Incontinence we’ve all been there… too much fluid and not enough time, leaving us feeling like we’re going to have an accident if we don’t reach a loo immediately. It’s an uncomfortable, scary and often embarrassing feeling, but for most of us, it only happens occasionally. For some people though, an urgent need to pee is an everyday occurrence that can make life feel really miserable.
Marcus Hudson, Pelvic Floor specialist at Body Lipo Lincoln, says incontinence takes a severe toll on someone’s mental health. “Incontinence has been shown in multiple validated studies to severely affect someone’s quality of life. These patients often avoid social gatherings, have a higher likelihood of urinary tract infections and genital skin irritation, and have a higher likelihood of clinical depression.” he said.
Marcus explained that there are two types of urinary incontinence: urgency incontinence and stress incontinence. Urge incontinence, which involves an overactive bladder, causes sufferers to have to go more than 8 times a day, often waking up in the middle of the night to rush to the loo.
“About two-thirds of men with an enlarged prostate will have symptoms of overactive bladder and occasionally will have urgency urinary incontinence,” Marcus said. “Patients with neurological conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis can often suffer with this kind of incontinence too, but in many cases there’s no obvious medical condition behind it.”
Marcus went on to say that urge incontinence can often be caused by being overweight or constipated, which can be easily reversed if treated in time.
Stress urinary incontinence
is the other kind. It happens when the muscles surrounding the bladder weaken, leaving them unable to handle any pressure. That’s why coughing, laughing and sneezing can be problematic. Marcus explained that in women stress incontinence often comes along after childbirth and menopause, while many men who suffer from the condition have had prostate surgery.
Urge incontinence
can be managed with medication, but there are currently no drugs available for the treatment of stress incontinence in the UK. “The most common therapies are pelvic floor exercises and lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and getting more fibre in the diet if constipation is the cause.
Other lifestyle changes include steering clear of fizzy drinks, caffeine, alcohol and spicy food, limiting fluids before bedtime and timing urination. Botox injections can also be used. Surgery is a last resort, but it can be very effective, with special slings or bulks implanted into the pelvic wall to support bladder function.
Urgency incontinence also can be addressed with Botox injections that help bladder muscles relax, giving sufferers more time to get to the toilet, Marcus said. Experts also recommend neuromodulation, which sends electrical signals between the brain and bladder via a special device. This device can help settle an anxious bladder and give the patient more control over the frequency with which they need to pee.
The BTL Emsella Chair
Marcus explained that t BTL Emsella Chair is a state-of-the-art neuromodulation device that’s been approved by the FDA for its revolutionary, non-invasive approach to treating urinary incontinence.
The BTL Emsella chair is an FDA-cleared device, providing a revolutionary non-invasive treatment for urinary incontinence. Men and women can use the chair, which contains special magnets that cause the pelvic floor muscles to contract, taking them to a supermax level that’s impossible through Kegel exercises alone. Because it’s non-invasive it’s a great alternative to surgery, and patients stay fully clothed throughout.
The Emsella Chair is completely painless, requires zero input from the patient and each session takes under half an hour. Its powerful magnet creates an electromagnetic field that stimulates the muscles in the pelvic floor, delivering a huge 11,200 Kegel contractions in just 28 minutes. It’s hugely effective, with 95% of patients reporting a huge improvement in their symptoms and 84% having no further incontinence problems at all. It can also be used to tighten the vaginal muscles and alleviate erectile dysfunction in men.
If you’d like to find out more about how the BTL Emsella Chair can help you or a loved one, complete the consultation form below. During your consultation we will gain a clear overview of your current situation and any health conditions that may be causing incontinence, before agreeing the most appropriate course of treatment. You will be given the opportunity to try the chair during your consultation, and the £50 fee will go towards your treatment plan.
Marcus said the most important thing to do if you’re suffering with incontinence is to realise that you’re not alone. “Millions of people all around the world experience incontinence, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We are here to help, and we’ll go above and beyond to make you feel at ease. Don’t suffer in silence!” he said.
