BIOFEEDBACK

Because pelvic floor muscles can be hard to identify, biofeedback is used to help train those muscles. Known to be a safe and effective method of increasing pelvic floor muscle strength, millions of women have had success in regaining bladder control.

There are several types of instruments that may be used when conducting biofeedback, and all are effective in measuring muscle activity. Some biofeedback tools have small exposed sensors that are placed inside the vagina and capture electrical activity.  Others consist of an external “stick-on” type of sensor can be placed just outside the anal opening. And others have sensors contained within the device that detect contractions of the pelvic floor.

The most common error that some individuals make in performing pelvic floor muscle exercises is using their abdominal muscles instead of the pelvic floor muscles.  Biofeedback provides a visual representation of muscle activity, which helps you learn how to stop using the wrong muscles and start using the correct ones.  By “feeding back” the information, the patient knows immediately which muscles she is  using. 

The job of a biofeedback therapist is to coach you in the proper use of the pelvic muscles, just like a personal trainer. By following some simple instructions, you will see signals changing as you contract and relax different muscles in your pelvic floor. As a result, you will become more aware of these muscles and will be better able to identify and use them.

While biofeedback has long been used in medical offices, there are now products accessible for people to use in the comfort of their own home, making effective training easier and more comfortable than ever. Believe it or not, improvements may be seen is as few as three sessions.