Yoga Programme To Strengthen Pelvic Floor Could Help Women With Urinary Incontinence
Yoga Could Help Women With Urinary Incontinence
The Huffington Post UK
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An old school yoga programme, designed to improve pelvic health, could help women who suffer from urinary incontinence, according to a new study published in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery.
UC San Fransisco (UCSF) researchers discovered that the specifically designed yoga training program can help women gain more control over their urination and avoid accidental urine leakage.
"Yoga is often directed at mindful awareness, increasing relaxation, and relieving anxiety and stress," said first author Alison Huang, MD, assistant professor in the UCSF School of Medicine.
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"For these reasons, yoga has been directed at a variety of other conditions – metabolic syndrome or pain syndromes – but there's also a reason to think that it could help for incontinence as well."
Huang and her colleagues recruited 20 women from the Bay Area who were 40 years and older and who suffered from urinary incontinence on a daily basis.
Half were randomly assigned to take part in a six-week yoga therapy program and the other half were not.
Story continues below the slideshow:
Common Bladder Health Risks
Urinary Tract Infection(01 of06)
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WHAT: A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects the urinary tract (the organ that stores and releases urine). HOW: UTIs occur when germs, usually bacteria, enter the urethra and then the bladder. The infection can eventually spread to the kidney. Symptoms include cloudy or bloody urine, a strong need to urinate and a low fever. FIX IT: If you do feel any of the symptoms above, doctors can distinguish between a small infection or a kidney one -- in most cases, patients are put on antibiotics. (credit:Shutterstock)
Interstitial Cystitis(02 of06)
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WHAT: A interstitial cystitis (IC) is a painful condition that causes inflammation of the bladder's walls. HOW: Experts say an IC can be caused by a bacterial infection, however, some say the cause of this disease is unknown. Symptoms include a painful pelvis and in some cases, urinating more than 60 times a day. FIX IT: Currently, there is no cure for IC, but there are treatments depending on the individual to often ease the pain. (credit:Alamy)
Healthy Urine Colours (03 of06)
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Dr. Michael Robinette, a urogloist at Toronto General Hospital, says there are several ways to determine a healthy urine colour. "Healthy urine is a pale yellow. If your urine is white, you're drinking too many fluids. However if your urine is too dark, your urine is concentrated and you should be drinking more fluids." he says. (credit:Alamy)
When Your Urine Isn't Yellow (04 of06)
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If your urine is bloody, you most likely have an infection. However, there are some foods that can change the colour of your urine naturally. "Beets make the urine red and some vitamin B medication can make it green," Dr. Robinette says. Other urine-changing foods include asparagus, blackberries, carrots and rhubarb. (credit:Shutterstock)
Kidney Failure (05 of06)
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WHAT: Kidney failure is a medical condition when your kidneys fail to filter toxins and waste items from the blood. HOW: Kidney failures can occur from existing infections, burns or diseases. But in most cases, causes differ depending on the individual. Symptoms include bruises, bloody stool and changes in mental mood. FIX IT: Treatments include flushing out toxins from your body and restoring your kidney's functions. In some cases, dialysis or even a transplant may be needed. (credit:Shutterstock)
Kidney Stones (06 of06)
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WHAT: Also known as a renal calculus, kidney stones are solid crystals that are formed in the kidney. Even though these crystals are more common among men, some women can also develop kidney stones. HOW: For the most part, kidney stones can be genetic and stone sizes can also differ. Most people may not realize they have kidney stones until they urinate. Urination can be painful, bloody and cause nausea. FIX IT: Treatment also differs depending on the stone's size. Some doctors may perform blood tests or abdominal exams while others recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water to let the stones pass. (credit:Shutterstock)
The women who took part in the yoga program experienced an overall 70% improvement – or reduction – in the frequency of their urine leakage compared to the baseline.
The control group – or the group that did not start yoga therapy – only had 13% improvement.
Most of the observed improvement in incontinence was in stress incontinence, or urine leakage brought on by activities that increase abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing, and bending over.
Huang and her colleagues believe that yoga can improve urinary incontinence through more than one mechanism.
Because incontinence is associated with anxiety and depression, women suffering from incontinence may benefit from yoga's emphasis on mindful meditation and relaxation.
But regular practice of yoga may also help women strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor that support the bladder and protect against incontinence.
"We thought this would be a good opportunity for women to use yoga to become more aware of and have more control over their pelvic floor muscles," Huang said.
Approximately 25 million adults in America suffer from some form of urinary incontinence, according to the National Association for Continence. Up to 80% of them are women.