Why Does Urine Leak and How is It Treated?
There are several different kinds of urinary incontinence from stress incontinence to urge incontinence, and they happen for different reasons. In this article Marcus Hudson, Pelvic Floor Specialist at Body Lipo Lincoln, reveals the reality of this embarrassing condition and discusses the various incontinence treatments options that are available.
We’ve all been caught short once or twice; that desperate feeling when the bladder feels fit to burst and there isn’t a loo in sight. But while most people only experience this nightmare situation once in a while, for others it’s a daily occurrence that seriously limits quality of life. More than seven million people in the UK experience urinary incontinence on a daily basis, with many more going untreated or failing to seek medical help out of embarrassment. The important thing to remember is that medical professionals are used to dealing with all sorts of conditions, and they won’t bat an eyelid about your misbehaving bladder. The sooner you seek incontinence treatments the greater your chances of a quick turnaround in symptoms, so don’t suffer in silence.
Reasons for Leaking Urine
Any loss of urine that’s unintentional is classed as urinary incontinence. It can vary from just a slight trickle to multiple heavy leaks a day, and it can have a huge impact on your social life and self-confidence. Here are the main types of urinary incontinence:
Stress incontinence (SUI)
Urine, is stored in the bladder. When we need to get rid of it the bladder and surrounding muscles contract, pushing the urine through a tube called the urethra, which relaxes as the fluid passes through. These muscles play a very important role in controlling our toileting habits, but like any other muscle, if they become too weak, they struggle to do their job properly. When the pelvic floor muscles fail to work as they should, even simple things like laughing, coughing, sneezing, lifting and having sex can put them under serious pressure. When that pressure is too much and urine leaks out, it’s known as stress incontinence (SUI).
Stress Incontinence is far more commonly seen in women than men, because pregnancy and childbirth put the pelvic floor under a huge amount of pressure. Other things like regularly straining for a bowel movement or having had a hysterectomy are also major risk factors. When stress incontinence is seen in men, it’s usually following prostate surgery.
Urge incontinence Urge incontinence often goes hand in hand with an overactive bladder (OAB), and it’s characterised by a sudden, desperate need to wee that seems to come out of nowhere. It happens when the bladder muscles contract on their own, giving sufferers no time run to the toilet.
Often people experiencing urge incontinence find that when they actually do make it to the bathroom, there’s hardly any pee there at all. An overactive bladder can be very confusing to live with and is caused by a problem in the nervous system, when the brain and the bladder fail to send each other the right messages.
Mood disorders
Mood disorders like anxiety and stress can also play an important role in urge urinary incontinence, because the same part of the brain that controls anxiety also controls the bladder. Incontinence and anxiety share the same neurological and hormonal pathways, and a 2020 study found that there’s a direct link between incontinence and high levels of anxiety.
Overflow incontinence
Overflow incontinence happens when your bladder doesn’t empty properly when you urinate. This can be very uncomfortable and disconcerting, causing a feeling of fullness and frequent dribbling. This kind of incontinence tends to be more prevalent among men and can be caused by diabetes, kidney stones, tumours and some medications.
Functional incontinence
Sometimes, medical conditions make it difficult to get to the loo or unbutton trousers in time causing functional incontinence. Examples of this include physical and neurological disabilities such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis and other conditions that can cause poor dexterity.
Transient incontinence
As the name suggests, transient incontinence is temporary and caused by other short-term conditions or situations. Once the other problem is dealt with, the incontinence usually stops.
Mixed incontinence
It’s possible to have several different types of incontinence at once – for example, SUI and urge incontinence often present at the same time with different degrees of severity. This is called mixed incontinence, and the symptoms include:
• Sudden leaking of wee without any warning
• Bed wetting
• Leaking during sex
• Urinating more than normal
Incontinence Risk Factors
There are lots of reasons why someone might become incontinent and it can happen to anyone, male or female, young or old. But some people are more prone to urinary incontinence than others, so here are the most common risk factors in adults:
• Being a woman. Having female reproductive organs places you at a much higher risk of incontinence, and women are twice as likely to experience urinary incontinence than men. This is particularly true if you’re experienced pregnancy, vaginal deliveries and/or the menopause. It’s the hormone changes associated with menopause that tend to be the biggest issue, because the lack of female hormones can make the tissues in the vaginal wall weaker.
