Exercises For Bladder Control For Males

Improve Bladder Control Regain Your Continence Sooner After A Robotic Prostatectomy

Physical Therapy Bladder Control Exercises for Men

Kegel exercise strengthens the group of muscles called the pelvic floor muscles These muscles contract and relax around the bladder and the bladder opening at your command. When these muscles are weak, urine leakage may result. You can exercise these muscles just like any other muscle in your body, and building them up may help reduce your symptoms. It is important that you perform these exercises correctly and consistently to gain maximum benefit after prostate cancer surgery.

Kegel Exercises For Men

Pelvic Muscle Exercises, also known as Kegels or Kegel Exercises, are one of the best ways for men to improve and maintain bowel and bladder functions. And they arent just for women! Kegels can have a tremendous impact on incontinence especially after prostate surgery as well as the potential to enhance sexual performance for men.

Sometimes the muscles that control bladder function are compromised from certain surgeries, prostate problems, or even overactive bladder in men. Kegels can help restore this muscle function.

Pelvic Floor Training Programme

The first step is to correctly identify the muscles. Sit comfortably your thighs, buttocks and tummy muscles should be relaxed. Lift and squeeze inside as if you are trying to hold back urine, or wind from the back passage.

If you are unable to feel a definite squeeze and lift action of your pelvic floor, dont worry. Even people with very weak muscles can be taught these exercises.
If you feel unsure whether you have identified the correct muscles, try to stop your flow when passing urine, then restart it. Only do this to identify the correct muscles to use this is a test, NOT an exercise.
If you are unable to feel a definite tighten and lift action in your pelvic floor muscles you should seek professional advice.

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How To Do Pelvic Floor Exercises

You should sit, stand, or lie in a comfortable position with your legs slightly apart.First you need to identify the correct muscles. Tighten and pull up the muscle around the back passage as if you are trying to stop yourself from passing wind. You should be able to feel the muscle move this is the back part of the pelvic floor.

Now imagine that you are about to pass water and picture yourself trying to stop the flow of urine. The muscles which you tighten when you are trying to stop passing water are the front parts of the pelvic floor. Slowly tighten and pull up the pelvic floor muscles, from the back towards the front as hard as you can, this is a slow pull up. Hold the squeeze for as long as you can and then relax the muscles. Relax for 3 or 4 seconds before trying another pull-up. Start with doing these 5 times and increase the number gradually .

Now pull up the muscles quickly and tightly, and then relax them immediately. These are fast pull-ups. Again, start with doing these 5 times and increase the number gradually .

Each time you do a series of slow pull-ups, you might try to hold each pull-up for a little longer. And each time you do a series of fast pull-ups try to do more.

REPEAT

However, especially when you first start to perform these exercises correctly, you will need to be able to concentrate fully on doing them so ideally try to set aside a quiet time to do them, they dont take long!

Male Pelvic Floor Exercises A Quick Guide

Learn to locate your pelvic floor musclesBasic steps to stronger pelvic floor muscles

StrengthMake each pelvic floor muscle contraction as strong as possible. Maintain every contraction for 3-10 seconds, depending on how long you can hold the maximum clench. Relax for 5-10 seconds and then repeat, building up to 5-20 repetitions depending on how strong you are. Increase the duration or length of each contraction as you get stronger. You should not squeeze your buttocks, hold your breath or tighten your thighs, or stomach while doing this exercise. Do these exercises up to three times a day if you have problems. Eventually you will be able to do them in a sitting or standing position.
EnduranceThis exercise helps you in situations when you need to hold the clench for a longer time for example, when there is no the toilet nearby. In this exercise you dont clench with maximum strength. Instead, try to hold the clench for as long as possible up to 60 seconds. After youve done your strength clenches for 10 repetitions as described above, finish your round with an endurance clench.

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Will Replacing Estrogen Help

Even though decreased estrogen levels affect your bladder and urethra, estrogen therapy may not be an effective treatment. According to the Mayo Clinic, there isnt sufficient scientific evidence to support the use of estrogen creams or patches to treat OAB. Hormone therapy isnt FDA approved for the treatment of OAB or incontinence, and is considered an off-label use for these conditions.

Still, some women say that topical estrogen treatments help control their urinary leaking and the urge to go. These treatments may improve the flow of blood and strengthen the tissue around your urethra. Talk to your doctor if youre interested in hormone replacement therapy.

Off-label drug use means that a drug thats been approved by the FDA for one purpose is used for a different purpose that has not been approved. However, a doctor can still use the drug for that purpose. This is because the FDA regulates the testing and approval of drugs, but not how doctors use drugs to treat their patients. So, your doctor can prescribe a drug however they think is best for your care.

