Kegel exercises and kegel weights can help tone your pelvic floor to prevent organ prolapse, bladder problems, and vaginal difficulties as you age. Find out ways to tone your kegel muscles and prevent the many related difficulties as women go through menopause and age.
What Happens To Your Bladder As You Age?
You play with your grandkids at the park, and suddenly you pee your pants.
You travel with your hubby, and suddenly your bladder is full.
And you need a bathroom NOW!
Remember a time when you could hold your pee?
If there isn’t a bathroom nearby, your anxiety hits the roof.
You wonder if something is wrong with your bladder.
You go to the doctor, but the doctor says you’re fine.
So what is making you go so much?
Old age!
Like everything else, our bladders age as we do. What that means is that the muscles that control the bladder, prevent us from emptying it like we used to. We find ourselves wearing pads for a different reason, trading menstruation for incontinence.
Not a fair trade, but just as embarrassing.
Suddenly you find that you can’t empty your bladder, or that you have to go, even though you just went. You seem to always have to go.
And then one day it hits you. You have pain urinating; unspeakable pain. You have a sudden urgency to go, but when you do, only a dribble comes out.
You may have blood in your urine, and start to wonder if you’re period is coming back. The last time you saw blood like that, you were a younger women. Then you realize, something is terribly wrong.
This happened to me one cold winter day. I decided to go visit my mother in hospital an hour and a half away. The whole way in I felt as though I had to pee, but I had just gone, so I wrote it off as nerves. I hate driving in the city. It always makes me anxious.
When I arrived at the hospital, it was the wrong one. I didn’t know it, and spent an hour lost in the hallways until I finally found a kiosk. Immediately I was told I was at the wrong hospital. My heart sank.
I did an about-face and headed to the nearest exit, but not until I took a bathroom break.
The thing about being lost is that you don’t know where the nearest bathroom is. I started to panic, because I’ve never had to go so bad.
Finally I ducked into a staff bathroom and thought I’d immediately feel better after going pee, but I didn’t. It was as if I hardly had a drop of pee in me. It just dribbled out.
I couldn’t figure it out, but thought perhaps it was because I was rushing around lost and pretty worked up about being in the wrong hospital.
I headed across town to the right hospital, and found my mother’s room, surprising her with my visit. But after sitting beside her bed for only a few minutes, I realized my bladder still felt full and I needed to take care of it.
I headed to the bathroom to pee. This time, I told my brain I was going to relax. I had found my way to the right hospital, made it through the awful traffic I hate driving in, and had no reason to be anxious any longer. Surely I could pee now.
When I tried to pee, the same thing happened. I was confused. Why was only a dribble of pee coming out? Why did I still feel like I had to go?
I went back to my mom’s room and sat there frustrated, telling my mom I suddenly didn’t feel well and had to go. I told her I’d be right back.
I tried going again, but this time my pee turned to blood and I freaked out. And the pain… oh the pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Well, except labor, but it was a close second.
What on earth was the matter with me?
I called my sister, and asked her if she knew what could be wrong. She is a health care professional and I trusted her judgement.
“Go to the clinic across town, or admit yourself into the E.R,” she told me. “It’s a bladder infection!”
I had never had a bladder infection in my entire life. Somehow I managed to make it through 51 years of my life without having to experience a urinary tract infection.
I didn’t know what to expect.
I didn’t know what to do.
I had a choice, I could drive across town again to go to a minor emergency clinic. Or wait for my doctor’s office to be open on Monday (it was Saturday) or, admit myself to the hospital I was already in.
So…I went back to my mom’s room, told her what was happening, and admitted myself into the E.R. I didn’t have to wait long, but it felt like an eternity because of the pain. I sat there crying like a big baby.
They took tests, ruled things out, and finally came back with a verdict. I had a U.T.I and a pretty bad one at that. It was an e coli form, that had somehow found its way into my urinary tract.
I was told it could have been caused from a number of things, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was from my tub, because I had a long bath that morning.
But it could have also been because of my age. Apparently, as you age, your muscles weaken around your bladder and it doesn’t empty as well. I was also told hormone changes can cause this. Well, menopause would fit this category.
Regardless, I never want to experience that kind of pain and embarrassment ever again. But approx 10 percent of post menopausal women experience bladder infections yearly.
