Bladder and Incontinence

What are the symptoms?
Common Symptoms (acute stage)
Bladder pain- that is pain from the urinary bladder. Common symptoms and signs of bladder infection are:
* feelings of pain, pressure and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and perineum (the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum), which may increase as the bladder fills and decrease as it empties;
* decreased bladder capacity;
* urgency -- an urgent need to urinate;
* pain on sexual intercourse; and in men, discomfort or pain in the penis and scrotum.

When a bladder infection develops, there are sharp knifelike pains in the bladder with a high temperature. This condition usually requires antibiotics.

Incontinence
Outside of infections, the chiropractic approach has often proved quite helpful particularly for longstanding bladder problems.

Other common conditions that must always be considered with bladder problems and attended to if needed are bowel-uterus prolapse, prostrate problems, and incontinence.

How Chiropractic helps
Lower back restrictions or joint displacements can have an effect upon internal organs. Why? Because the spinal nerves that exit the lower back region actually regulate the pelvic organs. These will include the bowels, sex organs ( i.e. ovaries, uterus, prostrate, testes) and bladder. These restrictions or joint displacements are called Subluxations. If subluxations are present poor pelvic organ function frequently occurs.

Within the medical field this spinal approach is totally ignored. Chiropractors frequently see gratifying results with these problems in their patients. Below are some research studies for these conditions.

What the research says about Incontinence?
A conservative approach for a patient with traumatically induced urinary incontinence. (1)

This was a case study of a 12 year old female complaining of left lower back pain and an involuntary urine loss. These symptoms began shortly after she had fallen backwards landing on her coccyx.(tail bone)

Her treatment schedule was three adjustments a week for three weeks. By then her backaches had improved 50% and her urine leakage had also reduced. After a few months of no further change, a specific sacro-coccyx adjustment was performed four times. After this adjustment all back pain and all urinary incontinence disappeared. When a follow up was made 1 year and 4 months later there was no return of symptoms.

The mechanically induced pelvic pain and organic dysfunction syndrome: an often overlooked cause of bladder, bowel, gynaecological, and sexual dysfunction. (2)

This is a case study of a 29 years old female with bilateral pelvic and lower back pain. The patient also suffered from urinary stress incontinence. She experienced a loss of libido, poor genital sensitivity and a vaginal discharge. A gynaecological exam failed to reveal any pathology. Sacral nerves where effected, also noted was L5/S1 herniation. . Within one week her bladder dysfunction had resolved and the other symptoms were less severe. After a month she was symptom free.

The study was to evaluate if mechanically induced pelvic pain and organic dysfunction (PPOD) syndrome was caused by subluxations of the lumbar spine. It also was to evaluate affects upon lower sacral nerves.

Abnormal spinal curvature and its relationship to pelvic organ prolapse Mattox, T.F. Lucente, V. McIntyre, P (3)

In this study 363 patients where examined for a change in spinal curvature and its assessment as a risk factor on pelvic organ health.

It was noted if there was a loss of lumber lordosis there appeared to be a significant risk factor in the health and development of pelvic organs. Particularly pelvic prolapses and urinary incontinence.

When the 363 patients where compared with patients with normal lumber curvature it was found that those with abnormal spinal curvature where 3.2times more likely to develop pelvic organ prolapses.

Chiropractic can help
These are a sample of the many studies done, chiropractic care has proved helpful with many pelvic conditions. If you feel you would like to talk with us further please do not hesitate to contact our office.

DISCLAIMER This information is provided for Educational Purposes Only and has NOT been designed to diagnose, treat or cure any health conditions. Please consult a qualified Health Care Professional to diagnose your health conditions and avoid self-diagnosis.