No more leaks: Stimulating the leg with an electric current can ease the symptoms of ?incontinence

Stimulating the leg with an electric current can ease the symptoms of ?incontinence.

New research has found the technique helped 70 per cent of women with an overactive bladder and more than halved the frequency of their symptoms.

The condition is caused by the bladder muscle contracting before the organ is full. Symptoms include the need to ?urinate often and without much warning, and urge incontinence — where there is a strong need to urinate which cannot be stopped.

It is estimated that around one in five women over 40 experience some form of incontinence. Most cases are either stress incontinence, which occurs when the ?pelvic floor muscles become ?weakened — often by pregnancy or ?ageing — or urge incontinence.

Urge incontinence occurs when the ?signals between the brain and the ?muscles that control the bladder become mixed up.

The cause is largely unknown, although it is linked to hormones (it’s more ?common in women after the ?menopause), childbirth and nerve problems.

Although men and women suffer equally, women are more likely to have accidents.

Men have two sphincter muscles and the prostate to help control the bladder, rather than just one ?partial sphincter in women.

Most people can hold 350ml to 550ml of urine, but the nervous system ?usually signals the need to urinate when there is about 200ml in the bladder. with urge ?incontinence, people often need to go even before this.

Conventional treatments include pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles and ?bladder training, which involves learning techniques to increase the time between feeling the need to urinate and passing urine.

Medication can also help by ?blocking the nerve impulses to the bladder that cause it to contract and leak. but it is estimated that up to a third of patients will not be helped by these therapies. for some, ?surgery is the only option.

One solution is to have a ?permanently implanted device, which ?electrically stimulates a group of nerves at the base of the spine called the ?sacral nerve plexus.

These nerves run down the spine to the back of the leg and into the foot, and are involved in ?controlling the bladder. the device stimulates them permanently.

But the latest technique, known as percutaneous tibial nerve ?stimulation, doesn’t involve an implant. Instead, doctors insert a small needle into the calf to ?stimulate the tibial nerve — this runs up through the calf to the ?sacral plexus.

The needle is connected to a device that sends electrical pulses into the nerve — and the ?therapy is ?painless. In a new trial, led by doctors from North ?Middlesex University ?Hospital in London, 43 women with an ?average age of 55 had a 30-minute treatment each week.

None of the women had ?benefited from other treatments previously.

At the end of the six weeks, 70 per cent of them showed an improvement in symptoms.

Frequency of urination declined from an average of 15 to seven times in 24 hours, while the ?average number of incontinence pads required also fell by 34 per cent.

It is thought nerve stimulation works by blocking the signals from the hyper-reactive nerves in the bladder. Gradually, it also re-trains the nerves to behave normally.

However, the research suggests the treatment must be repeated fairly frequently; patients reported their symptoms worsening three weeks after the treatment ended.

Raj Persad, consultant ?urologist at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and ?Southmead Hospital, says: ‘Urge ?incontinence is a ?troublesome symptom, which can ruin a patient’s quality of life.

‘when tablets fail, we may try Botox injections into the bladder, but this involves a general ?anaesthetic. Beyond this, only major surgery is left as a ?treatment option.

‘Tibial nerve stimulation ?treatment allows an easily ?delivered treatment to be offered without the need for ?general ?anaesthetic. the results look encouraging, and in the long run it may be a more economical ?treatment than medication.’

• A plaster you stick on your back could be another way to stimulate the sacral nerves which control the bladder. although sacral ?stimulation ?usually involves implanting an ?electrode near the sacral nerve in the spine, ?researchers at the ?Princess Anne Hospital in ?Southampton are ?assessing whether a new adhesive patch could also help. the patch contains ?nerve-?stimulating electrodes powered by a small battery. In the trial, the non-invasive patches will be worn for a month and changed every week.

Across the world, millions of people are affected by weak bladder problems. It is an embarrassing condition that causes a discharge or passing of urine even before the people can make it to the bathroom. In this article there are natural cures and remedies for a weak bladder.

Weakness of Bladder is caused by childbirth, menopause and natural aging. Urine leakage is not a disease and is a medical problem that can be treated. People follow natural alternatives to strengthen the weak bladder.

Bladder weakness is of two types, stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence is occurred due to weak bladder muscles in the pelvic region. Extra pressure exerted while coughing, laughing, exercising, or sneezing is not handled by weak bladder muscles and cause incontinence. In urge incontinence the person first has a strong urge to urinate, followed by urine leak. the person may wake up in the middle of the night to urinate, urinate more than eight times a day, or have urge urinary incontinence due to an incapability to make it to the lavatory in time due to the unexpected strong urge that cannot be delayed. Urge incontinence from nerve damage mostly occurs from diabetes, strokes or other medical conditions.

