I thought that urine leaks were not with me until, suddenly, after being the mother of two children in a row, I saw that I could no longer even sneeze at ease … Like so many other moms who suffer these "leaks" in silence, I noticed how my pelvic floor had weakened after delivery, playing tricks on me at the most inopportune moment. A fit of coughing or laughing in the middle of a meeting could ruin my day.
Loss of urine, pain during sexual intercourse, vaginal dryness and many other symptoms related to this ailment are quite common. But they have a solution! I will tell you what my path has been to achieve a jump-proof pelvic floor.
What I did to strengthen the pelvic floor
Faced with a problem, it is best to go to a specialist, but… what do we do? Check on the internet. I admit that I was very lucky because I found proven information, recommendations, products and services to tone the pelvic floor. And I jumped in the pool!
- Vaginal sphere. I decided on a vaginal ball with a mechanism similar to that of Chinese balls and a device that acts as a Kegel instructor. These devices, along with some hypopressive exercise sessions, allowed me to exercise the area at home.
- Pelvic floor exercises. For a couple of months I worked my pelvic floor constantly, except on the days of menstruation, when these devices are not recommended and, furthermore, it is not that I feel like it much … I got used to using the ball for 20 minutes every 2 or 3 days and to follow a training program of about 3 minutes a day. I was very constant and I noticed a lot of improvement, but not enough …
- Vaginal physiotherapist. To go further in my treatment, I put myself in the hands of Lucía Reina Sánchez, an expert in pelvic floor at Clínica Somos Fisioterapia. Lucía did a complete study and an intravaginal exploration to check the status of this canal and recommended that I continue with the usual dynamics and do a weekly electrotherapy session.
- Electrotherapy for pelvic floor. An electrode is inserted into the vagina or perineal area that emits a painless electrical current that contracts the pelvic muscles, toning them, improving vaginal sensitivity and activating circulation. Each session costs about € 30.
- Portable device for home. I complemented the treatment at home with a portable device that can be purchased from € 100.
Consistency is the key that today you sneeze without fear
If you feel that your pelvic floor is not in shape, the first thing is to go to a physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor because doing it on your own may or may not be enough or even dangerous. Mireia Grossmann, an expert in this field, explains it very well in The exposed pelvic floor (RBA), since sometimes incontinence is not due to weakness, but to muscle tension, and using, for example, Chinese balls it can make the problem worse. In other words, each woman is different and the treatment must be adjusted to each case.
Treatments to strengthen the pelvic floor
- The CO2 laser or vaginal lifting. It is a simple procedure, similar to that of a vaginal ultrasound. A special vaginal cannula is inserted that emits a beam of light that is applied 360º on the surface of the vagina. It is ambulatory, painless and allows a completely normal life after its application. You just have to interrupt sexual relations during the first days. The big drawback is economic, because the treatment is € 900 per session and 2 or 3 sessions are needed, spaced between 4 and 6 weeks.
- Vaginal radiofrequency. It consists of a vaginal probe that supplies a high-frequency thermal current to the tissues, increasing the local temperature, restoring microcirculation and improving blood flow. It is minimally invasive, pleasant, and requires no recovery time. The results can be seen from the first session, 3 or 4 are made and they are about € 60 each. But… it should be combined with some other method to maintain the results.
- 5P technique or the “trunk method”. It is a postural re-education system that makes the patient work on an unstable surface, a trunk - hence its nickname - to activate her pelvic floor muscles and correct posture, which also influences them. This method is usually combined with hypopressives or is sometimes an alternative to them. It is indicated before, during and after pregnancy, but needs supervision to do it correctly.
- Biofeedback. Biofeedback is an intravaginal device that analyzes exercises, monitoring the strength and tone of the vaginal canal. With this data, you evaluate the work, correct errors and create training guidelines. You can do it at home with the guideline of the expert but … you must be constant.
- Hypopressives The abdominal gymnastics Hipopresiva is posturing to deeply work this muscle apnea, letting out all air and contracting your abs as if aspiraras with empty lungs. You can do them at home, but you must learn first.
- Vibrator. Grossmann explains that as it is a vibrating device "it is one of the best therapeutic approaches to overcome low muscle tone." There are two types of vibrators, internal and external. The external one is usually recommended because it transmits the vibration in depth without being invasive.
