Do you inadvertently pee when you sneeze, laugh, or expel gas? 24-45% Worldwide, 11-34% of women and 11-34% of older men suffer from varying degrees of urinary incontinence, also known as urinary incontinence (UI).
Urinary leakage is often associated with excessive relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. Wu Mingchu, director of the Wu Mingchu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Clinic in Taiwan, explained how to tighten loose muscles through acupuncture point massage and taking Chinese herbal medicine. We’ll also discuss six types of pelvic floor muscle exercises that can help you deal with.
Reasons for leaking urine
Beneath the pelvis are muscles called pelvic floor muscles. Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause urinary incontinence.
A nearly 90-year-old grandmother underwent bladder suspension surgery to correct a leaking problem caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles. But unexpectedly, just a few months later, the symptoms returned.
According to Wu, urinary incontinence in the elderly is primarily due to decreased muscle stiffness or weakness in the kidney and bladder systems that manage full excretory function. Some people struggle with leaks and it can be embarrassing.
The most common type of urinary incontinence is stress urinary incontinence, which occurs when pressure in the abdomen increases. In this situation, the patient involuntarily voids urine due to laxity and weakness of the pelvic floor muscles or the structures that support them. Urinary incontinence. Most of these cases are due to overactive bladder. Moreover, some people have both problems. Illness can cause other cases of urinary incontinence.
In 2019, Taiwan Prohibition Association It turns out that 50% of people between the ages of 35 and 54 in Taiwan suffer from urinary incontinence. And this problem is more acute in women than in men. This is mainly because the female urethra is shorter than the male. In addition, factors such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and uterine surgery also affect the stiffness and contraction of a woman’s pelvic floor muscles.
Most women have had multiple pregnancies in the past, which Wu believes is the most important factor in leaking urine. Today, however, women may choose to delay childbirth or not to give birth, so the causes of urinary incontinence can be:
- sedentary life. Sitting for long periods of time can weaken your pelvic floor muscles and reduce your ability to retain water.
- Excessive weight loss due to dieting leads to nutritional deficiencies and decreased kidney function.
- Excessive stress and autonomic imbalance cause frequent urination and urinary leakage.
If you have urinary incontinence, whether or not you address it with surgery, you will need to replenish your kidneys to get a better therapeutic effect.
TCM Methods of Treating Urinary Leakage
At TCM, we consider the kidneys and bladder to be ‘friends’. This means that both influence each other for good and bad. Like a faucet, the kidneys are responsible for opening and closing, and the bladder is responsible for storage and drainage.
If the kidney energy is weak and the faucet is not closed tightly, the “water” will drip. If not addressed, it can lead to premature menopause, hair loss, gray hair, and pain in the hips and knees. Women may also experience menstrual irregularities and other complications.
According to Wu, TCM increases kidney qi (life energy) to reduce urinary leakage. If kidney energy is found to be deficient, doctors usually recommend Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan (Cyathula and Plantago Pills), Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pills), and Qing Xin Lian Zi Yin Start with herbal medicines such as (lotus seed). combination), and gradually adjust the prescription according to the patient’s constitution.
1 study Nocturia patients found that taking Ji Sheng Shen Qi tablets continuously for 12 weeks improved their nocturia and urinary frequency problems. Animal experimentation It has also been shown that giving Ji Sheng Shen Qi tablets to rats increases the interval between bladder contractions. Ji Sheng Shen Qi pills can also suppress bladder activity by balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
It is also possible to maintain health by acupuncture points and massage. TCM believes that the human body’s energy flows along meridians, through internal organs and the surface of the skin.There are also specific locations along meridians called acupoints. By stimulating acupuncture points, you can adjust the energy of the internal organs and treat the corresponding ailments.
Patients can usually press specific acupoints that strengthen kidney qi, such as Guanyuan (RN4), Qihai (RN6), Taixi (KI3), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). However, acupoint massage is not suitable for patients with urinary incontinence due to urinary tract infections.
When it comes to diet, TCM believes ‘black goes into the kidneys’. This means that black foods such as black beans, black sesame seeds, and silky chicken can replenish kidney energy.
Wu also said to avoid carrying heavy objects for long periods of time and avoid eating cold food before going to bed. can also do. Doing these at least 100 times a day can effectively tone your muscles and eliminate urinary incontinence.
How to train your pelvic floor muscles
Where exactly are the pelvic floor muscles? Our combined abdominal and pelvic cavities are barrel-shaped structures with the diaphragm above, the spine and multifidus behind, the transversus abdominis in front of the abdomen, and the pelvic floor muscles below. The work of the pelvic floor muscles utilizes muscles that block urine and stop bowel movements.
This exercise works your pelvic floor muscles, which in turn works your entire abdominal muscles. When you take a deep breath, your diaphragm moves down and the pressure in your abdominal cavity acts on your pelvic floor muscles. This movement also works your pelvic floor muscles.
So the simplest abdominal breathing exercises like squats, deadlifts, farmer’s walks, dead bugs, bird and dog poses, and core exercises all strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. It’s best to do hip bridges while working your pelvic floor muscles.
6 Kegel exercises
1. Basic hip bridge
Get your mat and yoga block ready. The mat should not be too soft and should have a certain thickness.
- Lie on your back with your feet on the ground.
- Place the yoga block between your knees and apply a little pressure so it doesn’t come off easily.
- Inhale and raise your hips, exhale and lower your hips.
- Repeat 20 times, 1-3 times a day.
2. “1+1/2” hip push
- Start with a basic hip bridge.
- Inhale to raise your hips, and exhale to lower your hips halfway without touching the ground.
- Inhale and raise your hips, exhale and lower your hips.
- Repeat 20 times.
3. Basic hip bridge with pose
- Start with a basic hip bridge.
- Inhale while raising hips, hold at highest point for 40 seconds, exhale and lower hips down.
- Repeat 20 times.
4. Hip bridge with soles together
- Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together.
- Inhale and raise your hips, exhale and lower your hips.
- Repeat 20 times.
5. Single leg hip bridge
- Start with a basic hip bridge and lift one leg.
- Inhale and raise your hips, exhale and lower your hips.
- Repeat 20 times.
6. Single leg hip bridge variation
- Place one ankle on the other thigh.
- Keep your grounded foot close to the center of the mat for balance.
- Inhale and raise your hips, exhale and lower your hips.
- Repeat 20 times.
You should do pelvic floor muscle exercises 1-3 times a day. Please choose one from the above six types each time. Be careful not to overcompensate with your abs.
*Some of the herbs introduced in this article may be unfamiliar, but they are commonly sold in Asian supermarkets.
Note: Since everyone’s body is different, we recommend that you consult your doctor or TCM specialist.
