Fear Urinary Incontinence? No more

Urinary incontinence affects 17-40% of American women in their 40s and 50s. Stress incontinence occurs when the urethral sphincter, the muscle that opens and closes the opening to the urethra, loses strength, or when the pelvic-floor muscles become weak or injured, usually as a result of pregnancy, delivery, or age.

Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, can also be caused by pelvic floor problems, but may also be related to a weakened or overactive nervous system and the aging of the bladder, both of which can make the bladder feel incapable of holding much urine. Around 36% of incontinent women have both kinds. 

 

Stress incontinence might occur during moments of physical strain, such as coughing or a deep belly laugh. With urge incontinence, you might leak urine as you feel the need to go suddenly and often, even when your bladder isn’t full. 

 

Below are some natural remedies and other solutions for better bladder control.  

 

Kegel Exercises 

How it works: Women with stress incontinence who consistently do pelvic-floor exercises experience a 70% improvement in symptoms, and experts state that building these muscles may also help with urge incontinence. This is why Kegels are a mainstay of incontinence therapy. Jill Maura Rabin, MD, head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, states that, “Kegels work because over time they thicken the muscles that hold your urethra and other organs in place.” She suggests that beginners should contract their pelvic-floor muscles for 5 seconds, and then relax them for 5 seconds, repeating this 5, 10, 20 times per day.  

 

Reprogram Your Bladder

How it works: If you suffer from urge incontinence, bladder training may help you. With this form of behavioral therapy, you make yourself wait when you feel the need to urinate, gradually increasing the intervals between bathroom trips. Yoga for Your Pelvis How it works: Mula Bandha, a posture considered vital to any yoga practice, involves tightening the muscles that control the urethral sphincter, producing an effect that is similar to that of Kegel exercises. Other postures such as the Crow, Fish, and Pike, focus on increasing pelvic strength, which makes it easier to hold urine. 

 

Prescription Medication 

 

How it works: The drugs available are approved to treat only urge incontinence, which they achieve by helping the bladder relax, letting it hold more urine for longer intervals. These drugs include Detrol, Ditropan, and Enablex, and are available as capsules, pills, or gels. They help the majority of women, but they may need to be taken indefinitely and they can cause mild side effects, such as constipation and dry mouth.  

 

Vaginal Pessary 

 

How it works: this is a silicone device that you place in your vagina, where it pushes up on the vaginal wall and urethra to help support the bladder and uterus. If you have stress incontinence, a doctor or nurse can fit one for you; you’ll need regular check-ups to ensure it isn’t irritating your vagina.  

 

Electrical Stimulation

 

How it works: Gentle volts of electricity, delivered through a vaginal probe by a medical professional, may activate and strengthen pelvic-floor muscles. Another method, used only for urge incontinence, involves implanting a device under the skin of the upper buttock to stimulate the sacral nerve, which connects to the bladder and pelvic-floor muscles.  

 

Surgery

 

How it works: For stress incontinence, surgery offers a high cure rate. Doctors insert a short sling that remains permanently in the body to help close the urethra. Generally speaking, surgery isn’t recommended until no other options have worked. 

 

Drink Less 

 

How it works: According to Benjamin Brucker, MD, assistant professor in the urology department at NYU Langone Medical Center, “If you have a weak bladder and drink 8 glasses of water each day, reducing this to 4-6 glasses may help decrease how often you feel the need to urinate.” 

 

Check Your Medicine Cabinet 

 

How it works: Common drugs such as antihistamines, tricyclics, and blood pressure medications, can interfere with muscle contraction in the bladder and urethral sphincter, thus making incontinence worse. 

 

Lose Weight 

 

How it works: Having extra pounds on your body can strain your pelvic-floor muscles, and losing just a tiny bit of weight can improve your symptoms. In one study, 75% of women who lost 5-10% of their weight experienced a significant decrease in urine leakage.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Muscle Atrophy: Types, Signs and Ways to Reverse It

Movement is one of the best predictors of long-term health and life satisfaction. Those who move more are healthier, happier, and more independent than their peers who lead a sedentary lifestyle. An immediate harmful effect of inactivity we don’t discuss enough is muscle loss or atrophy - a condition that occurs when our body redirects resources from the muscles we don’t use enough, essentially starving the muscle and making it shrink in size.

In some people, muscle atrophy can develop in just a few weeks. Luckily, this process is reversible in most cases. Read on to learn about several types of muscle atrophy and ways to prevent it. 

 

What is muscle atrophy? 

The human body is a fascinating system that continuously updates itself and changes. The body is programmed to redirect nutrients to the muscles of the body we use the most and cutting off nutrients to the underutilized ones. This process of losing muscles mass is referred to as muscle atrophy, or muscle loss, muscle catabolism, and muscle wasting

As a result of muscle atrophy, a person may experience any of the following symptoms: 

 

Weakness in the arms or legs, which leads to trouble reaching for high objects, difficulty opening jars, tying shoelaces, rising from a chair. 

 

Muscle cramps and spasms while walking, doing sports, or engaging in everyday activities. 

 

Balance and coordination issues - if the issue affects the back, core, or legs. 

 

Asymmetry. You may notice that the muscles of one arm are smaller or that your torso is tilted to one side. ​

 

In some cases, muscle atrophy can develop in a matter of 2-3 weeks of downtime, but others can maintain their muscle mass for a longer time. The speed of muscle loss depends on many factors, including your initial fitness level, age, and other health issues. Sadly, in most cases, muscle catabolism is rapid - a study published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine concluded that older 8 men lost a quarter of their muscle gains of 8 weeks of strength training after just 2 weeks. 

