For women with incontinence issues, even the most common everyday tasks can generate anxiety about the closest route to the restroom. This condition can quickly erode quality of life and chip away at self-confidence.

An estimated 25 to 45 percent of women suffer from incontinence, which results in sudden urges to go to the bathroom or frequent leaking without warning. Yet in spite of its prevalence, many women keep quiet about the issue due to embarrassment and put their lives on hold.

There is good news for those suffering in silence, though: the issue can often be resolved with just a few trips to a qualified physical therapist.

Most cases of incontinence are caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles, which can result from multiple births, difficult labor, or weight gain. Physical therapy has proven to help women recover strength in those muscles to help combat leaking.

“Many women believe that urinary incontinence is just a normal part of aging, but that’s definitely not the case,” said Erica Brown, MPT, a urinary incontinence specialist at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC). “We have many resources available to help women overcome this condition.”

Brown teaches her patients how to do Kegels and other muscle movements that target the lower pelvic region, and she guides them through bladder retraining, biofeedback and electrical stimulation to achieve results.

“The sooner incontinence is detected, the easier it will be to combat,” said Brown.

For more information on PVHMC’s physical therapy department, please visit pvhmc.org/#Incontinence or contact (909) 865-9782.

Erica Brown