Incontinence is often thought of as a woman's condition because they suffer from the condition in much greater numbers than men
. The principal reason for this is the fact that women sometimes go through extreme trauma, particularly to the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy and child birth.
The pelvic floor muscles are responsible for protecting the bladder as well as keeping it in place in the abdomen. When those muscles are weakened by the stretching and possible tearing that is common in childbirth, they can no longer perform their bladder protection mission. When this occurs, the woman becomes susceptible to stress incontinence.
Stress incontinence occurs when the bladder becomes subject to outside pressures such as a sneeze, laugh or picking up a heavy object. It is exacerbated if the bladder sags from its original position adding its own weight to the pressure on the organ.
One of the treatments for this condition involves a medical appliance known as a pessary. This device is inserted through a woman's vagina as to support the bladder and the uterus. Pessaries come in a variety of configurations and must be fitted and inserted by a physician.
Periodically these devices have to be removed, cleaned and reinserted. This device was one of the earliest treatments for stress incontinence in women and still remains popular for women who prefer not to take medication or who are unable to tolerate drugs. A pessary will not treat urge, overactive bladder or overflow incontinence.
A popular alternative to this appliance is exercise, specifically Kegel exercises. This regimen can be performed anywhere without any special equipment and can rebuild the muscles in the pelvic floor. While effective, it takes roughly 3 months to completely tone the muscles sufficiently to support the bladder.
There are a variety of causes for incontinence but there are also a variety of treatments and there is no reason that this condition should interfere with your active lifestyle.