Bladder Incontinence Solutions Waltham Abbey

Understanding Urinary Incontinence and the Options Available

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. It is common and can affect people at different stages of life.

Urinary incontinence has several types and causes, so the best approach depends on your symptoms and circumstances.

Lipo 360 provides consultation-led pelvic floor and wellbeing services for suitable adults. We do not diagnose the underlying cause of urinary incontinence or replace assessment and treatment from your GP, continence service or other appropriate healthcare professional.

If you are experiencing new, unexplained, or persistent urinary symptoms, we may recommend an appropriate medical assessment before considering a Lipo 360 service.

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence means passing urine unintentionally.

It can affect people in different ways. Some experience occasional leakage, while others may have more frequent symptoms.

Different types of urinary incontinence include:

Stress incontinence

Leakage that can occur when pressure is placed on the bladder, for example when coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising.

Urge incontinence

Leakage associated with a sudden or strong need to urinate that may be difficult to delay.

Mixed incontinence

A combination of stress and urge incontinence symptoms.

Overflow incontinence

This can occur when the bladder doesn’t empty, resulting in frequent leaking.

Because urinary incontinence can have different causes, don’t assume every person’s symptoms are caused simply by a weak pelvic floor.

What Can Cause Urinary Incontinence?

Many factors can cause urinary leakage.

Factors can include:

pregnancy and childbirth
changes to pelvic floor function
menopause and ageing
certain medications
urinary tract infections
constipation
neurological conditions
prostate-related conditions
previous pelvic surgery
being overweight
other underlying medical conditions

Symptoms alone cannot establish the cause in every case.

If you are experiencing new, unexplained, persistent or worsening urinary symptoms, speak to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

Pelvic Floor Muscles and Bladder Control

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports the bladder, bowel, and other pelvic organs.

Pelvic floor function can affect bladder control.

For women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence, supervised pelvic floor muscle training is recommended by NICE as a first-line treatment. It should usually be undertaken for at least three months.

Correct technique is important.

A healthcare professional with appropriate pelvic-floor expertise can assess whether you can contract and relax the pelvic floor muscles correctly and, where appropriate, provide an individual programme.

What Treatments Are Available for Urinary Incontinence?

Treatment depends on the type of urinary incontinence, its underlying cause and the severity of symptoms.

Depending on individual circumstances, management may include:

lifestyle changes
supervised pelvic floor muscle training
bladder training
medication where medically appropriate
specialist continence services
medical or surgical treatment in certain circumstances

Lipo 360 does not provide all of these options.

Your GP or an NHS continence service can assess urinary incontinence and discuss appropriate medical treatment where required.

Lifestyle Changes

Some lifestyle changes may help with urinary symptoms.

Depending on the type of incontinence and your circumstances, healthcare professionals may discuss:

reducing caffeine intake
reviewing fluid intake
maintaining a healthy weight
addressing constipation
stopping smoking
bladder training
regular pelvic floor exercises where appropriate

The most appropriate advice depends on your individual symptoms and health.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Pelvic floor muscle training involves learning how to contract, relax and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles correctly.

For women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence, NICE recommends a supervised pelvic floor muscle training programme lasting at least three months as a first-line treatment.

This is more than being given a list of exercises.

Appropriate supervision can help you contract the right muscles and tailor exercises to your ability and symptoms.

If pelvic floor muscle training is beneficial, you may be recommended to continue exercises.

What About Electrical Muscle Stimulation?

Electrical stimulation is sometimes used as part of pelvic floor management, but it is not appropriate or necessary for everyone experiencing urinary incontinence.

NICE does not recommend routinely using electrical stimulation to treat women with overactive bladder or routinely combining it with pelvic floor muscle training.

Electrical stimulation and/or biofeedback may be considered in some circumstances for women who cannot actively contract their pelvic floor muscles.

Lipo 360 may offer pelvic floor muscle stimulation services to suitable adults following consultation. We do not suggest that electrical muscle stimulation is appropriate for every type or cause of urinary incontinence. Suitability depends on the individual, the intended purpose of the service and any relevant medical history.

The service should not be considered a replacement for appropriate medical assessment, supervised pelvic floor muscle training or other treatment recommended by your healthcare professional.

What Happens at a Lipo 360 Consultation?

Your consultation allows us to understand what you would like help with and whether one of our available services may be appropriate.

We may discuss:

the symptoms you are experiencing
how long you have experienced them
relevant medical history
medication
previous pelvic floor treatment
pregnancy and childbirth history where relevant
previous surgery where relevant
your expectations
the service being considered
possible limitations, risks or contraindications

A consultation does not mean that treatment will automatically proceed.