 

Muscle atrophy predominantly occurs because you don’t or can’t use a specific group of muscles enough, often due to a physical setback like an injury or a long period of bed rest due to illness. However, spending too much time at a desk can weaken specific muscles too. Here are the most common types of muscle atrophy: 

 

1. Physiological muscle atrophy

Physiological atrophy is the most common type of muscle loss. It occurs as a result of disuse over long periods of time. For example, when astronauts spend a few days in outer space with no gravity - their muscles start to shrink. If you have ever had a cast on your arm or leg, you will have experienced physiological muscle atrophy.

Your muscles will decrease in size and strength when you stop exercising or just moving enough. This can happen for a variety of reasons: a job that requires a lot of sitting, an immobilized limb as a result of injury, bed rest, etc. The good news is, most cases of physiological atrophy can be cured by using the muscle.  

 

2. Neurogenic atrophy

This type of muscle atrophy occurs when the nerve that leads to a specific muscle becomes damaged. The damaged nerve isn’t able to create muscle contractions, so the muscle slowly withers. Any type of neuropathy (nerve damage) or any other condition that affects the nerves - such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or stroke - can lead to neurogenic muscle atrophy. This type of muscle atrophy is more difficult to treat because the muscle must be artificially trained using electrical stimulation to stay strong. 

 

3. Malnutrition  

Severe malnutrition can lead to muscle loss too. When your body doesn’t get all the nutrients it requires for a long period of time, it may start using your muscle tissues as fuel. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, a diet low in protein, fruits, and vegetables alone can reduce your muscle mass. So make sure to maintain a well-balanced diet to prevent muscle loss.

4. Arthritic muscle loss

Any type of joint pain and limitation in the range of motion can lead to physiological muscle atrophy. Patients suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and any other condition that affects the muscles or joints often suffer from muscle loss as well. 

 

The pain and discomfort people with joint issues experience discourage them from physical activity, which results in muscle weakness. As a result of muscle weakness, more pressure is put on the joints - and you’ve got a vicious cycle of arthritic pain leading to muscle atrophy leading to more arthritic pain, etc. If you have arthritis, please don’t get discouraged - remember that exercise will be able to reverse the atrophy and improve your symptoms considerably.

5. Sarcopenia 

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition experienced by 10% of adults over age 50 and up to 13% of people in their 60s and above. It can start as just feeling a bit weaker during physical activities and progresses to difficulty doing everyday activities like opening jars or holding a pen. Even though sarcopenia is considered a normal part of aging, it can lead to dramatically fast muscle loss, especially when combined with lack of movement or immobilization.

The biggest issue with sarcopenia is the increased risk of falls and injuries, but exercise can help delay the progression of sarcopenia. As Jodi Klein, a physical therapist, pointed out in an article by Harvard Health, "It can take longer for the body to recover from dramatic muscle loss, but with the right strategy, older adults can protect themselves from muscle atrophy and rebound easier if it occurs, no matter what their age."  

 

Muscle loss is reversible - in most cases

The great news is that most people suffering from muscle atrophy will be able to recover in a matter of months. As long as your nerves are intact, you’re eating healthy, and you’re getting treatment for any underlying health issues that are contributing to the muscle loss, you should be able to get back in shape within 2-4 months. 

 

Unfortunately, muscle atrophy caused by neurological damage or stroke can be irreversible. When nerve signals are no longer able to reach the muscles, little can be done to preserve them. 

 

Reversing Muscle Atrophy 

 

1. Start by returning to movement and doing physical therapy

The first step is returning to normal physical activity - getting out of bed, moving around every half an hour or so, carrying around small objects. Maintaining an active lifestyle will help prevent recurrent muscle loss too, which is especially crucial for people who sit a lot, those who suffer from arthritis, and older adults. 

 

Physical therapy can also help teach you to activate specific muscles, and a physical therapist will be able to help you move the arms and legs if you have trouble doing so yourself. It’s especially helpful for preventing muscle loss in people in hospitals or those who have to stay in bed for a long time as a result of health issues.

2. Keep up the good shape with general exercise 

Any type of daily exercise, be it walking, cleaning the house, gardening, cycling, or any other activity will stimulate your muscles and help them regrow. Swimming and water exercises may be especially helpful for recovering patients, as water makes movements easier. Lastly, weight training, such as training with resistance bands and dumbbells, can help prevent muscle atrophy by focusing on specific muscles.

3. Electrical stimulation and ultrasound therapy 

Both electrical stimulation and ultrasound therapy are non-invasive methods that help heal and restore muscles. Ultrasound and electrical stimulation devices are applied to the problematic area, stimulating the muscles and making them heal. These are usually in-office treatments, but your physical therapist may also offer you a portable device you can use at home. 

 

4. Surgery 

If one’s muscles, ligaments, or tendons become too stiff as a result of muscle atrophy, it can lead to a contracture deformity. The stiffness may prevent you from moving and may require surgery to correct it. 

 

In summary, muscle atrophy is an extremely common health issue that affects everyone from office workers to the elderly. The dangerous health issue can weaken your muscles and lead to pain, weakness, and even problems with balance. Luckily, the condition is usually reversible with regular physical activity and exercise.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement