However, incontinence can be reversed with Kegel exercises.
By practicing Kegel exercises regularly, you will be able to regain bladder control as the muscles involved continue to be strengthened.
Here’s how you do it.
Finding the right muscles
The first step is to know which muscles to target. There are different ways to pinpoint the right muscles for this exercise in men and women due to their anatomical differences.
With women, one simple way is to place a clean finger inside the vagina and tighten the vagina muscles around that finger. Another way is to try to control your urine flow when urinating.
This can be done by stopping urination at midstream. Those muscles used to stop urination should be the pelvic floor muscles. It is not recommended to do this frequently as abusing this method may lead to urinary tract infection.
Unless you are sure you have found the right muscles, you can always ask your gynaecologist for help to insert a tool called a vaginal cone inside the vagina. Once this is inserted, try to keep it in place.
With men, it’s trickier. They have to insert their finger into the rectum and try to tighten the muscles around the finger without using their abdomen, buttocks or thighs.
Additionally, men can try imaging tightening the muscles that prevent them from passing gas.
Similar to women, men can always go with the urine pause practice by stopping urination mid-flow. There is an advanced method that requires doctor’s intervention for both men and women.
Exercising
Once you have found the correct muscles, it is time to start exercising them. The idea is to contract and relax the muscles on a regular basis in order to build up strength within them.
• For starters, contract the pelvic muscles for three seconds, then slowly relax them in three seconds.
• 10 (or 15) repetitions are called a set. Try to do three sets of Kegel a day.
• Slowly add up the count to five seconds, then 10 seconds in each try. Ideally, you should add one second for each week.
• The goal is to be able to hold the muscles for 10 seconds, then slowly release them for 10 seconds with 10 to 15 repetitions for one set. Do three sets a day.
You should not exercise while urinating due to its harmful effect this can have on your bladder.
Moreover, if you are able to perform Kegel exercises regularly, you will see its significant impact on your bladder control soon.
Beside its satisfying outcome, Kegel exercises also help men enhance their erections as well as intensify their orgasms.
This article first appeared in hellodoktor.com and was reviewed by Dr Duyen Le. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.