Vaginal weights have been clinically proven to reduce and in some cases eliminate stress incontinence in women. VagaCare™ has been specially designed to help women who accidentally leak urine when sneezing, laughing, coughing and exercising. This is medically known as stress incontinence. Other terms are weak pelvic floor muscles and poor bladder control. If you are not suffering from any form of stress incontinence, the VagaCare™ set is a great preventive program that can prepare you for childbirth and work as a fitness program for later years. Remember the efforts you put forth today will be rewarded later reducing your chance of experiencing stress incontinence.
What causes stress incontinence?
Stress incontinence occurs because of poor function in the muscles that support the bladder or control the release of urine. Sometimes both muscle groups are involved.
The bladder expands as it fills with urine, but valve-like muscles at either end of the urethra — the short tube through which urine flows to exit your body — normally stay "closed" or contracted, preventing urine release until you reach a bathroom. When the muscles supporting the bladder are weak, pressure can trigger urine release before you're ready. Problems with the "valves" themselves (the urinary sphincter) may have the same effect.
Your bladder may not even feel unusually full when you have urine leakage due to stress incontinence. Anything that exerts force on the abdominal muscles — sneezing, bending over, lifting, laughing hard — also puts pressure on your bladder.
Your urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles may lose tone because of:
• Childbirth. In women, poor function of pelvic floor muscles or the sphincter may occur because of tissue or nerve damage incurred during delivery of a child. Stress incontinence from this damage may begin soon after delivery or years later.
Other factors that may exacerbate stress incontinence include:
• Urinary tract infection
• Illnesses that cause chronic coughing or sneezing
• Obesity
• Smoking, which can cause frequent coughing
• Diabetes, which can cause excess urine production and nerve damage
• Excess consumption of caffeine or alcohol
• Medications that cause a rapid increase in urine production
• Sports, such as tennis or running
Kegel Exercises
Kegel (KAY-gul or KEY-gul) exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder and bowel. If you do Kegel exercises regularly and keep your pelvic muscles toned, you may reduce your risk of incontinence and similar problems as you get older. Kegel exercises can also help you control urinary incontinence.
Learning how to perform Kegel exercises properly can be tricky. How do you know whether you're working the correct muscles?
When your pelvic floor muscles weaken, your pelvic organs descend and bulge into your vagina, a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse. The effects of pelvic organ prolapse range from uncomfortable pelvic pressure to leakage of urine or feces. Fortunately, Kegel exercises can strengthen pelvic muscles and delay or maybe even prevent pelvic organ prolapse.
Kegel exercises are recommended especially during pregnancy. Well-toned pelvic floor muscles may make you more comfortable as your due date approaches. You may be less likely to develop urine leakage — common near the end of pregnancy and prone to persist after you've given birth.
