Biofeedback For Bladder Control. Can It Really Help Me?
What is biofeedback? Biofeedback is a technique that uses instruments to measure physiological signals and then shows the person the information about their body.
This allows them to control these bodily functions better.
Some of the most common types of biofeedback are for blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and breathing patterns.
A new type of biofeedback has been developed recently for people with bladder control problems called pelvic floor biofeedback (PFb).
Pelvic Floor Biofeedback helps you learn how to contract or relax your pelvic muscles in order to get an idea of what it feels like when they are contracting naturally.
With practice, this can help you learn how to do this without any instrumentation at all!
How does Pelvic Floor Biofeedback help people? Can it really help me?
There are several studies that show PFb is helpful for improving bladder control problems.
There are also many stories from individuals who have used this technique to improve their bladder control.
One woman, Karen, said: “I had always thought I ‘leaked’ when I laughed, when I sneezed, when I ran. My muscles had never worked together before and the biofeedback helped me get them working in unison.”
Another woman, Jeanie, said: “Biofeedback is fun because it shows how ‘together’ my muscles are now. Before biofeedback, that whole area of my body was a mystery to me.” Both these women describe how exercises they learned in PFb sessions helped them get better control over their bladder.
This is the goal of PFb – to help you get more control over your pelvic floor muscles.
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How Does Pelvic Floor Biofeedback Work?
A pelvic floor is a group of muscles that stretch across the base of your pelvis. They help with bladder and bowel control, sexual function, and childbirth.
The PFb works by placing sensors on the skin over the pelvic floor muscles to pick up any changes in muscle activity. This information is then sent to a computer or other device that makes the information easier to understand.
The information about muscle activity is displayed as a wave pattern on your computer screen or other devices. This helps you see what it feels like when muscles contract and relax naturally.
Working With a Biofeedback Technician
A biofeedback technician trained in PFb will meet with you for several sessions.
During these sessions, you will be asked to do exercises that will help you better understand what your pelvic floor muscles feel like when they contract and relax.
The biofeedback technician watches the wave pattern on the monitor and helps you analyze it to see what is happening with your pelvic floor muscles.
Exercises in biofeedback will help you learn to contract and relax your pelvic muscles.
These exercises can be performed at home as well as in therapy sessions with a biofeedback technician.
After several sessions, you should have a better understanding of which muscle contractions need work and how to practice contracting them yourself.
You will then learn how to use this information to practice contracting and relaxing your pelvic muscles without any equipment.
How do I get started?
If you think Pelvic Floor Biofeedback could help you, talk with your doctor about finding a biofeedback technician in your area.
Biofeedback technicians are often physical or occupational therapists or psychologists.
They are trained to help people with bladder control problems learn how to contract and relax their pelvic muscles.
Frequently Asked Questions about Biofeedback for Bladder Control Problems
What are the benefits of this type of biofeedback for bladder control problems?
The benefits of this type of biofeedback include:
- Improved muscle contractions and awareness of the pelvic floor muscles;
- Increased ability to tighten and relax these muscles;
- A better understanding of how to contract and relax the pelvic floor muscles effectively.
What are the risks of this type of biofeedback for bladder control problems?
There are no known risks for this procedure.
How long will I have to do PFb treatments? How many sessions will I need?
A typical course of treatment with pelvic floor biofeedback is 8-12 visits. Each treatment session lasts 30-60 minutes.
How much does it cost?
Pelvic floor biofeedback is not usually covered by health insurance. The average cost for 8-12 sessions ranges from $400-$500 ( $35- $85 per session), depending on where you live and the expertise of your provider.
What if I’m not sure if I have bladder control problems?
Some people go to PFb because they want to learn how to exercise their pelvic floor muscles. Other people go because of urinary leakage that occurs with laughing, sneezing, coughing, or exercise.
If you’re unsure about whether you need biofeedback or you’re interested in learning how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles, you should talk to your doctor.
