in a standing position. Without releasing the ball and straining the muscle tissue of the perineum, you should walk around the room for at least five minutes.

To obtain faster results, it is recommended to train the muscles of the perineum daily between sessions of the main gymnastic complexes. To do this, while in a sitting position, you should tense and relax the muscle tissue of the anus and perineum. This measure will help get rid of involuntary urination for a short period of time.

Therapeutic and preventive physical education

To strengthen the bladder, they resort to Kegel exercises, which with regular training strengthen the bladder muscles. An important condition for performing each exercise is regularity and a gradual increase in loads. Treatment for bladder weakness in women and men with exercise is effective for both men and women.

Exercises using the Kegel system are varied. It is necessary to tilt and turn the torso, squat, rotate the pelvis, relax and tense various muscle groups, contract the perineal muscles, imitate cycling and skiing, etc. The most effective of them:

1. Lie on your back. Raise your right leg at an angle of 90º to the floor surface and hold for 5 seconds, lower. Perform the same movement with your left leg. In the same way, raise your legs one by one at an angle of 45º. Next, raise both legs to a height of 30-40 cm from the floor and hold for 5-10 seconds, lower. Then raise your legs at an angle of 90º and gradually lower them, stopping at 45º. At a height of 30-40 cm, maintain the position of your legs for 5 seconds. Breathe freely.
2. Lie on your back, bend your knees, then spread them apart. The feet are pressed against one another. Try to spread your knees as much as possible and remain in this position for 5 seconds.
3. In a standing position, lean on a chair and slowly squat down, while spreading your knees to the sides. Stay in this position for 5 seconds and slowly rise up. When performing the exercise, you need to feel the tension of the pelvic muscles. Initially, you need to do three squats.
4. Hold the ball between your thighs and walk slowly for several minutes. The exercise has the greatest effect when using a small ball.
5. Tighten and relax the muscles of the perineum for a few seconds. Performing this exercise is very convenient, as it is invisible to others.

Will yoga help?

Older women are recommended to use such methods of treating bladder weakness as sitz baths with warm water, to which decoctions of chamomile, string and other herbs are added. The water temperature should not exceed 36.5 degrees. It is best to choose trousers and skirts made from natural raw materials and perform a 10-15 minute set of exercises daily aimed at strengthening the bladder.

In case of incontinent urination, general strengthening asanas will be useful, which have a positive effect on the entire body as a whole. To solve this problem, dynamic asanas are better suited; during their execution, it is easier to alternate between contraction and relaxation of the pelvic muscles. In practice, special exercises are used to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

Traditional treatment of urea and kidneys in women

Traditional treatment for almost any disease is considered quite effective. With the help of herbs, you can perfectly cure completely different diseases associated with the genitourinary system. There are many different recipes, using which a woman can improve her health and cure the disease forever in a relatively short period of time.

Therefore, let’s look at the most popular folk recipes:

• Wormwood and rue. These two plants will perfectly help relieve inflammation in the pelvic organs. You need to take 2 tbsp. wormwood and 1 tbsp. rue. Stir the mixture and take 1 tsp, pour one glass of boiling water. Leave the broth for 2 hours, then strain twice. You need to take the medicinal solution 2 times a day, ¼ cup in the morning and evening. The duration of the course is 10 days, then we take a break for 3 days and you can repeat the therapy again.
• Chicory and sage. Also, these two plants will help relieve inflammation in the genitourinary system. Take 100 grams of each herb and mix together. Take 3 tbsp. mixture and steam in a thermos. Leave the solution overnight. Then you need to strain it well twice and you can drink 4 times a day, ¾ cup. You need to drink the elixir half an hour before meals. Treatment with this remedy should last approximately 3 months.
• Milk, oddly enough, can also help in this situation. You need to take 1 glass of fresh milk, add half a tsp to it. baking soda and you can drink it. In order to feel the effect you need to drink 6 glasses, one per day. At the first signs, you can immediately start taking the mixture. You can also mix milk with water, nuts or persimmons. Milk and soda can be used as a steam bath, sit on a bucket, wrapped in a blanket.

How to check if it's done correctly?

Before you start exercising, visit the toilet and empty your bladder. Next, you should take a body position that is comfortable for you - lying on your back or sitting and perform them in this position.

Hold

To perform it, you should lie on your back and take the following body position - arms along the body, legs bent at the knee joint and spread to the side.

Tighten and relax the muscle fibers in the perineal area - at the peak of tension, hold the muscles for 5-6 seconds, relax. Start doing this exercise with 10 repetitions, gradually increasing to 30.

Reduction

This exercise involves contracting and relaxing muscle tissue located in the perineal area as quickly as possible. It is performed without restrictions, many times a day from a supine position, placing a pillow or bolster under the buttocks.

At the very beginning of performing this Kegel exercise, you should squeeze the vaginal muscles and, with an effort of will, hold them in this position for 5-6 seconds, gradually increasing the compression force.

