Incontinence

Incontinence is the inability to control excretory functions:

• Stress Incontinence is the involuntary escape of urine due to strain such as coughing, sneezing, running, lifting, etc.
• Urge Incontinence is the inability to hold back urine when feeling the urge to void. For example, inability to get the door unlocked quick enough to make it to the bathroom and/or frequent use of the bathroom at least every two hours or more.
• Mixed Incontinence is a combination of both stress and urge incontinence.
• Fecal Incontinence is the inability to control bowel movements.

Other Disorders:

• Chronic Constipation is generally considered to encompass the infrequent passage of stool, excessively hard stools, or the inability to evacuate without prolonged straining.
• Pelvic Pain is persistent pain of an unexplained nature in the lower abdominal and pelvic area without evidence of active disease or pathology that persists six months or more.
• Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder with symptoms of severe frequency and urgency to urinate, along with pressure above the pelvis.

Treatments Available:

• Biofeedback reinforces effective exercises by providing objective data about muscle strength and allowing patients to see muscle activity on a computer screen.
• Therapeutic Exercise - The pelvic floor muscles are trainable muscles that can be strengthened just like leg or arm muscles. The therapists will show you specific exercises to help this area.
• Massage - Abdominal Massage and Trigger Point work may be incorporated into your program for decreasing pain and helping with constipation.
• Education - Specialized programs are designed incorporating specific exercises, diet strategies, and bladder retraining to meet individual needs.

Our goal is to individually facilitate your control and ability to participate in everyday activities.

A prescription from your physician is necessary to receive Physical Therapy services. Communication with the referring physician will provide you with an initial evaluation, progress reports and a discharge summary.