• Ageing – with age the muscles get weaker, and this is true in the pelvic floor and surrounding area too. it’s important to know that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll definitely become incontinent, but prevention is better than cure. Regular pelvic floor exercises, eating a good diet and keeping your weight in check can all help keep your bladder strong.
• Prostate problems – this is the most common cause of incontinence among men, particularly later in life. The prostate is a gland that sits just below the bladder and around the top of the urethra, and if the gland becomes enlarged it can put pressure on the surrounding area, leading to incontinence.
• Birth defects – certain abnormalities in the structure of the urinary tract can significantly raise the risk of incontinence.
• Family history – if a parent or other close family member has urge incontinence, you may be at greater risk of developing it yourself.In some cases, there’s no obvious cause for urinary incontinence. “Perfectly healthy people can become incontinent, and it can take healthcare experts a while to figure out what’s happening,” said Marcus.
When to Get Help for Urinary Incontinence
Although urinary incontinence is quite common it’s definitely not something you should just accept as normal, or something you just have to put up with. Marcus explained that millions of people choose to suffer in silence instead of asking for help, but rest assured experts like Marcus and his team at Body Lipo Lincoln have seen it all before. Your doctor will also be totally pragmatic about your situation and there’s no need to be embarrassed, so if you’re starting to feel like incontinence is ruling your life it’s time to get help.
Marcus explained, “Many patients resist getting help for ages, choosing instead to limit their social lives or change the things they wear in order to fit around their bladder problems. You don’t have to give up on the things you enjoy in life, and urinary incontinence can almost always be treated.”
Ongoing incontinence doesn’t just affect the bladder, mood and social choices. It can also lead to skin problems like rashes, soreness and infections due to wetness. Wet skin is a perfect breeding ground for germs, so you may also find the area starting to smell unpleasant and make you even more self-conscious than you were
already. The first place to go if you’re worried about leaking urine is your doctor. They will assess your symptoms and make sure there are no underlying health conditions causing the incontinence, before referring you for incontinence treatments.
How is Urinary Incontinence Diagnosed?
The signs of urinary incontinence are easy to spot, but the causes aren’t always so straightforward. Your doctor will want to undertake a thorough check up and possibly refer you for scans to get to the root of the problem. They will probably ask you to keep a bladder diary, where you note down how much, when and how you urinate over a period of time. The tests you may be asked to undertake include blood tests, urine tests, bladder function tests and imaging screening/scans.
Incontinence Treatment Plans
An incontinence diagnosis definitely isn’t all doom and gloom, and many patients find they’re totally cured of their symptoms shortly after starting treatment. For those where a complete cure isn’t possible, there’s commonly a drastic improvement in symptoms that makes life feel more manageable.
The incontinence treatments available vary according to what kind of urinary incontinence you have and how severe the symptoms are, but they include:
• Pelvic floor/Kegel exercises
• Pessaries
• Medications
• Lifestyle changes
• Botox injections
• Surgery
• Stress incontinence devices
The BTL Emsella Chair
The BTL Emsella Chair is a revolutionary device that’s been cleared by the FDA and was developed by an expert in urinary incontinence treatments.
The chair is fitted with a powerful magnet that creates an electromagnetic field that stimulates and strengthens the pelvic floor. In under half an hour, the chair delivers the equivalent of a huge 11,200 Kegel exercises, taking the muscles to supramaximal levels.
Regular use of the Emsella chair strengthens the pelvic floor and boosts the messaging system between the bladder and the brain, giving you more control. It can also be used to tighten the vaginal canal and treat erectile dysfunction in men, and it’s a totally painless, non-invasive treatment that allows you to stay fully clothed. And because the chair does all the exercises for you, there’s no need for any effort or concentration on your part – you can bring a book or listen to music and let the chair take care of everything!
