It’s not uncommon for women to experience little leaks or even pelvic organ prolapse, but it’s far from normal! 1 in 3 women suffer from some kind of pelvic floor disorder, including those in the limelight!
How Common are Pelvic Floor Disorders?
Pelvic floor disorders affect over 45% of women, and over 10% of men. During their lifetime, about 1 in 11 women will need surgery for a pelvic floor disorder; with the likelihood increasing if women do not learn how to maintain and improve the health of their pelvic floor.
Common pelvic floor disorders include:
- Stress incontinence – Unintentional loss of urine during physical movement or activity, such as coughing, running, sneezing or heavy lifting.
- Urge incontinence – A sudden and strong urge to urinate. Often involves not making it to the toilet in time.
- Overactive bladder – When the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time, resulting in urgency to urinate.
- Pelvic organ prolapse – When the muscles and tissues supporting the pelvic organs (bladder, bowel and uterus) become weak – allowing one or more pelvic organs to drop into or out of the vagina.
- Lack of intimate sensation – Your pelvic floor muscles play an important role in arousal and sexual intimacy. Weakening of these muscles can lead to a decrease in sensation and other discomfort.
- Pelvic pain – Often a result of a change in the complex interactions that occur in your pelvis, amongst the urinary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, endocrine, neurologic and gynaecologic systems. This includes conditions such as vaginismus, fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and more.
Bladder Weakness
Multiple celebrities have spoken openly about bladder control, including Kris Jenner, whose diagnosis of stress incontinence has been well documented on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The ‘momager’ has said, “People think they’re the only ones dealing with this. When you realise that the woman sitting next to you is probably going through the same thing, you feel less lonely.”
Even award-winning actress, Kate Winslet, opened up about her bladder struggles after motherhood. The Titanic star said, “When you’ve had a few children you know, it’s just what happens. It’s amazing; two sneezes, I’m fine. Three, it’s game over. I can’t jump on trampolines anymore, [or] I wet myself. It’s bloody awful, especially if you’re wearing a skirt.”
We just hope that Winslet has spoken to her pelvic floor therapist and is now a Kegel connoisseur!
Other celebs that have helped to raise awareness of incontinence include:
- Ulrika Jonsson
- Debbie Reynolds
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Nadia Sawalha
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Some prolapses can begin so minor, that they are only recognised and diagnosed through a routine examination, such as a smear test. Or you may start to notice symptoms such as urinary incontinence or a dragging sensation in your vagina. However, a prolapse can become so severe that it permanently protrudes from the body and can lead to severe pain.
Reality star, Ferne McCann, is one of the newest celebs to raise awareness of pelvic organ prolapse and just how common the condition is.
After being diagnosed with a bladder prolapse, the new mum said, “I was 28 at the time, I feel very much in my prime and I just felt with incontinence I would associate that with the elderly. Definitely something that wouldn’t happen to someone of my age.
“For me it got to the stage where it was affecting my day to day life, and I couldn’t do cardio anymore which is something I absolutely loved. I really feared going on long journeys when I was at work I wanted to act super professional”
When asked if she could feel her prolapse, McCann responded, “No I couldn’t feel it. Fortunately, when I went to see a women’s physio, I found out it was a stage one prolapse bladder, so it wasn’t a prolapsed womb so it could be fixed with doing exercises.
“But you can’t physically feel it, it’s more the symptoms of leakage or losing complete control over your bladder.”
Luckily for those suffering from mild to moderate prolapse, pelvic floor exercises can help to improve your condition. However, 50% of women perform Kegel exercises incorrectly. But that isn’t the end of the road!
Technology, such as the Kegel8 Ultra 20 Electronic Pelvic Toner, removes all of the guesswork from Kegel exercising. With the push of a button, the toner harnesses your body’s natural electric signals to stimulate an effective pelvic floor muscle contraction; ensuring a successful workout every time.
How To Do Kegel Exercises Correctly
One way in which you can guarantee the effectiveness of your Kegels is to use a biofeedback tool. Kegel8 Vaginal Cones have a unique indicator tail that allows you to see, in real-time, whether you are exercising the muscles correctly or not. As you squeeze and lift, the tail of the cone waves downwards – it’s that easy! Plus, the set comes with three different weighted cones to give your pelvic floor a thorough workout and helps to build your endurance over time.
Over 30% of women cannot correctly recruit their pelvic floor muscles.
If you cannot produce an effective pelvic floor contraction, it’s not the end of the line, extra help is at hand! Electrical stimulation devices, such as the Kegel8 Ultra 20 Electronic Pelvic Toner harness the body’s natural electrical signals to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles and produce an effective contraction all with the push of a button! That means that all of the guesswork is removed, and you can guarantee your pelvic floor gets a great workout every single time.
Reviews for the Kegel8 Ultra 20 Electronic Pelvic Toner
Mrs L - Delighted
"I have used another product for some time and felt no improvement at all, the Kegel8 Ultra 20 Electronic Pelvic Toner felt more effective immediately, and the effects from using it were felt very quickly. This one actually works, and I am delighted.”
Mel - I Haven't Felt Like This in Years!
"I wish I knew about this product years ago....I was quite loose down there, and I was no longer enjoying sex...since using this 2x per day..programme 6/7 I have absolutely noticed a difference. My partner and I are really enjoying the benifts. I haven't felt like this in years..very happy..10/10!”
Pelvic Pain
Endometriosis is one of the largest forms of pelvic pain that is affecting women today. The condition mainly affects women of a reproductive age and affects 10% of women worldwide – that’s 176 million women!
The disorder occurs when the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus begins to grow outside of it, often extremely painful. Yet, scientists have not found the cause of the disorder. During a 35-date tour in 1982, Dolly Parton was taken to the hospital to have a partial hysterectomy related to her endometriosis. She says she suffered from depression after learning she would not be able to have children.
The country star has said, “It was an awful time for me. Every day I thought, 'I wish I had the nerve to kill myself.’”
Other stars that have spoken out about the condition and are advocates for raising awareness include:
- Lena Dunham
- Padma Lakshmi
- Susan Sarandon
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Jillian Michaels
- Emma Bunton
- Cyndi Lauper
- Julianne Hough
- Tia Mowry
- Halsey
- Jaime King
- Daisy Ridley
