Kegel Exercises Banish Mild Urinary Incontinence

This month's general health article discusses a debilitating and embarrassing problem, especially among women: urinary incontinence, or an involuntary loss of urine.

Most often caused by weaken pelvic floor muscles, mild incontinence can be controlled, even cured by daily frequent Kegel exercises.

Kegel exercises help to strengthen the vagina, urethra and anus. Done discreetly, kegels involve continually contracting and relaxing the muscles of the pelvic area. Finding these muscles is easy: the next time you urinate, stop the flow—those are your target muscles. (It is, however, important that you never do Kegel exercises while urinating, as you do not want to interfere with this important process.)

Kegel Exercise

Goal: To do 10 repetitions every hour or about 10 times per day.

1. Focus on the pelvic muscles—tighten and hold for a count of three seconds.

2. Increase to a count of five seconds once you can comfortably hold for three seconds.

3. Once you can successful hold for a count of five seconds times 10 repetitions, than try the next level.

Elevator Kegel Exercise

Goal: To do 10 repetitions every two-and-a-half hours, or about 10 times per day.

The elevator Kegel exercise is a process that helps to strengthen the muscles higher up in the urogenital area. The initial hold is at the opening to the vagina. Without relaxing, tighten the muscles further, focusing on tightening the muscles higher up the urethra. Finally, without relaxing, try to tighten the muscles even higher up towards the bladder neck and hold for five seconds. Ideally, it would be great if you can hold each level.

1. Focus on the muscles of the vaginal/urethral opening and hold for a count of three seconds.

2. Without relaxing, those muscles try to tighten a little bit higher past the opening and hold for a count of three seconds.

3. Without relaxing, continue to tighten even higher as if you are trying to tighten the muscles of the bladder neck and hold for a count of three seconds.

4. Once you can successfully complete this three-tier process for three seconds at each level, and then gradually increase to a hold and count of five seconds.

Kegel exercises are not just a means of treating urinary incontinence, but will heighten vaginal sensations and make sex more pleasurable.

To read this month's article on Urinary Incontinence click here.

Dr. Mundorff is the author of several books, including, Memories of My Sister: Dealing With Sudden Death, Medical Terminology: A Student Workbook, and her latest, Take Control: A Guide to Holistic Living, an innovative health guide that helps the reader learn how to regain control of their health by discovering the practical effectiveness of combining alternative and modern medicine. You can reach her at bridges2hlth@aol.com or visit her blog.

Disclaimer: Dr. Mundorff is a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Naturopath, and not a medical doctor. The information in this column is for educational purposes only and should not be used to self-diagnose and treat diseases. Naturopathy is a complementary practice to health care and should be used in conjunction with a competent health care practitioner. Many herbal and homeopathic remedies can actually be contraindicated in many health conditions, with certain prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. Please consult your physician before starting any alternative modalities.