Remember the grandmother who laughed so hard she’d wet herself? Everyone may have been laughing back then – including grandma – but loss of bladder control is no laughing matter. 

It is estimated that a quarter to a third of all Americans – men and women – suffer from some form of urinary incontinence, or loss of bladder control. It is unfortunate that millions of them suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to seek help, or believe that incontinence is just a normal part of aging and therefore nothing can be done.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth – especially for those like grandma, who lose control of their bladders while laughing, or coughing, or sneezing or even exercising. This is called stress incontinence and it is the most common type of incontinence suffered by women – especially those who have given birth. Pelvic floor muscles, which play a huge part in regulating bladder function, can be weakened by the demands of childbirth, resulting in difficulty in controlling the bladder. Likewise, hormonal changes that occur with menopause can also result in weakened muscles, leading to episodes of incontinence.

In men, the prostate gland is often responsible for a lack of bladder control. As men age, the prostate can become enlarged, pressing on the bladder, causing overactive bladder incontinence. Prostate cancer and its treatments can also lead to episodes of sudden urge or frequency, called urge incontinence. 

An unfortunate, non-medical side-effect of incontinence is that those who suffer from symptoms often isolate themselves because they live in fear of having an “accident” while in the company of friends and loved ones. Or, they venture out in bulky, uncomfortable protective padding that limits enjoyment of their social occasions.

In many cases, pelvic floor therapy can help to ease or mitigate the symptoms of incontinence by strengthening the muscles that support bladder function. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to seek help. Call today for a private, one-on-one evaluation with one of our pelvic floor experts. You will be glad you did.

Hey Lee County, we can do better!!

Lee County ranks first in Florida for availability of outdoor activities 👍;
14th for health & fitness 👎 

Get up, out, and moving!

🤽 🧘 🤸 ⛹️ 🏌️ 🏊🏻‍♀️ 🚣 🚴

We’d like to help get Lee County up on their feet – taking advantage of all that nature has offered us here in Southwest Florida. So, we challenge you to help us get Lee County to number one for health and fitness! 

Challenge #1: Brush Those Muscles!!

Make stretching your muscles a part of your every-day routine. Stretch your arms, your hips, your legs before you even get out of bed in the morning – or make stretching in the shower a second-nature habit. Muscles that are stretched are ready for moving – and moving is the key to a healthy body! 

Lifestyle changes are best accomplished in small steps – so look to this space each month for the next challenge toward making Lee County the first in health & fitness in Florida!  

If you have ever endured the effects of vertigo – you know how unsettling an experience it can be. With no clear indication of your position relative to the rest of the world, the world can seem to be rushing by your eyes – even though you are perfectly still. 

There is a reason that Alfred Hitchcock chose Vertigo as the subject of his widely acclaimed thriller. With symptoms such as spinning sensations, eye-jerking, nausea, vomiting and headache, vertigo could be anyone’s worst nightmare.

The good news is that modern advancements in physical therapy have led to new treatments and techniques that can help ease vertigo – quickly, painlessly and without drugs. Call your nearest Allied clinic today for an appointment. No one should be living in any of Alfred Hitchcock’s nightmares.

New Clinic Now Open in Bonita!

We cannot wait to show you our new clinic located at 26651 Dublin Woods Circle in Bonita Springs! Our brand-new facility just opened this past summer and is headed up by Dr. Emily Erickson. Click here to download our announcement flyer. Or call the Bonita Clinic at ‭(239) 676-5995‬.

At Allied Physical Therapy, we cherish our relationships with our patients and want to do all we can to help you live a happier, more active life – getting you back to doing what you love! So we are sharing our tips and tricks to keep all your moving parts in good working order… And, if there is anything you would like to see addressed in our next newsletter – or if you have any questions about anything you’ve read – email us confidentially at info@alliedpt.com.

Questions?