Having reached the maximum point of tension, proceed in the reverse order, relaxing the muscle fibers without sudden movements. Repeat this at least 8-10 times.

The essence of this exercise is wave-like tension and subsequent relaxation of the pelvic muscles in a certain order. First, they tense the muscles of the vagina, then the anus, and so form a semblance of a wave - relax them in the reverse order.

Positioning

The presented exercise is best performed by pregnant women - first of all, you should empty your bladder and intestines, then relax and hold your breath while inhaling. Afterwards, push and relax.

Take a position as during childbirth, and relax the internal pelvic muscles as much as possible through willpower. Next, hold your breath and, as it were, push, protruding the vaginal muscles outward.

Flashing

This exercise allows you to train the muscles of the vagina and anus, reminiscent of the Wave exercise. But in this case, the muscle tissue of the vagina is contracted first, and then the anus, observing the principle of inhaling - holding, relaxing while exhaling.

Strengthening the muscles of the perineum and pelvis

When a problem arises with a weakened bladder, the patient is recommended to perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and perineum.

Important!

You can feel the muscles of the perineum by going to the toilet. It is necessary to stop the flow of urine while urinating. At this moment you will feel where they are.

A set of special exercises needs to be done for a long period. But the first results of treatment will be noticeable just a few weeks after the start of classes. The main thing is that you need to train your muscles every day. During class, after each exercise, take a break for 5 minutes.

The special complex looks like this:

1. You need to lie on your back and relax. Simultaneously tense the muscles of the perineum and pelvis. Hold the tension for up to 10 seconds and then relax. Repeat at least 5 times.
2. Lie on your back and stretch your legs. The left leg is bent and pulled towards the stomach, and the muscles of the perineum are tense. The tension is held for 10 seconds and the leg is released. The exercise is repeated 5 times for each limb.
3. Lie on your back and bend your knees (feet should remain on the floor). In this position, the muscles of the perineum tense (the tension is held for 5 seconds). The exercise is repeated at least 5 times.
4. Sit on a chair and place your feet on the floor with a towel under them. With your hands on your hips, tighten the muscles in the perineum. At this time, move your legs, as if rubbing a towel into the floor, moving it back and forth. Do this exercise for 2 minutes, and then walk in place for 1 minute. It is necessary to make several such approaches.
5. Lie on your back and bend your knees (you will also need a ball). We squeeze the ball with our knees and raise our pelvis. Smoothly move your pelvis from left to right. The exercise is done for 15 seconds, and after a break of 15 seconds it is repeated. You need to do 5 approaches.

Additional exercises

You can increase the tone of the muscles of the perineum and pelvic floor even while working, studying or walking. This method is suitable for those women who have very little free time to use a set of special exercises. Such exercises can complement the main complex and achieve the desired result faster. What do we have to do:

• using every opportunity to strain the muscles of the intermediary zone;
• It’s good to do such tension while carrying heavy objects (for example, a bag from a store);
• tiptoe whenever possible.

Important!

Treatment is prescribed only by a doctor. He will explain in detail all the intricacies of performing the exercises and prescribe the necessary therapy.

Treatment of a weak bladder is not limited to exercises alone. A woman needs to adhere to a certain diet. You should enrich your diet:

• products with zinc (pumpkin and sunflower seeds, fish, cereals);
• vitamin E (green vegetables, any nuts).

The main thing is to make your diet balanced. Avoid eating spicy and spicy foods. It has a diuretic effect. It is not recommended to drink before going to bed, so that at night the desire to go to the toilet arises less often. You should avoid coffee, alcohol, and carbonated drinks, because they are diuretics.

It is advisable to get rid of extra pounds. Excess weight causes increased pressure in the abdominal cavity.

The doctor may prescribe special medications to treat a weakened bladder. But before that, he is obliged to conduct a full examination. Sometimes it is necessary to resort to surgical interventions, but this happens very rarely (in advanced cases).

The only remedy for CYSTITIS and its prevention, recommended by our subscribers!

A weak bladder in women causes quite a lot of trouble, especially in the cold season and bad weather. The question of how to strengthen the bladder is asked by almost every 10th representative of the fair sex. But before starting treatment, you need to establish the true cause that provoked the disease.

Disease prevention

To achieve the best results in strengthening your bladder, it is worth making a number of adjustments to your usual lifestyle. First of all, you must adhere to the diet recommended by your doctor even after the condition of the genitourinary system improves. You need to give up addictions and drinking carbonated drinks, strong tea and coffee.

It is important to undergo a full diagnostic examination for the presence of inflammatory processes affecting bladder tissue. It is strongly recommended not to expose your body to hypothermia, and to avoid stressful situations and heavy physical activity.

Lifestyle correction

To strengthen the muscles of the bladder, experts recommend changing your usual lifestyle by making a number of significant changes:

• Adhere to a proper and balanced diet, which was agreed upon with your doctor.
• Avoid drinking strong coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic drinks and soda.
• Quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes.
• Increase the amount of fluid you drink. Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day.
• Make a schedule for going to the restroom. For example, go to the toilet no more than once an hour.
• Use special urological pads if you need to leave the house.
• Get examined to make sure there are no infections or inflammatory processes in the bladder. In situations where they are present, carry out full treatment.