I had made up my mind that I will do whatever it takes to maintain proper bladder health from now on. Yes, it could have been the tub, but if there was even a small chance it was due to my weak muscles, I had to do something.
I had to exercise my kegel muscles.
What Are The Kegel Muscles?
Kegel muscles are your pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder, rectum, small intestines, and uterus. And if you’ve had a few babies, your muscles are probably pretty weak. Even after many years, they can remain weak if you don’t exercise them.
Weak kegel muscles are the leading cause of incontinence and may contribute to urinary tract infections.
I’m no doctor, but I do know that if the pelvic floor is responsible for holding up internal organs, then it’s important to maintain them.
And a woman’s bladder and uterus can actually prolapse into the vagina if these important pelvic floor muscles, better known as kegel muscles, are not maintained.
What Are The Benefits Of Working Your Pelvic Floor?
There are many benefits of working your pelvic floor muscles. Here is a list:
- Improves bladder control
- Improves recovery from childbirth
- Improves bowel control
- Reduces vaginal prolapse
- Improves sexual sensations
- Reduces bladder prolapse
Therapy For A Weak Bladder?
There are many step to working your pelvic floor, and there are professionals that can help you. I would suggest seeing your doctor if you experience any difficulty with a weak bladder, because I am not a healthcare professional. My experiences are from my own trial and error. I simply want to pass on things I have tried.
I know people who go to a physiotherapist to help them with their kegel muscles, and have tried the following steps, and they do help.
- Relax your lower body while sitting with knees spread apart.
- Squeeze your anal and vaginal muscles together for the count of ten.
- The same muscles control your pee, so if you stop and start urinating, you work those muscles. (But don’t do it that way)
- Repeat the squeezing and relaxing of your pelvic floor as often as you can.
What If You Need Surgery For A Weak Bladder?
Many do, and if that’s you, don’t be worried. It’s a common surgery, and one that has helped many women live a normal life.
I know women who have had this surgery. They put in what they call a Pessary. There are many types but generally they are used to support a vaginal prolapse, weak bladder, or any kind of pelvic organ prolapse.
What Are Some Natural Remedies?
There are many natural remedies for toning the pelvic floor and preventing surgery for prolapse. Let’s explore some.
- Yoga and walking
- Kegel exercises and pelvic stretches
- Squatting and leg ups
- Healthy diet and lots of protien
- Vaginal creams and gels (Specifically V-Tight)
- Vaginal weights like balls and cones
What Works And What Doesn’t?
I haven’t tried V-Tight creams, but they are supposed to work great in combination with other techniques.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
I eat healthy, and get lots of protein.
For me, I wanted to try something that didn’t take a lot of effort. Okay, call me lazy, but I just wanted something I could insert, and do the job.
I found the Yoni egg. It’s a glass, or crystal egg shaped thing that you insert into your vagina. The premise is to use your muscles to hold it in. Over time, your pelvic floor will become strong.
I ordered the Jade Yoni egg, and it was amazing. It came with an already drilled hole, so you could insert a string to take it out easier.
It’s made of solidified lava rock. Unique! The jade is supposed to give you a calming effect when inserted, as well. It didn’t seem to have that effect on me, but perhaps others have had that experience. We are all different.
Check the the following Amazon affiliate link, for the Yoni Egg.
The main benefit I experienced was that I was able to hold my pee longer. It was incredible. Also, that feeling of ‘falling’ inside my vagina, started to go away. Perhaps that was the beginning of prolapse for me, and I prevented it with this strange Yoni egg.
Up until this point, I had never heard of such a thing. I heard of Ben Wa Balls as sex toys, but I never pursued that. It was all taboo, and something I didn’t want to research.
Until now.
These balls, are in fact, a form of Ben Wa Balls. They can be used for sensual purposes, but in this instance, they are primarily used as a medical device.
By about the second week of using my Jade egg, my pelvic floor was feeling so healthy and my bladder incontinence had all but disappeared.
Until I broke my egg.
Yes! By accident, when I dropped it in the sink one day, it broke in half.
I cried.
It had done so much for me in those two short weeks. And there was no way I could salvage it. It had broken in half, and was jagged. It was unusable.
No, my dear ladies. I’m not telling you NOT to get a crystal egg. They feel smooth and great, but they CAN break.
