The Science Bit

12 Weeks No Leaks:
Treat the Cause of Bladder Weakness Not Just the Symptoms

Bladder Weakness: What Is It?

There is no such thing as a ‘weak bladder’.
What we really mean when we say this is a ‘weak pelvic floor’ and, more often than not, urinary leaks are a result of the weakening of the muscles within the pelvic floor.

The first step to understanding urinary leaks is knowing how the urinary system works.
When your bladder is half full, signals are sent to the brain letting you know it’s time to ‘go’. At this point, fluid passes down your urethra; a tube kept closed by two muscles which work like valves. The first muscle valve opens when the bladder is full, but you can hold the second muscle valve closed until you reach a toilet. Your pelvic floor muscles, which lie under your bladder and around your urethra, keep these two muscle valves working properly. If these muscles become weak, it can result in urinary leakage.

The three types of urinary incontinence

  1. Stress Incontinence

    This is the term used when leaks accidently occur from coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping or doing heavy lifting. These simple movements put pressure on the bladder and, should your pelvic floor muscles be unable to tighten enough, will cause an involuntary leak. Stress Incontinence is the most common type of female bladder weakness. It can happen at any age however is most common during pregnancy, post childbirth and during stages of menopause.

  2. Urge Incontinence

    This is the term used when there is a sudden and uncontrollable urge to urinate, often with little warning. Symptoms of urge incontinence include needing to urinate often even in the night. It is thought to be caused by an overactive detrusor that sends incorrect signals to the brain telling it that it that the bladder is already full, even when it is not.

  3. Mixed Incontinence

    As the name suggests, it is possible to suffer from both types at the same time. One is usually more pronounced than the other.

Primary causes of pelvic floor weakness:

  1. Pregnancy

    During pregnancy the weight of the baby can place a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, having a weakening effect in as early as 12 weeks. Hormonal changes and child-birth itself can also weaken the pelvic floor muscles and can result in life-long issues with leaks.

  2. Menopause

    Menopause causes your ovaries to stop producing oestrogen, the hormone responsible for not only controlling monthly periods but keeping your bladder, urethra and pelvic floor strong. Over 50% of all women experiencing menopause suffer from urinary incontinence.

  3. Active Women

    Athletic women are also part of the millions of women at high risk of suffering leaks. It tends to affect women who are heavily involved in high-impact sports such as running and gymnastics as these activities put additional pressure on the pelvic floor and can subsequently result in weakening the connective tissue that supports the bladder.

  4. Men

    Incontinence effects one in ten men, most commonly as a result of prostatectomy surgery, and it can be one of the biggest challenges to overcome during the recovery process.

The purpose of the Pelvic Floor?

Whilst 89% of UK women can identify what the pelvic floor is, 21% don’t know how it works.

The pelvic floor keeps your internal organs supported and helps ensure that you only go the toilet when you want to. A strong and healthy pelvic floor will help improve your posture, will help prevent leaks and flatulence and can even improve sensation during sex.

The pelvic floor resembles a hammock and is a key set of deep muscles situated in the pelvis. They run from the frontal pubic bone to the coccyx at the base of the spine. Shaped like a basin the pelvic floor holds the all-important pelvic organs (bladder, uterus and bowel) in place and supports the bladder to provide control when you wee. They relax as the bladder contracts to let urine out and tighten in order to allow you to hold, allowing you freedom to get on with your day without permanently mapping out toilet stops.

A strong pelvic floor means everything is kept firmly in place and you should have full control over when, where and how often you visit the loo.

FAQs

Can INNOVO® work for everyone? As long as there are no tears in the vagina wall, no spinal or nerve damage, and the user is in full health (there is no upper age limit and the product is suitable for both males and females) then INNOVO® will work for you.
There are some circumstances when INNOVO® should not be used, for example if you are pregnant or have a cardiac pacemaker fitted. Pregnant women should wait at least six weeks after birth or at least three months after having a Caesarean section, in each case consulting a clinician first. For full information on restrictions, please visit the FAQs section of www.restorethefloor.com.

What sizes are available?
The product is available in UK sizes XS, S, M, L, XL.  For full sizing details appropriate to both men and women, visit www.restorethefloor.com

What is the difference between INNOVO® and other incontinence solutions?
INNOVO® treats the cause, not just the symptoms of urinary incontinence. The key difference is that INNOVO® is a completely non-invasive, at-home solution. This means that you do not need to insert a probe to deliver effective pelvic floor muscle contractions, reducing the risk of infection.  Clinical studies showed that INNOVO® led to 0% infections compared to probes at 14%.  Using INNOVO® is also much less expensive than using bothersome pads or diapers, the average cost of which can be well over £450 when using just 2 pads a day.

What does the stimulation feel like?
As you start to increase the intensity you will begin to feel stimulation in the muscles in the buttock area. The stimulation comes in phases of relaxation and stimulation, described as a mild tingling sensation. As you continue to increase the intensity level this stimulation will turn into a contraction. The contraction will feel like the muscles are tensing and lifting. This sensation will move from the buttock area forwards, between the legs along the pelvic floor giving you the same ‘lifting’ sensation throughout the pelvic floor.

How long before I start to notice an improvement?
86% of users are dry or almost dry after just 12 weeks, while 93% of users see a significant reduction in urinary leaks in just 4 weeks. For best results, we recommend that you use INNOVO® for at least 12 weeks.

How much does INNOVO® cost?

INNOVO® retails in the UK at £249
Customers may also pay in 6 instalments of £41.50
INNOVO® can be bought online at www.restorethefloor.com as well as on www.amazon.co.uk and from Lloyds Pharmacies and other selected pharmacies.

Innovo

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