Fix your floor

It is estimated that one in three Irish women experiences pelvic floor issues at some point in their lives. We spoke with Dr Nina Byrnes about all things pelvic floor related.

What is pelvic floor weakness?

The pelvic floor is a set of muscles situated in the pelvis. They run from the frontal pubic bone to the base of the spine, holding all the pelvic organs, including the bladder and uterus in place. A strong pelvic floor means everything is kept firmly in place and you should have full control over when, where and how often you visit the loo. If these muscles become weak, you may have less control and may experience accidental leaks when laughing, exercising, sneezing or coughing.

What are the symptoms of pelvic floor weakness?

The most common symptom of pelvic floor weakness is urinary incontinence. The effects of this make many women hesitant to do simple, every day things such as go for a walk or even enjoy a good laugh because of it, yet it’s rare that they seek help or treatment for the problem.

How common is urinary incontinence as a result of pelvic floor weakness?

Research has shown that bladder weakness is more common than hay fever, with 70 per cent of women wearing absorbent pads to help manage the problem. What’s more, 50 per cent never seek medical help, 25 per cent say it has impacted their sex life, and a staggering 49 per cent of women are affected after giving birth*.

One of the most common myths associated with pelvic floor weakness is that pelvic floor exercises don’t work. Is this true?

Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, can help to improve pelvic floor weakness. However, these can be extremely difficult to do correctly and require a lot of time to be effective.

A lot of women believe that if they’ve had a child, the damage has already been done and they won’t be able to correct any pelvic floor weakness. Is this true?

No, the weakness of the pelvic floor can be improved at any time. So even if you have had one or more children, you can restore the strength in your pelvic floor through a range of treatments. Taking part in your children’s sports day, jumping on bouncy castles with them and even trying for another, are all things that you can enjoy once again with a healthy, strong pelvic floor.

Many women believe that ‘leaking’ a little bit is normal after they’ve had children. What would you say to that?

Research has shown that 49 per cent of women are affected after giving birth. During or after pregnancy it’s important not to mix up the fact that the condition is ‘common’ with it being ‘normal.’ Pelvic floor weakness can and should be corrected, it is not a problem that should be endured. Following pregnancy and once the individual feels ready, which can be different for each women, it is recommended that a strengthening programme begins to restore your pelvic floor back to full health.

Another misconception is that if you’ve had a C-section, your pelvic floor will be fine, but is this true?

No, that is not true. Due to hormonal changes and the pressures on the muscle during pregnancy, women that give birth by caesarean section may also develop a weak pelvic floor. The baby can place a lot of stress on your pelvic floor muscles and can have a weakening effect as early as 12 weeks into pregnancy.

If you struggle with Kegel exercises is there anything that can help?

There are treatments out there that can help and while more severe cases can require surgery for the vast majority of people, that is not the case. A new non-invasive treatment, Innovatherapy [INNOVO], has just been launched in Ireland, and treats the primary cause of urinary leaks rather than just masking the symptoms, through targeted pelvic floor strengthening. Users can actually feel their entire pelvic floor being recruited without having to do any voluntary activation, leaving no room for error.

What advice do you have for someone who is worried about pelvic floor weakness?

It’s so important that we break the barrier of silence surrounding this issue and encourage women and men to talk to each other and, if necessary, seek medical advice. It’s embarrassing, but I think we would all be surprised by how many of us are going through the same thing. The launch of INNOVO shows the steps have been taken to ensure effective treatment and I would urge anyone who is suffering urinary leaks to seriously consider the ways that they can treat it.

Dr Nina Byrnes is a GP, author and TV Presenter. For more information log on to www.generationhealth.ie. For more information about INNOVO log on to www.restorethefloor.com