Pelvic Floor PT for Urinary Urgency & Frequency Relief
The sudden, intense need to urinate that feels uncontrollable is called urinary urgency. Whether it’s waking up multiple times during the night, feeling the urge the moment you get home, or struggling to make it to the bathroom in time, it can be incredibly disruptive and frustrating. While urinary urgency is common, you don’t have to just live with it. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT) is a proven approach to managing urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence (leakage).
What is Urinary Urgency?
Urinary urgency is the sudden, strong sensation that you need to urinate immediately, often accompanied by the fear that you won’t make it in time. Some people also experience urge incontinence—the involuntary loss of urine. The causes of urinary urgency vary and can include bladder infections, overactive bladder (OAB), pelvic floor dysfunction, poor bladder habits, or even emotional stress.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help Suppress Urges
Identifying Your Triggers
One of the first steps in managing urinary urgency is recognizing your personal triggers. These triggers can vary from person to person and may include:
Certain foods or drinks (like caffeine, alcohol, or acidic foods)
Stress or anxiety
Environmental cues such as running water, cold weather, or hearing someone mention the bathroom
Working with a pelvic floor therapist can help you identify and manage these triggers, giving you more control over your bladder habits.
Retraining Your Bladder
Bladder retraining is a key component of pelvic floor physical therapy. This process involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits to help your bladder hold more urine and reduce frequent urges. A pelvic floor physical therapist will guide you through this process, helping you suppress the urge and regain bladder control.
Learning Urge Suppression Techniques
Pelvic floor physical therapy teaches techniques to calm the bladder and control the sudden, overwhelming urge to urinate. These strategies may include:
Deep breathing to relax the nervous system
Gentle pelvic floor muscle contractions to suppress urgency
Distraction techniques to delay urination
Your therapist will personalize these techniques to fit your needs, helping you regain confidence and avoid unwanted urgency.
Improving Bladder and Pelvic Floor Coordination
In some cases, urgency stems from a lack of coordination between your bladder and pelvic floor muscles. A tense pelvic floor can prevent the bladder from fully emptying, leading to frequent urges. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help by assessing muscle tension and teaching you how to properly relax and engage your pelvic floor for optimal bladder function.
Posture and Breathing Awareness
Did you know that posture and breathing patterns can impact urinary urgency? Poor posture—such as slumping or rounding your back—puts extra pressure on your bladder and pelvic muscles. Shallow breathing or breath-holding can also increase pelvic floor tension, making it harder to suppress the urge to urinate.
Pelvic floor therapy can help correct posture and breathing patterns to reduce unnecessary pelvic tension and support better bladder control.
When to Consider Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
If you experience any of the following symptoms, pelvic floor physical therapy may be the right solution for you:
An overwhelming urge to urinate, even when your bladder isn’t full
Leaking urine before reaching the bathroom
Frequent urination during the day or night
Accidental urine leakage with urgency
Pelvic or bladder discomfort
Take Control of Your Bladder Health
Urinary urgency doesn’t have to control your life, and the solution doesn’t have to involve medication or surgery. Pelvic floor physical therapy is a safe, effective way to manage and even eliminate symptoms of urgency and frequency. Through bladder retraining, urge suppression techniques, and improved pelvic floor coordination, you can regain control and confidence.
Feel free to explore the services we offer or visit our About page to learn more about us at Rhode Island Pelvic Wellness, conveniently located in the heart of Rhode Island in East Greenwich.
If urinary urgency is disrupting your daily life, don’t wait to seek help! Reach out to us today and start your journey toward relief and better pelvic health. Take the first step toward bladder control—schedule your consultation now.