Where symptoms require medical investigation or fall outside the scope of the service we provide, we may recommend that you speak to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

When Should I Speak to My GP?

Urinary incontinence is common, but you do not need to accept unexplained bladder symptoms as a normal part of ageing, childbirth or menopause.

Speak to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional if you are concerned about urinary incontinence or other changes in your bladder function.

Medical assessment is particularly important if symptoms are new, unexplained, worsening or accompanied by other concerning symptoms.

Your GP may also be able to refer you to an NHS continence service, specialist nurse, pelvic health physiotherapist or another appropriate service.

How Lipo 360 Assesses Suitability

At Lipo 360, we start by understanding the individual, rather than assuming one treatment suits everyone experiencing bladder leakage.

Our approach includes:

consultation before treatment
individual suitability assessment
discussion of relevant medical history
realistic expectations
explanation of the service being considered
appropriate signposting where medical assessment may be required

We provide mobile treatments and wellbeing services for adults across selected areas of the UK.

If an available Lipo 360 pelvic floor service is suitable, we will explain what it involves, its limitations, and what you can realistically expect before you decide whether to proceed.

Urinary Incontinence FAQs

Is urinary incontinence normal as I get older?

Urinary incontinence becomes more common with age, but bladder leakage should not simply be dismissed as an inevitable part of getting older.

If you are experiencing urinary incontinence, appropriate assessment can help identify the type of incontinence and the options available.

Is urinary incontinence common after childbirth?

Pregnancy and childbirth can affect pelvic floor function, and some women experience urinary leakage during pregnancy or following childbirth.

Discuss persistent symptoms with an appropriate healthcare professional.

Can menopause affect bladder control?

Changes occurring around and after menopause can be associated with urinary and pelvic-floor symptoms.

However, urinary symptoms can have different causes, so do not assume menopause is necessarily responsible for new or unexplained symptoms.

Are pelvic floor exercises effective?

Pelvic floor muscle training is recommended as a first-line treatment for women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence.

NICE recommends a supervised programme of at least three months.

Correct technique and appropriate supervision are important.

How often should I do pelvic floor exercises?

An appropriate programme should be tailored to the individual.

NICE guidance for urinary incontinence in women states that pelvic floor muscle training programmes should include at least eight contractions performed three times per day.

A suitably qualified healthcare professional can help ensure you perform exercises correctly.

What is bladder training?

Bladder training involves techniques intended to gradually increase the interval between feeling the need to urinate and going to the toilet.

For women with urgency or mixed urinary incontinence, NICE recommends bladder training for a minimum of six weeks as a first-line treatment.

Does electrical stimulation cure urinary incontinence?

We would not describe electrical stimulation as a cure for urinary incontinence.

Electrical stimulation is not routinely recommended for every person with urinary incontinence.

NICE states that electrical stimulation and/or biofeedback may be considered for some women who cannot actively contract their pelvic floor muscles.

Whether a particular device or service is appropriate depends on individual assessment, its intended purpose and the evidence supporting that device.

Can Lipo 360 diagnose urinary incontinence?

Lipo 360 does not replace assessment or diagnosis by your GP, continence service or another appropriate healthcare professional.

If you have new, unexplained, persistent or worsening urinary symptoms, appropriate medical assessment may be recommended.

What results can I expect from a Lipo 360 pelvic floor service?

Individual responses vary. The appropriate management of urinary incontinence depends on its type, underlying cause and individual circumstances. Lipo 360 does not guarantee that a particular service will stop urinary leakage or produce a specific improvement.

Do you provide medication or surgery?

Lipo 360 does not provide medication or surgery for urinary incontinence. Where these options may be relevant, speak to your GP or an appropriate specialist healthcare service.

Can I have a Lipo 360 pelvic floor treatment at home?

Lipo 360 provides mobile services for adults in selected areas of the UK.

We’ll discuss whether a particular pelvic floor service is available and appropriate for you during your consultation.

Talk to Lipo 360 About Your Pelvic Floor Concerns

If you would like to discuss one of Lipo 360’s available pelvic floor services, request a consultation.

We will discuss your concerns, explain the service being considered and assess whether it may be appropriate for you.

Where your symptoms require medical assessment or fall outside the scope of our services, we may recommend speaking to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

References

NHS — Urinary Incontinence: Non-Surgical Treatment

NICE NG123 — Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse in Women: Management

NICE NG210 — Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Prevention and Non-Surgical Management

NICE QS77 — Urinary Incontinence in Women