Results are amazing – 95% report a marked improvement in urinary incontinence and 84% are completely cured.
How to Prevent Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence can’t always be prevented, but there are plenty of ways to minimise your risk of developing bladder problems. These include:
• Losing weight
• Doing pelvic floor exercises
• Eating a high fibre diet to minimise constipation
• Avoiding sugary drinks, caffeine, acidic foods or other irritants
• Giving up smoking
• Taking special care of your pelvic floor during pregnancy – ask your midwife for advice
Are You Ready to Reclaim Your Freedom?
Your bladder doesn’t have to rule your life. If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence and want to know more about how the BTL Emsella Chair can help you, contact us today to arrange a no-obligation consultation. Should you wish to book a consultation, the cost is £50. To Book your consultation you can click the link below or call 01522 523777 in office hours. BOOK CONSULTATION HERE
In the meantime, should you have any additional questions do not hesitate to contact me.
To find out more you can email me at info@bodylipolincoln.co.uk or contact our incontinence expert on 01522 523777
When the vagina moves out of its place within the pelvis, it’s known as vaginal hernia or vaginal prolapse. The effects of this vary from patient to patient- in some cases the movement is only slight, but in the most severe cases the vagina ends up sticking out of the body.
It can be an uncomfortable (sometimes painful), embarrassing and distressing condition, but if you’re experiencing vaginal prolapse there are plenty of options. It’s often treated with pelvic floor exercises, physiotherapy, medication and, in severe circumstances, surgery.
Here at Body Lipo Lincoln we use a ground-breaking treatment called the Emsella Chair, which we’ll explain in more detail further on in the article. First, let’s start with what vaginal prolapse looks and feels like.
Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Prolapse
Surprisingly, it’s quite common for women to have a prolapsed vagina without even realising, remaining completely unaware until they have a medical exam. When symptoms are present, they can include:
Lower back pain
Urine leakage
Repeat bladder infections
A feeling of bulging or fullness, particularly at the end of the day
Problems with bowel movements
Sexual discomfort
Discomfort or problems with inserting tampons
Organs sticking through the opening of the vagina (this is in extreme cases)
Risk Factors
Vaginal prolapse tends to become a greater risk with age, particularly after the menopause. It’s also more common in women who have given birth vaginally, are overweight or those who smoke.
Causes of Vaginal Prolapse
As many as one third of all women are likely to experience some kind of vaginal prolapse. The most common causes are vaginal childbirth (especially multiple deliveries), menopause, hysterectomies, being overweight, straining to have a bowel movement and heavy lifting. There are also some medical conditions such as tumours and congenital bladder defects that can cause the vagina to prolapse.
Vaginal Prolapse Varies Depending on Which Organs Are Affected:
of the small bowel due to a lack of vaginal support. It’s particularly common following a hysterectomy.
Prolapsed uterus: this is caused by weak ligaments at the top of the vagina.
Cystocele: this kind of prolapse happens when the front vaginal wall collapses. If the urethra is also affected, it’s called cystourethrocele)
Rectocele: this happens when the back wall of the vagina fails, causing the rectum to fall through the vagina
Enterocele: this is when there’s a hernia
Diagnosing Vaginal Prolapse
It’s quite common for healthcare providers to discover a vaginal prolapse during physical examinations. During the exam, they may identify the problem by asking you to tense your muscles as if you’re having a bowel movement or trying to stop urinating. They will also ask if you’ve had any other signs or symptoms, like incontinence.
If a doctor suspects you do have a vaginal prolapse, they may request a scan such as an ultrasound to see if any other organs are being affected.
Treatment and Prevention of Vaginal Prolapse
Vaginal pessaries that provide support to the vaginal wall
Surgery, varying from minimally invasive operations that provide support to having the vagina stitched up. This is obviously a last resort for most people as while it stops symptoms it means you can no longer have penetrative sex.
