Pelvic Floor Exercises
These are also known as ‘Kegels’ and done regularly can help to strengthen the pelvic floor so that when under stress no urine leaks out.Your doctor, continence advisor or physiotherapist (or midwife/heath visitor if you are pregnant or recently had a baby) will be able to advise you on exercises, but usually they entail contracting the muscles that you would tense to stop yourself from passing urine, or passing wind (they are the same muscle group) and holding them tense while you count to ten or more before relaxing. These exercises should be repeated as often as possible, many times a day.
Vaginal Cones
Small, plastic, cone-shaped weights that are inserted into the vagina to help with pelvic floor exercises. They are held in the vagina using the muscles for increasing lengths of time. They are available on prescription or from pharmacies. The weight can be increased as muscle tone improves.Biofeedback
This is the use of electric stimulators to help improve the muscle tone of the pelvic floor.Oestrogen
Some women, especially those who have experienced continence problems after menopause may be given oestrogen supplements or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to improve the strength and elasticity of the muscles.Medication
There are a variety of drugs that can be prescribed by your doctor to help with stress incontinence. They all work by minimising the likelihood that the muscles of the bladder wall will contract involuntarily.As with all medication there may be side effects which should be discussed with your doctor.