I also didn’t like that there was a hole drilled through the egg. I found it was very hard to clean. i didn’t want to spend a half hour boiling it, or scrubbing it clean and then sterilizing it. The hole and the stuff that I envisioned got stuck in there, freaked me out.
So, what was I going to do now?
I had spent a big chunk of change on this egg, and I wasn’t about to buy another one.
Funds were tight and so I thought I could make one.
I scratched that idea pretty quickly. I wanted something medically certified so I didn’t put my health in danger.
I began looking on Amazon again. Surely there was something I could use that was just as good, if not better.
I soon found Pondera Kegel Weights from the TOTI brand, and I fell in love. My research revealed a high recovery rate for bladder issues, prolapse issues, incontinence, and pelvic floor issues, and I knew I wanted to try these weights.
I clicked my buy button on Amazon and waited.
You can too if you click on the link below. It will take you to a similar set because it seems the brand I purchased isn’t available. No worries, they are all relitively the same.
Right after I purchased them, I knew I should have done the rush delivery. I had to wait almost two weeks for it to come in the mail, and it was hard.
Almost immediately, my vagina had that ‘falling’ feeling again. It was uncomfortable. My bladder began having issues again. I peed my pants. I was back to the old me again.
And I didn’t want another bladder infection, so every day I checked my Amazon tracker for my much awaited package.
And finally, when it was delivered, I felt as though it was Christmas morning, and I had received the best present in the world.
I was awed. My Kegel exercise system was in fact, a system. It came in a beautiful box containing not only one weight, but eight. A different color for every weight.
It came with an instruction booklet, safety instructions, how to take care of the weights, and how to use it. There is also a website, and you can sign up for a newsletter.
I was impressed.
It also said to consult a physician before useing them, but I didn’t. I would say a consultation is wise, but for me, I chose to go forward on my own. I’m just like that, but I do understand the precaution. Like any weights, you can do more harm than good if you’re not careful.
So be careful!
One thing I like about the TOTI brand kegel weights is that they all come in a silicone rubber form. They are spongy, yet heavy. And they are shaped more like a cone, the size of a vagina, rather than round like a ball or egg shaped.
And there are no holes.
The weights come with a long rubberized extension to enable easy removal.
Cleaning the kegel weights is also easier than the crystal Jade Yoni egg. You just remove it and throw it in the sink. It actually bounces, and will never break. Hot water and soap does the trick in less than five minutes.
Be sure to wash all the soap off though, because leaving soap residue can cause irritation. What I do is rub it with coconut oil after cleaning. I also rub it with coconut oil before inserting.
But does it actually work?
Well, almost right away, I could tell it had the same kind of effect on me that the Yoni egg did. My muscles felt stronger, my bladder felt better. I was in control again.
The benefits are huge!
I have only mastered weight number #1 so far, the white one, but I can hardly wait to graduate to the next level weight, all the way up to weight number eight.
I love My TOTI Kegel weights, and never thought something like this would work for me.
But it does!
I will continue to use these forever!
Is There Any Hope For A Weak Pelvic Floor?
ABSOLUTELY! Go out and get yourself a set of Pondera Kegel weights by TOTi. Every woman should have these.
If you don’t like silicone, and don’t want that rubberized feeling, try the Jade Yoni egg. It’s great too, but be very very careful because they break.
My advice is to get the non-drilled crystal Yoni egg. That way you don’t have issues with cleaning it. They don’t have to have a string. You can squeeze it out.
But for me, I love the simplicity and feel of the TOTI rubberized kegel weights.
We’re all different, but at least try something natural before contemplating medications or surgery for bladder issues, incontinence, pelvic floor issues, or pelvic organ prolapse.
There is hope for the older woman.
I’m glad I found it!
Click HERE For Other Articles on Crunchy Menopause.
References
- Science Daily
- The North American Menopause Society
- Harvard Health
- Endocrine Web
- NCBI (Pub Med)
- Alternative Medicine for Menopause (LCBI)
- Healthline
- WebMD
- Women’s Health Concerns
- Reader’s Digest
- Mayo Clinic
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Author Kathleen Morris
Kathleen Morris is a successful published author, blogger, and Youtuber. She enjoys writing about things she’s passionate about and making a difference in the world.
