It may relieve you to know that you are definitely not alone. The World Health Organization reports that Bladder Control problems affect more than 200 million people worldwide and it is a largely preventable and treatable condition.

It may surprise you to know that you can start changing your situation as early as today. That’s where I come in. Allow me to introduce myself. I am a 38-year veteran in the practice of Physical Therapy, and the last 16 of those years have been dedicated to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy.

Bladders usually misbehave because they are reacting to a combination of factors. A partial list includes waiting way too long to go, consuming bladder irritants, or for some stage fright. (You know who you are).

The easiest to intervene on is waiting too long. The average bladder likes to empty about every 2-3 hours. If you wait a lot longer than that, it may empty on its own out of self-preservation. The other change to make is watching out for bladder irritants such as excessive caffeine, alcohol or artificial sweeteners. These can cause bladder hyperactivity.

If these suggestions don’t do the trick, some of those other factors are at play and for that you will need a skilled Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist.

Dr. Angela Treadway, DPT, BCB-PMD, PRPC