Physiotherapy – this includes pelvic wall strengthening exercises
Emsella Chair – this is a revolutionary device that has been created by a pioneer in the area of incontinence therapy. The treatment is easy, non-invasive, quick and totally painless, and the results have been fantastic. All you have to do is sit on the chair, fully clothed, which the state-of-the-art technology does the rest. The chair involves electromagnetic technology that stimulates the pelvic floor muscles, taking them to supramaximal level. This means your brain doesn’t have to regulate the contractions so there’s no input from you required whatsoever – and in just 28 minutes your pelvic floor will get the same amount of exercise as it would have with 11,2000 Kegel contractions!
Summery
Vaginal prolapse is a condition that involves the vagina falling down from its normal place within the body. It’s more prevalent among women who have given birth vaginally or those who are post-menopausal. If you have a prolapsed vagina, you may be completely unaware, but if you are presenting any symptoms there are a range of treatment options available. These vary from strengthening exercises to surgery. The Emsella Chair has proven to be highly effective for women who are experiencing symptoms of vaginal prolapse.
Vaginal prolapse can be embarrassing and uncomfortable but is rarely life-threatening. Medical professionals are highly trained in recognising the signs and symptoms of prolapse and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you’re worried that something does not feel right, contact your GP straight away
Frequently asked questions about vaginal prolapse.
What does vaginal prolapse feel like?
Vaginal prolapse can be completely painless, but you may feel like there’s a pressure or something sticking out of your body. If your bladder feels full or heavy this can also be a sign of a prolapsed vagina.
Can you fix a prolapse on your own?
If your prolapse isn’t severe, you may be able to treat it yourself with pelvic floor exercises. Contact your healthcare professional for advice on how to do them effectively.
How can I tell if the prolapse is severe?
If you’re having problems with bowel movements or peeing, or if you notice something sticking out of your vaginal opening, this could be a sign of a severe prolapse.
What is the Emsella Chair?
The Emsella Chair has been specifically designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles by making them contract. It was created by experts in urinary incontinence and is totally non-invasive, clean, quick and painless. It can also eliminate common incontinence symptoms like leakage, dribbling and a feeling of fullness in the bladder.
Emsella’s ground-breaking technology targets the pelvic floor muscles, making it stronger at the same time as stopping symptoms. It gives patients a new lease of life, empowering them to laugh, exercise, have sex, cough without fear of discomfort or leaks.
If you are ready to find out how this revolutionary treatment can help you, please complete the below form to book an in-depth consultation. During the consultation, we will discuss your condition and the non-surgical and surgical treatment options for urinary incontinence. Following your consultation, you will have the opportunity to try our Emsella chair. The £50 consultation fee is redeemable against any treatment plan.
When you have a weight loss goal, you probably break out the scale first. After all, it’s one of the easiest ways to measure your progress. But, there are limitations to what that number can tell you, and in many instances, it can take you down the wrong path. Namely: Weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing. We turned to an expert to break it all down.
What does weight loss mean generally?
So, the number on the scale is lower than the week before. When you see that number go down, you can’t automatically assume that it’s all fat. “Weight loss is a reduction of total body mass. When you see the number on the scale go down it could be from one or a combination of fat, muscle, and water loss.
Your body is mostly just water. “As much as 60 percent of the adult body weight is made up of water weight. The term ‘losing water weight’ just means a fluid loss in the body,”. Lots of things can cause fluid retention, like your hormones or eating a lot of salt or a higher carb meal. For each gram of carbohydrate stored in the body as glycogen, the body also stores three grams of water.
When you consume fewer calories, it’s also likely you’re also consuming fewer carbohydrates, whether that decrease is intentional (e.g., a lower carb diet) or natural (you’re eating less). During calorie restriction, your body dips into these glycogen stores for energy and releases the accompanying water. (So long water weight.)
The scale goes down as a result of losing water weight, and this accounts for much of the weight loss in the very beginning. Adding to the confusion, Water weight can fluctuate, so it can feel discouraging to see the number on the scale go up and down at different times of the day if you are not aware of the different variables and factors that can contribute to these changes. This is one reason why the scale can be a source of frustration and confusion and can be really de-motivating.