Do The Right Exercises

High-impact exercise and sit-ups put pressure on your pelvic floor muscles and can increase leaks.

To strengthen your pelvic floor to relieve symptoms, replace high-impact exercise, such as jogging and aerobics, with strengthening exercise, such as pilates.

Pilates strengthens your core muscles, which is beneficial for stress incontinence.

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Add To Your Daily Routine

Do your pelvic exercises at least three times a day. Every day, try to do the exercises in three positions: lying down, sitting, and standing. Using all three positions makes the muscles strongest. Keep a daily journal or exercise log to record each time you do the exercises.

Heres a sample daily exercise schedule.

Do a set of exercises in the morning, while making breakfast.
Fit in another set in the afternoon, while sitting at your desk or driving.
End with a third set in the evening, while lying in bed.

Be patient. Dont give up. Its just 5 minutes, three times a day. Like any exercise routine, it can take a little time to build up muscle strength and conditioning. You may not feel your bladder control improve until after 3 to 6 weeks.

Dont overdo it. Keep doing the exercises, but dont increase how many you do. Overdoing the exercises can lead to straining when you urinate or move your bowels.

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Which Men Will Benefit From Kegel Exercises

Kegel Exercises for Overactive Bladder in Men | Physical Therapy Exercises

Kegel exercises have been around since 1948, when an American gynecologist named Arnold Henry Kegel, who invented the Kegel perineometer, an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles). He developed Kegel exercises as a non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence from pelvic muscle weakness.

There are many factors that can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, including the surgical removal of the prostate and conditions like diabetes or overactive bladder.

You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if you:

Suffer from urinary or fecal incontinence
Dribble after urination, usually after you’ve left the toilet

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When To Seek Professional Help

Seek professional help when you have bladder or bowel control problems with symptoms such as:

needing to urgently or frequently go to the toilet to pass urine or bowel motions
accidental leakage of urine, bowel motions or wind
difficulty emptying your bladder or bowel
pain in the bladder, bowel or in your back near the pelvic floor area when exercising the pelvic floor or during intercourse

These problems may not necessarily be linked to weak pelvic floor muscles and should be properly assessed.

Like all exercises, pelvic floor exercises are most effective when individually tailored and monitored. The exercises described are only a guide and may not help if done incorrectly or if the training is inappropriate.

Incontinence can have many causes and should be individually assessed before starting a pelvic floor muscle training program. Tightening or strengthening pelvic floor muscles may not be the most appropriate treatment so speak to a health professional if you have persistent problems with your bladder or bowel. Visit the Resources page for more information.

Exercises To Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor muscles support the urinary tract organs such as the bladder, uterus, small intestine, and bowel and assist with correcting your flow of urine, urinary control, continence, and sexual function.

To get all of the potential benefits, you should incorporate pelvic floor muscle exercises into your regular workout routine.

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Important Information For Men Who Have Undergone Prostate Surgery

Performing pelvic floor muscle exercises before and after prostate surgery is vital to your recovery as it is these muscles that help you control your bladder.

Doing pelvic floor muscle exercises after surgery can irritate the bladder and cause discomfort. It is therefore recommended that you do not do any exercises during this time. However, once the catheter is removed you may start the pelvic floor exercises straight away.

For more information on this topic you can order or download a copy of Continence and prostate: a guide for men undergoing prostate surgery from our resources section.

Fast Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

Repeat the same action, but this time try to tighten the muscles as quickly as possible.

Hold the lift for one second and then let go.

Try to do up to 10 of these short, fast lifts.

You may find that the muscles are very weak initially and that it takes a lot of concentration to exercise them. In addition, you might find that you cant hold the lift for ten seconds. Just hold it for as long as you can and try to build up to tenseconds. Its more important to do the exercises properly than to do them for the full ten seconds.

How Do I Find My Pelvic Muscles

For many men locating the pelvic muscles can be a struggle. To find your pelvic muscles try to stop and start your urine stream when urinating.

Remember not to tense your buttocks or your legs and abdomen. Also, take note to keep breathing calmly.

When you have successfully slowed down or stopped your urine, you will be able to hit the target muscle. The muscles you use to stop your urine flow are your pelvic muscles, and these are the ones you want to strengthen.

What Are Pelvic Floor Muscles

Your pelvic floor muscles are a network of muscles that support your bladder and help you control your urine flow. There are three pelvic muscles:

The bladder. Your bladder is a muscle shaped like a balloon and holds your urine.

The sphincter muscles. These muscles help you open and close your urethra, the tube that drains urine from your bladder. And,

The pelvic floor muscle supports your bladder and rectum and helps control your urine flow.