Symptoms of Weak Bladder:

• Frequent involuntary urination
• Urine leakage on coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising
• Sensation of pelvic pressure
• Small amounts of blood in urine (cystitis)
• Stinging sensation while urinating (cystitis)

Natural cure for a Weak Bladder

Diet: Some changes in the diet can strengthen the bladder and decrease frequent urination. Drinking water on a regular basis is very important. It keeps the bladder working and dilutes the urine to inhibit growth of bacteria. because of the partial emptying of the bladder people with incontinence are prone to urinary tract infections. Intake of alcohol, carbonated drinks, caffeine, highly acidic foods and sugary drinks should be reduced as they contribute to frequent urges and some promote the growth of bacteria.

Exercises: Exercises to fortify the pelvic floor frequently assist with bladder control. Kegel exercises can be done at anyplace and they are helpful. try to stop the flow during urination. People identify the right muscle group if they are able to stop the flow of urine by tightening the pelvis. To really strengthen the bladder about 100 kegels per day must be done. Overdoing kegels can actually weaken the bladder in the short-term and make incontinence worse, especially when first starting.

Herbs: some herbs can strengthen the bladder by working on the force of bladder contractions, toning the muscles or strengthening the sphincter. Bladder muscles and the bladder sphincter are strengthen by saw palmetto. It is useful for men and women, but men have extra advantage of defense from prostate cancer. Cranberry is a diuretic, but contributing to fewer require to urinate overall it can help the bladder empty faster. Corn silk decrease bacterial growth and makes the bladder empty better. Cranberry and corn silk are often sold together. Buchu empties the bladder and inhibits bacteria. Horsetail is both a diuretic and a muscle toner.

Home remedies for a Weak Bladder:

Uva Ursi: A chemical, arbutin that present in uva ursi has antiseptic and analgesic properties and so it helps in clearing the urinary tract of bacteria. It also has diuretic effects that reduce the accumulation of uric acid. for bladder infections and to relieve the pain of urinary stones or gravel, uva ursi has been used by herbalists.

Cleavers: This is plant commonly grows in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Many naturopathic doctors suggest it for incontinence because of its anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. It consists of organic acids, flavonoids, tannins, fatty acids, and other natural ingredients.

Bromelain:Bromelain is derived from the pineapple plant. It has anti-inflammatory properties. So it may have a healing effect on bladder inflammation related to urinary tract infections or other inflammatory urinary conditions.

Cranberry: Cranberry juice, extract or pill supplements are known to flush out the bacteria causing a bladder infection.

Goldenrod: Goldenrod is often used to treat urinary tract infections, inflammation, cystitis, kidney infections and bladder spasms. the herb acts as a natural diuretic and also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects.

Lemon: Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to 180 ml of boiling water. allow the mixture to cool and sip 60 ml of this concoction every two hours, starting at 8 am and ending at noon. this remedy has been known to collapse the burning sensation, as well as cease the bleeding associated with cystitis.

Butterbur: Butterbur can ease bladder spasms. Butterbur is a natural pain reliever and has petasin, a compound that offers antispasmodic properties. It is obtainable in the form of capsule.

Sandalwood Oil: Sandalwood oil has been known to act as a great remedy. take five drops of the oil during the onset of the infection, eventually working the way up to 10-30 drops.

Yarrow: Yarrow has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Yarrow stops bleeding, tones the urinary tract and offers pain-relieving benefits while diminishing bladder spasms. It can be consumed as a tea.

Hot Water: The pain can be eased when immersing the pelvis in hot water.

Drumstick Flowers: A teaspoon of the fresh juice from drumstick flowers coupled with ½ a glass of coconut water is a great herbal remedy. this remedy should be taken twice per day.

Radish Leaves: Consuming one cup of radish leaf juice for two weeks helps to treat a bladder infection.

Spinach: Mix equal parts of fresh spinach juice with coconut water (about 100 ml each) to treat cystitis. It is the nitrates and potassium within these ingredients that create an effective and safe diuretic.

Cold Compresses: To relieve the congestion within the pelvic area, apply cold compresses to the stomach.

Other remedies:

Video of UTI causes and cures from youtube:

Read more about : Bladder Control, Bladder Problems, Diet, Disease, Exercises, Food & Health, Home Remedies, Minerals, Natural Cure, Symptoms, video, Vitamin