How to Strengthen Your Bladder

From rushing to get to the bathroom in time, to leaking when you cough or sneeze, to getting up in the middle of the night to pee, it can seem like your bladder is on your mind 24-7.

In order to get the right treatment to strengthen your bladder, you FIRST need to know the cause of your bladder symptoms. Are you leaking, or just going to the bathroom frequently? If you are leaking, do you leak with coughing, sneezing and/or exercising, or just on the way to the bathroom? Or all of the above?

If you only do Kegels, chances are you'll be very disappointed. This is because Kegels only address one thing: pelvic floor muscle weakness. Often to help all these different symptoms, you need several other additional strategies.

Let's pinpoint the two main types of bladder problems women experience, so you know how to get the right help.

Two main types of bladder problems in women

The two most common types of bladder problems are stress incontinence and urge incontinence. It is also very common to have both types at the same time, and this is called mixed incontinence.

Now, I know what you're saying: "I don't have incontinence. That is what my Grandma had. I don't have that."

And you may be right. If, for instance, your only bladder complaint is that you have to rush to the bathroom, or you use the bathroom too frequently, you may have an overactive bladder.

But, if you leak any urine at all, even just a few drops, the medical community will tell you that you have incontinence. It's a label that many of us are uncomfortable with, and it's a label that prevents a lot of women from getting the help they need.

Knowledge is power. Figuring out which type of bladder problem you have is crucial to finding the right solution, so consider learning the medical lingo below so you know how to move forward in getting help to get rid of your bladder symptoms:

Bladder Problems in Women

What are the main treatments for stress and urge incontinence?

Because stress and urge incontinence have different causes, their treatments differ quite a bit. This is why it is so important that you figure out what is troubling your own bladder, so you know what to do about it. And my whole goal is to help you navigate these differences and get your bladder back on track, either through traditional telehealth PT, or through my new VIRTUAL pelvic health Fitness Challenges 💪

Stress incontinence

Because stress incontinence is usually due to weakness of the pelvic floor muscles and other core muscles, as well as sluggish timing and coordination between these muscles, this is where Kegels and other pelvic girdle muscle exercises can help tremendously. Following healthy bladder habits, as well as using good body mechanic