How Often Should I Do My Kegel Exercises

When you first start doing your Kegel exercises, you may not be able to repeat the exercise 10 to 20 times. This is ok. It is much better for you to do fewer Kegel exercises that make your pelvic floor muscles stronger, than to do more exercises that do not work the muscle in the right way. As you get better at doing your Kegel exercises, slowly increase the number of times you repeat the exercise until you reach 20. Your goal should be to do 20 Kegel exercise three to four times each day.

The great thing about Kegel exercises is that you can do them anytime you want to do them. No one can tell that you are doing these exercises. You do not need any special equipment to do Kegel exercises. You can do your Kegel exercises before you get up in the morning, at lunchtime, at suppertime, and at bedtime. You can do them while you are watching TV or reading. Some men put notes on their refrigerator or on their bathroom mirror to remind them to do their Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises can help both men and women. Some mens partners do the exercises with them. The more you do them, the stronger your pelvic floor muscles will become.

How To Do Kegel Exercises

How to Cure Urinary Incontinence with Kegel Exercises

Before you start your Kegel exercises, make sure to urinate so your bladder is empty.

When youre ready, follow these steps:

Start by holding your pelvic floor muscles in for 5 seconds. To do this, think of pulling in and lifting up your genitals.

Do not hold your breath while you do this. Counting out loud can stop you from holding your breath.

After holding for 5 seconds, slowly and completely relax your muscles for 5 seconds.

Repeat this process 10 times, at least 3 times every day.

Your pelvic floor muscles may get tired during this exercise. If this happens, stop and do the exercise later.

Do not use your stomach, leg, or buttock muscles when doing this exercise. Exercising these muscles will not help you get back urinary control or improve your sexual health.

As you continue to practice these exercises, increase the time you hold and rest your pelvic floor muscles. Start with 5 seconds, and slowly build up the time each week. Do this until youre holding in and resting for 10 seconds.

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About Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Figure 1. Your pelvic floor muscles

Your pelvic floor muscles make up the bottom of your pelvis and support your pelvic organs . Theyre the muscles that relax when youre urinating , passing gas, or having a bowel movement . Your pelvic floor muscles are also the same muscles that you would use to hold in your urine in and prevent urine leakage or hold back gas.

To test this out, while you pass your first stream of urine in the morning, try to stop the stream. The muscles youre using are your pelvic floor muscles. Dont do this often because starting and stopping your urine stream every time you urinate can be harmful.

How To Do Your Kegel Exercises: Start By Locating Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

The goal of Kegel exercises for men is to tighten their pelvic floor muscles.

These are the muscles that surround and support the organs in your pelvis.

When people refer to pelvic floor muscle exercises, they are talking about exercising several different pelvic muscles, including the pubococcygeus, puborectalis, and iliococcygeus.

Talk about a tongue twister!

Together, these three muscles are referred to as the Levator Ani and they create the bulk of the pelvic floor muscles.

Check out the graph just below to see exactly what we are talking about.

The pelvic floor muscles extend across the bottom of the pelvis and combine with various ligaments and tendons to form a hammock-like structure that supports the bladder and bowels.

Fortunately, it is easy to identify the sensation of flexing your pelvic floor muscles.

Try identifying them the next time you need to urinate.

Because your pelvic floor muscles support your bladder, they are the muscles you use to stop peeing midstream.

When you try to stop the stream, the area where you feel the strain is where your pelvic floor muscles are located.

Start and stop peeing a few times to get comfortable with how to contract the right muscles.

If you do this a few times, you may find that your pelvic floor muscles are a little sore.

Congratulations! You just performed your first Kegel-style exercise.

Another way to find the correct pelvic muscles is to imagine that youre trying to hold in some gas.

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When To See A Health Care Provider And What To Expect

Talk to your health care provider if you have urinary incontinence or any signs of a bladder problem, such as:

Needing to urinate more frequently or suddenly
Urinating eight or more times in one day
Passing only small amounts of urine after strong urges to urinate
Trouble starting or having a weak stream while urinating

Your doctor may recommend urodynamic testing and perform the following to try to figure out what might be causing your bladder problem:

Give you a physical exam and take your medical history.
Ask about your symptoms and the medications you take.
Take urine and blood samples.
Examine the inside of your bladder using a cystoscope a long, thin tube that slides up into the bladder through the urethra. This is usually done by a urinary specialist.
Fill the bladder with warm fluid and use a cystoscope to check how much fluid your bladder can hold before leaking.
Order or perform a bladder ultrasound to see if you are fully emptying your bladder with each void.
Ask you to keep a daily diary of when you urinate and when you leak urine. Your primary care doctor may also send you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary tract problems.