Here are some more ways exercise can be beneficial to your health:
7 Surprising Health Benefits Of Exercise
Lower your blood pressure(01 of07)
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"There seem to be acute benefits from cardiovascular training that occur for 24-48 hours after each moderate exercise session," says Randi S. Lite, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the Exercise Science Program at Simmons College. "These include a reduction in resting blood pressure, particularly for those who have high blood pressure."How does this happen? As we age, our blood vessels become stiffer, which raises blood pressure, says Rani Whitfield, M.D., a family physician and American Heart Association spokesperson. "The hormones released during exercise make blood vessels more compliant, similar to what happens with blood pressure medications," says Dr. Whitfield. "You won't feel a difference, but your doctor will—and [he'll] start to smile." (credit:Shutterstock)
Regulate your blood sugar(02 of07)
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When we exercise, our body first draws on blood sugar (a.k.a. glucose) for fuel. And insulin is the hormone we produce that regulates the amount of glucose in our blood stream. Exercising naturally regulates blood sugar, because it "immediately improves your body's ability to use the insulin you're already making," says Dr. Whitfield. "Diabetics often have to adjust the medications they're taking when they get fit," he adds. Relying on less medication to control diabetes is a huge benefit. (credit:Shutterstock)
Lift more weight, more easily(03 of07)
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Your muscles may not look any different after a few weeks of weight training, but they've actually become smarter and more efficient. "One of the first adaptations to occur is neuromuscular coordination," says Lite. "Even before your muscles get larger from the strength training, you will be able to lift more weight with less strain. This is due to the nervous system getting better at figuring out exactly which muscle fibers need to be working to lift a given amount of weight." (credit:Shutterstock)
Feel like a million bucks(04 of07)
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Studies have shown that almost all exercise, whether it's walking, yoga, or even gardening, decreases depression and boosts self-esteem. "Although most studies tend to look at the effects of exercise over longer periods (12 weeks or longer), patients often report feeling more energetic and having better sleep early on in an exercise program," says Janelle W. Coughlin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "Often times, they feel a boost in confidence and motivation, as well."How does it work? Physiologically, exercise increases blood circulation to the brain and influences your body's response to stress, says Dr. Coughlin. But exercise also delivers a one-two punch of benefits from an emotional perspective. "People may feel better when they exercise, because it's distracting, because they are engaging in social interactions, because they are developing self-confidence, or because they feel like they are managing their health," she says. (credit:Shutterstock)
Revs up your metabolism(05 of07)
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In a matter of minutes, exercise boosts your metabolism. And you have hardworking neurochemicals to thank for it. "Just the fact that your heart rate goes up and your circulation is forced to go faster tells the brain that something important is happening, and it starts producing neurochemicals," says Rebecca Jaffe, M.D., a family physician who's on the board of directors for the American Academy of Family Physicians. The same neurochemicals that boots your mood are also responsible for improving your metabolism, and their effects can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, she says. "You have to continue the exercise to have sustaining benefits," says Dr. Jaffe. (credit:Shutterstock)
Have less arthritis pain(06 of07)
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In as little as two weeks, exercise can relieve pain in your joints. Really! Arthritis weakens the shock-absorbing cartilage between your joints and your bones. Strengthening the muscles around knees and shoulders eases stress on the joint itself. "Exercising in a pool for 30 minutes, three times a week can bring an improvement in arthritis pain after two weeks," says Dr. Jaffe. (credit:Shutterstock)
Quit smoking more easily(07 of07)
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Looking to quit a dirty habit like smoking, alcohol, or drug use? Multiple studies have shown that exercise helps you kick alcohol dependency by boosting your mood, decreasing depressive feelings, and offering you an improved coping method. While other studies showed that cigarette cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms decreased rapidly during exercise and remained reduced for up to 50 minutes after. (credit:Shutterstock)
Urinary incontinence becomes more common as women age, although many younger women also suffer from it.
"We specifically developed a yoga therapy program that would be safe for older women, including women with minor mobility limitations," Huang said.
"So we were partially assessing safety of this program for older women who are at highest risk for having incontinence in the first place."
Not all types of yoga may help with urinary incontinence.
The yoga program used in the study was specially designed with input from yoga consultants Leslie Howard and Judith Hanson Lasater, who have experience teaching women to practice yoga in ways that will improve their pelvic health.
Still Huang and her colleagues believe that many women in the community can be taught to preserve pelvic muscle strength and prevent incontinence.
"It would be a way for women to gain more control over their pelvic floor muscles without having to go through traditional costly and time-intensive rehabilitation therapy," Huang said.
Men were not included in this study because urinary incontinence in men is often related to problems related to the prostate, which may be less likely to improve with yoga.
Huang and her colleagues hope to eventually build on this study and double the length of the study to 12 weeks.