Medical Questions » Kidneys and Bladder Questions » Question No. 550
| Question: | I am 30 years old, and since the birth of my third child 6 months ago, I find I urinate a little whenever I cough or sneeze, and especially when I jump in aerobic class. I am too embarrassed to mention this to my doctor. Please help me. |
| Answer: | This is a very common problem, so please don' t be afraid to mention it to your doctor. The muscles of the pelvic floor become weaker with successive pregnancies, and the bladder may bulge into the vagina to cause ' stress incontinence' . A simple exercise to strengthen these muscles is: —Tighten up your pelvic muscles as though you are preventing urine from
escaping when you have an over-full bladder. Hold for as long as you can, and
then relax. Repeat as often as possible.
When driving a car, you can do this every time you stop at a red light. Breathe normally, and hold the muscles tight until the light turns green. Physiotherapy can also be successful in treating this condition, but sometimes surgery is necessary.
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