Biofeedback Solutions

Urinary incontinence can be experienced by anyone at any age.  It is often thought to be a natural part of the aging process.  It is estimated that up to 50% of all nursing home patients suffer from some level of incontinence. While this large group of people suffer in silence, a treatment that has been shown to be 99% effective in treating and curing most types of incontinence is available.

How can it be that a treatment so effective is not universally utilized in the treatment of urinary incontinence? The first reason is that the treatment involves the use of a U-Control EMG machine.  This biofeedback unit measures the strength of a muscle’s contractions and provides feedback to the user.  Many in the medical field prefer to first try pharmaceutical methods before resulting to “alternative treatments” such as a U-control for Incontinence.  Another reason is that often times these treatments are not covered by insurance.  Even if this is the case, the purchase of a $400 biofeedback machine that will cure incontinence is surely more economical than months or years of expensive drug therapy or even surgery.

So how can the U-Control Muscle Monitor help with incontinence?  Up to 80% of all urinary incontinence is caused by weakened or hyper stressed muscles of the pelvic floor.  Weakened muscles result in stress incontinence, or the involuntary leakage of urine.  Stressed or tight muscles of the pelvic floor often make it difficult to fully empty the bladder resulting in urge incontinence.  Often times urge in continence is treated with drugs or other medical procedures.  However, a larger portion of patients have better results using biofeedback training like the U-Control Muscle Monitor.

So, how does it actually work? The U-Control assists the patient in the re-training of the pelvic floor muscles.  This can involve strengthening, using contractions to build up the muscles, or learning to relax those same muscles. Studies have shown that patients who have a biofeedback machine for home use are more likely to practice and will see results in as little as 4 weeks.  Studies have also shown that in addition to the obvious physical changes exercising will product, there is also a measurable psychological effect. When patients feel that they are in control of their bladder, feelings of fear and inadequacy will be reduced. With such impressive results it seems outrageous that this treatment would not be the first course of action to cure urinary incontinence.