What results should you expect?

As statistics show, the positive results are:

1. Reduction and complete cessation of drip-type incontinence of urine and feces.
2. Gymnastics also has a positive effect on the sexual side of relationships - it increases potency and enhances libido, elasticity and muscle control.
3. Gymnastics itself serves as an excellent preventive measure against many bladder diseases.
4. You can also train during pregnancy, taking into account existing contraindications. They are also indicated in the postpartum period, allowing the woman’s genitourinary system to be restored in a short period of time.

Symptoms indicating weak urine

One of the symptoms of the pathology is an increased urge to urinate.
Symptoms of a hypotonic bladder are manifested mainly by urinary incontinence. The frequency of the urge to urinate increases, and sometimes uncontrolled emptying occurs when the abdominal muscles tense. People with urinary incontinence can be divided into 2 categories:

1. Emptying occurs without any prerequisites for action. This category includes children and men.
2. The tension in the abdominal cavity becomes so strong that the person cannot hold urine. This type includes people suffering from cystitis.

Relief from stress

A stressful situation can trigger urinary incontinence.
Bladder weakness is often caused by stressful situations. What should you do if your weak bladder symptoms are diagnosed due to stress? Doctors recommend resorting to relaxing massages, during which you can perform the following manipulations:

• Take a lying position on your stomach and try to relax as much as possible. Pull the skin in the sacrum area with your fingers and stroke the resulting fold towards the spine. Stroking movements should be done for 8 minutes.
• Perform the same manipulations in the lumbar region, 4 vertebrae higher than the sacrum.
• You will need to sit down on the floor and put your legs towards yourself, and bring your feet together. Wrap your hands around your ankles, applying pressure with your elbows to your knees and trying to lower them down. Pressure should be applied for 11 seconds, then relax and shake your legs, and then do the same 10 times.
• You should lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees, and then spread them apart, trying to make an effort.

For sitz baths, ready-made herbal preparations are used, in the form of tinctures or decoctions.
In addition to massage, a woman’s bladder can also be strengthened using heat. Let's consider popular methods:

• Use of sitz baths.
• Warm foot baths with chamomile. To do this, you need to take dried medicinal chamomile and add it to warm water (not higher than 36 degrees Celsius). It is important to resort to such baths every evening.
• The use of warm heating pads, which will need to be applied to the lower area of ​​the peritoneum before going to bed.
• Visit the bathhouse or sauna at least several times a month. It is important to remember that between visits to the steam rooms it is forbidden to take a cold shower or dive into the pool.

Exercises to strengthen muscles

Many experts believe that if women performed daily exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles, they could avoid many problems with the reproductive, genitourinary and vaginal systems.

Exercises:

• An exercise that is considered effective is alternately retracting and relaxing the muscles of the perineum. As soon as possible, you can tense your muscles and hold them in this position for 4 seconds, then relax, and then again, and so on in a circle. Perform for one minute.
• Lie on your back, raise your left leg 90 degrees and hold for 5 seconds. Then repeat on the other leg. Then we raise our legs one by one above the floor by 45 degrees, later the distance between the floor and the leg should not be more than 30 centimeters. Hold in this position for 5 seconds. This strengthens the muscles of the lower abdomen and abs.
• Lie on your back and bend your knees. Connect your feet and spread your legs in different directions as wide as possible (in fact, you need to reach the floor). Hold for 10 seconds. Exercise strengthens the perineum.
• Sit on the floor, legs together, extended, palms on your knees. We bend towards our feet, trying to reach our feet and hold for 5 seconds. Do bends 5 times.
• We stand up straight and try, bending over, to reach the floor.
• Stand, leaning on the back of a chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart, squat slowly, do 5-10 squats.
• You need to take a ball or expander between your legs and perform presses, repeat 10 times, 2 approaches.
• Stand in a “cancer” position, lower your pelvis alternately, now to the left, then to the right, trying to fix the position for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times for 2 approaches.

Dear women, muscle training is a long and painstaking process. But, if a set of exercises becomes a habit, then very soon you will be able to forget what problems with the reproductive, genitourinary and vaginal systems are. Choose 3-4 exercises for yourself and perform them once, if you can, twice a day for 2 approaches each.

Weakness of the bladder in most cases indicates the presence of a pathology that requires comprehensive diagnosis and timely treatment.

In order to begin the therapeutic process of getting rid of incontinence and strengthening the bladder, it is necessary to identify the cause of the failure and eliminate it.

A decrease in muscle tone may be associated with previous injuries and aging of the body, as a result of which the bladder “shrinks” and decreases in volume. The following text will provide useful information on how to strengthen the bladder and get rid of urinary incontinence problems in women with the help of medications or surgery.