Managing Your Emotions When You Have Bladder Weakness

Managing Your Emotions When You Have Bladder Weakness

Bladder weakness is a sensitive issue that isn’t always easy to talk about. In fact, a study we conducted found that just over 40% of women don’t tell anyone about their symptoms, they just ‘get on with it and 35% have put up with bladder weakness for at least 4 years1. Whilst it’s a common problem, with 1 in 3 women and 1 in 10 men suffering daily, it can stir up a range of feelings from frustration to anxiety, can shatter confidence and even lead to depression and isolation.

Chartered Psychologist and Behavioural Change Specialist, Dr. Meg Arroll explains -

"Bladder weakness is an extremely common issue, and yet it still remains a taboo subject. It is an invisible illness and invisible illnesses are often stigmatised. Embarrassment is a primary reason why women find it difficult to talk about bladder weakness, often relying on pads and other strategies to manage symptoms. INNOVO’s research demonstrates the extent to which people will keep their symptoms to themselves even though bladder weakness affects so many areas of their lives - yet it is not something that anyone simply has to put up with."

The Emotional Toll of Bladder Weakness

It’s true that some of the emotional and behavioural impacts of bladder weakness can be even more sever than the physical symptoms themselves. The unpredictability of bladder weakness can create a lot of anxiety and stress, impacting a person’s ability to carry out simple daily activities such as driving in the car, doing grocery shopping or running for a bus.

Dr Meg Arroll


"Many people also become preoccupied with figuring out where the toilets are and become isolated, not wanting to go outside or socialise out of fear of a public accident - Dr. Meg Arroll, Chartered Psychologist and Behavioural Change Specialist"

Relationships with family and friends can also be affected as the person starts to withdraw from occasions and friendly visits. Intimate relationships tend to take the biggest hit due to a lack of communication and openness about the condition and how it’s affecting sexual appetite, sensitivity and enjoyment, which leads to resentment.

How to cope with the emotional impact of bladder weakness

It can be very helpful to open up and talk to someone you can trust about what you’re going through, such as a friend or relative. With bladder weakness being so common, you might just find they’re in the same position as you! A problem shared is a problem halved, and opening up can make you feel that some of the burden you are carrying has lifted.

Understanding the underlying cause of your bladder weakness can also be a great step in overcoming the symptoms. There are many causes of bladder weakness, including pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, high impact exercises, and prostate cancer surgeries in men, but there is generally one root cause – a weak pelvic floor.

The good news is that the pelvic floor can be strengthened, restoring control over when, where and how often you use the loo.

This is where INNOVO can help.

INNOVO is a clinically proven, truly non-invasive and long-lasting solution to Urinary Incontinence. Easy to use and comfortable to wear, INNOVO helps you safely and effortlessly strengthen and re-educate the entire network of pelvic floor muscles through gentle muscle stimulation.

Using INNOVO for just 30 minutes a day/five days a week over 12 weeks has been proven to treat bladder weakness - delivering results in as little as 4 weeks2.

INNOVO treats stress, urge and mixed incontinence in women and men of all ages, and is the only non-invasive pelvic floor exerciser that targets the root cause of the problem.

  • 80% of users saw a significant reduction in leaks after just 4 weeks2
  • 87% of users were defined as either dry or almost dry after 12 weeks3
  • 90% of users would recommend the therapy to others4

References

  1. Research conducted in May 2019 by Censuswide with 1,028 40-65 year old women who experience symptoms of bladder weakness, commissioned by INNOVO
  2. Soeder S, et al, A randomised, controlled, double-blind, clinical study to compare two neuromuscular stimulator devices in female stress urinary incontinence: Effects on symptoms and quality of life. IUGA Conference 2018
  3. R. Dmochowski – Novel external electrical muscle stimulation device for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: randomized controlled noninferiority trial versus intravaginal electrical stimulation. ICS Conference 2018
  4. Observational study on the treatment of stress urinary incontinence with Innovotherapy, April 2014
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