THE PROBLEM NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT
You get up to go to the bathroom three, four, sometimes even five times a night. You suffer from frequent urination. And this is, many times, just the tip of the iceberg.Men and women both suffer. Sometimes the causes are major. But many times they can be solved by a few visits to your chiropractor.
For men the problem of frequent urination is usually accompanied by the inability to start the urine stream and by low flow once the stream is initiated.
In women frequent urination is accompanied by the incomplete emptying of the bladder. However, the symptom that can cause the most embarrassment is exertion incontinence.
Exertion incontinence, which is defined as uncontrolled urination when you exert yourself, can be triggered by simple physical activity; it can even be caused by sneezing.
In men the source of urination related problems can be traced to the prostate gland. Because the prostate is located in the lower abdomen, excessive tension in the lower abdomen or the lower back and pelvis area can constrict the prostate.
While I recommend that men with severe problems be checked out by a urologist, many cases can be treated by chiropractic manipulation. At no time is it necessary for me to perform any invasive procedures, such as a rectal examination. Again, we are treating muscle tension through Pressure Plus Motion and chiropractic adjustments.
In the case of a male patient I saw recently, adjustments were able to solve his problem. His complaint was low flow, fifty to sixty percent of normal. His urologist had prescribed medications. His flow improved slightly, but remained well below normal. He was still getting up at least three times a night to urinate.
"Exertion incontinence can be triggered by simple physical activity; it can even be caused by sneezing."
He wanted to get off the medications because he didn't like the side effects. Upon examination I discovered severe tightness in his lower abdomen. After a series of adjustments his flow increased to ninety percent. Now he doesnít have to get up once a night to go to the bathroom. He was also able to stop taking the medications. This after only three visits to our office.Recently we treated a female patient who complained because she had to go to the bathroom every hour all night long. As a child she suffered from rheumatic fever but did not want to use a bedpan. We adjusted her bladder above the pubic bone and did low back adjustments. After four visits she now gets up just once a night. Women with frequent urination problems should first consult their gynecologist to rule out any serious problems before scheduling an appointment with us.
NOTE TO THE WEEKEND WARRIOR
It happens every Spring. When the first robin of the season arrives our office fills up with weekend warriors. After being held hostage all Winter, they couldnít wait to rush outside and engage in strenuous activity.From working in the yard to playing three sets of tennis, they overdue it. The result is strained backs and sore muscles. Here are a few simple steps you can take to avoid the aches and pains of overdoing it.
First, stretch before any strenuous activity. This gets your muscles limber and reduces the chance of getting pulls and strains.
Next, start small. Donít overdue it. Donít try and repair winterís damage to your yard in one day. Play a few games of tennis. Work your way back up to multiple sets over a period of weeks.
After you complete your activity, apply our Pressure Plus Motion massage techniques to sore muscle areas. This will greatly enhance recovery. If you havenít picked up your free copy of How to Keep Chiropractors off Your Back, stop by the office.
Finally, ice any sore areas for fifteen minutes. Again, ice combined with Pressure Plus Motion massage can eliminate your need to visit our office.However, if the pain persists, call us at once.