More likely, though, your long-term goal is to lose fat.
What is fat loss, then?
Weight loss can also result from fat loss (so consider fat loss under the umbrella of weight loss!). It’s tricky, though, because traditional scales can only tell you how much you weigh, and most won’t tell you if there’s been a reduction in body fat in particular. The scale simply shows your body weight, but does not specify anything beyond that. Just by looking at that number you don’t know if you’re losing water weight, fat, or muscle.
Body fat percentage, specifically, can be measured in the following ways:
Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
Hydrostatic Weighing
Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA)
Skinfold Callipers
Smart scales
The DEXA scan is widely considered as one of the most accurate and comprehensive body composition tests. However, it can be expensive, and it’s usually accessible. You can also get a body composition test with callipers or use a smart scale that estimates body fat. These methods may not be as accurate, but could be a good starting place for those looking to learn more about their body composition.
Waist circumference is also another important measure, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For women, having a waist circumference of more than 35 inches signals excess abdominal fat, a marker of your risk for diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
How do I lose fat, as opposed to muscle or water weight?
When you lose weight, some is from muscle loss. To preserve this lean tissue (which supports your metabolism), eat enough protein and strength train, two factors that will aid in eventual fat loss. For sustained fat loss, being in a smallcaloriedeficit every day, along with exercise, instead of cutting out entire food groups and over-exercising, is what I would recommend for sustained fat loss,
gradual reduction in calories to minimize muscle loss while still accomplishing fat loss. Focus on eating less fried foods, processed foods, and sugar while enjoying more fresh fruits, quality protein sources, and of course vegetables.
Do you wet yourself a little bit when you laugh, cough or sneeze? Then you might be among the one in three women (and many older men) who have a weak pelvic floor.
Many people just ‘put up’ with the problem, often due to embarrassment or thinking it’s an inevitable result of childbirth, menopause or ageing. But continence specialist Marcus Hudson from Body Lipo Lincoln is on a mission to break the taboo, and highlight that you don’t have to just accept things like stress incontinence as a result of having a weak pelvic floor – because there are things you can do about it.
“While we’ve almost become comfortable discussing periods, pelvic floor issues are still frequently ignored, despite affecting one in three women.
Here, he outlines 10 things everybody should know about their pelvic floor and how to keep it strong…
Your pelvic floor is easy to find
If you’re a woman, sit on any hard surface with your feet flat on the floor. Lean slightly forward with your vulval area in contact with the hard surface, and try to lift the area around your vagina and anus away from whatever you’re sitting on. These are your pelvic floor muscles contracting. Men should sit or lie and squeeze the ring of muscle around the back passage as if trying to stop passing wind. Then relax the muscle. Squeeze and let go a few times until you’re sure you’ve found the right muscles. Try not to squeeze your buttocks.
Your pelvic floor muscles are the bottom of your core
The pelvic floor muscles are at the base of the core and help hold everything together
Acting like a hammock, pelvic floor muscles provide the main support for your pelvic organs. Without them, your internal abdominal and pelvic organs would simply fall out. Your pelvic floor muscles are wrapped around the urethra, vagina and anus in women, and around the urethra and anus in men. They are able to contract when you cough or sneeze, to help you stay continent and prevent leaks.
How to do pelvic floor exercises
It’s important everyone does pelvic floor exercises, even if they don’t currently have a problem. “It can happen at any time in life, so be prepared to start working on your muscle training straight away,” says Marcus.
Either lying with feet flat on the floor, sitting or standing, draw up your pelvic floor muscles, squeeze and hold for a count of five if possible. Let go and count to five. Repeat the process five times, and do this three times every day. Keep practising and hold for a longer time, until you can contract the muscles for 10 seconds each time. Once a day, also do a series of 10 short, sharp contractions, which will help you maintain control when you sneeze or cough.
High-impact sports can cause pelvic floor problems
A recent review concluded that sports practice increases the prevalence of urinary incontinence, with high-impact sports causing the most incontinence. Have you stopped running, playing tennis, or any other sport that you really enjoyed because you’re worried you might have an accident? If so, pelvic floor exercises will help.
Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t just about stress incontinence
Do you frequently or urgently need to go to the toilet? Does the sight of your front door trigger an urgent need to pee? This is called urge incontinence and it’s thought that 25-45% of women suffer from this.
Childbirth is a common cause of pelvic floor dysfunction
Every woman needs to do pelvic floor exercises after having a baby – whether they had a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section. While common, it’s a myth that it’s normal to leak if you sneeze after having a baby.
Half of women over 50 have some degree of prolapse
A prolapse happens when weakened pelvic floor muscles and a weakened vaginal wall lead to one or more of the pelvic organs, often the bladder, bulging into the vagina. You may have no symptoms and it’s only noticed on a routine smear test, or it may feel like you’re sitting on a ball or have a heavy feeling in your vagina. “It’s not normal or right to just accept a prolapse as a normal part of ageing,” says Marcus. “Whether your prolapse is big or small, don’t just ignore it and hope it goes away. Start working on your pelvic floor exercises straight away.”
Men have a pelvic floor too
In general, the male pelvic floor behaves better than the female one, largely because men don’t have babies. However, about a third of men over the age of 50 have some form of lower urinary symptoms.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can start at the menopause
Marcus warns women not to neglect their pelvic floor around the menopause, when oestrogen levels start to fall. Oestrogen is important for keeping the pelvic floor ligaments strong and elastic, so when levels of the hormone drop, the ligaments become thinner, weaker and less resilient and pelvic floor problems are more likely to occur.
Pelvic floor exercises are good for your sex life
Pelvic floor muscles are very important for sex, as they help increase the blood supply to the vagina and penis, improve muscle tone and help maintain nerve activity, resulting in improved sexual sensation and satisfaction. Like any exercise regime, if you have strong muscles, you feel good about yourself. “I’m sure we’ve all felt boosted by a long walk or a great workout. The same is true for your vagina or your penis following pelvic floor exercises,” adds Marcus.
We had an amazing evening on Friday 7 June at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry as Louise won a ‘commendation for innovation’ in the national Woman Who Achieves Awards.
As you already know, Louise made it onto the shortlist for two of the awards’ prestigious categories – the ‘Woman Who Achieves Micro Business’, which aims to celebrate and recognise small businesses making a difference, and ‘Woman Who Achieves and Innovates through STEM’, recognising careers and business in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
We were absolutely thrilled when Louise won a commendation award for the STEM category. Revolutionary technology has the capacity to significantly improve the quality of life for women, without the need for surgery or needles.
As well as the wellbeing of our clients, innovation is at the core of our clinic – from skin tightening, managing autoimmune tendencies and targeting stubborn fat, to restoring the entire pelvic floor to support the pelvic organs and significantly reduce bladder leakage.
Thank you to every single person who believes in the clinic and contributes as a soundboard for the vision of Body Lipo Lincoln. This commendation award is for all of you.
We are excited to announce we will be exhibiting at this year’s Lincolnshire Show 2019 on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 June!
Body Lipo Lincoln is proud to be a Lincolnshire business, and what better way to get out and about and speak to fellow Lincolnites than by having a stand at one of the UK’s top county shows which celebrates the best of rural Lincolnshire.
If you are attending the show this year, remember to stop by stand 9-01 on row C in the retail as we look forward to showing you our non-invasive aesthetics and wellbeing treatments.
Attendees can take advantage of our exclusive show offers and save money on our bespoke treatments. These are some of the discounts we will be offering when bought on the day:
6 sessions on the EMSella chair for £1250 and a free collagen drink pack, saving £250 Buy 8 fat melting treatments and get 2 free, for a total of £800, saving £240 Buy 8 treatments in the Body Pod and get 2 free, for a total of £240, saving £60 Buy 2 areas of the fat freezing treatment and 2 more free, for a total of £250, saving £250 Buy 8 skin tightening treatments and get 2 free, for a total of £498, worth £150
Join us on the day to enter our exclusive prize draw, to be in with the chance of winning £800 worth of Body Lipo Lincoln treatments! All of you have to do is jot down your name, email and phone number and we will pick the winner at random.
How often do you lie awake at night trying to decide if you actually need to go and wasting precious sleep time? There’s nothing more disruptive to a good night’s sleep than frequent trips to the loo.
“Most people don’t get up at night to pee at all, or just get up once,” says Marcus Hudson. “If you’re regularly peeing more often than this, you may need to look at your lifestyle habits. If none of these apply, there could be other underlying causes.”
Body Lipo Lincoln spoke to Marcus about the potential causes and ways to minimise nocturnal toilet trips (aka nocturia – believed to affect 14% of Brits.)
Limit salty foods before bed
“Eating salty foods makes you more thirsty. So, a late-night snack of popcorn or crisps means you may end up drinking more fluid without realising it, and therefore needing to pee overnight. If you’re struggling with late night visits to the loo, limiting your fluid intake within 2-3 hours of bedtime may help.”
“If you drink alcohol in the evening, you’re very likely to be up needing the loo. Plus, because the dehydration it causes contributes to hangovers, common advice is to drink plenty of water before you go to bed to reduce this effect. The trouble is, even water close to bedtime makes you more likely to wake needing to pee, so there’s a double whammy effect. The simple solution? Avoid too much alcohol.”
Manage a sensitive bladder
“There are two main types of sensitive bladder. The most common is stress incontinence – this is due to weakness of the pelvic floor and leads to accidents when you cough, sneeze, run. It’s less likely to make you need to get up at night. With overactive bladder, there’s a mismatch in messages between your brain and bladder, which can result in sudden overwhelming urges to pee. People with overactive bladder may have to get up regularly at night.
“If you have overactive bladder, you could be sensitive to caffeine, so it’s worth a trial of cutting it out (in tea and cola, as well as coffee) to see if it helps. Pelvic floor exercises and bladder retraining can also make a huge difference. Body Lipo Lincoln can help you devise a plan.”
“It also makes sense to look for a product designed especially for night-time wear; in particular, one designed for bladder leaks rather than sanitary pads. Sanitary pads are designed for relatively slow menstrual flow, rather than the sudden, large leaks seen in a sensitive bladder.
Check your tablets
“Water tablets (or diuretics) are commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, as well as some heart conditions. The clue is in the name – they’re designed to make you pee more. Most of them have a fairly short ‘half-life’ though, which means the maximum effect is in the first 4-6 hours after you take them. If you’re on diuretics, never take them after about 5pm.” (Unless advised otherwise by your doctor).
Keep a diary
“Knowing whether you’re just peeing frequently at night, or if it’s in the day as well, can help your doctor decide what’s causing your symptoms. For instance, feeling more thirsty than usual and passing more urine in the day and at night, could be a sign of diabetes. If your symptoms have come on suddenly and are accompanied by burning or stinging when you pee and low tummy pain, cystitis could be more likely to blame.
“It’s worth keeping a diary of your fluid intake, when and how much you pee and any other symptoms you have over a few days, to speak to your doctor about.”
Decide if you actually need the loo
Sometimes we decide to go to the loo just because we’re awake. But, needing the loo isn’t the cause of your sleepless night. Ensure you’re following a good sleep routine by cutting out blue light before bed, trying to sleep and wake at consistent times, and ensuring you have the best bedroom set up for sleep
Incontinence we’ve all been there… too much fluid and not enough time, leaving us feeling like we’re going to have an accident if we don’t reach a loo immediately. It’s an uncomfortable, scary and often embarrassing feeling, but for most of us, it only happens occasionally. For some people though, an urgent need to pee is an everyday occurrence that can make life feel really miserable.
Stress urinary incontinence
Why Does Urine Leak and How is It Treated?
already. The first place to go if you’re worried about leaking urine is your doctor. They will assess your symptoms and make sure there are no underlying health conditions causing the incontinence, before referring you for incontinence treatments.
