It’s an issue that affects an estimated 13 million Americans – 85 percent of them women -- and is predicted to grow significantly as the population ages. Though it’s not life-threatening, the condition can lead to isolation and depression. Traditional therapies are expensive and often don’t work. The good news is that it can be fixed with exercise and without need of complicated surgery or drugs with negative side effects.
What is this troublesome medical issue, and why aren’t more efforts being made to deal with it? Female urinary incontinence -- a subject that makes everyone uncomfortable.
“It’s the last taboo,” according to Barbara Sarkis, co-founder and chief information officer of Athena Feminine Technologies. “Women’s health in general has not been a priority and incontinence is an uncomfortable subject. But it’s a huge problem.”
In absence of an easy treatment, women choose to prepare for potential embarrassment by wearing incontinence pads rather than try to fix the problem. Not only is this loss of control devastating on a personal level for so many women, but there is a huge environmental impact as well. While makers of baby diapers have changed the product to break down more readily, the plastic and other non-biodegradable elements in adult diapers are causing problems in landfills. In the last 20 years, they have increased from less than 1 percent of the total landfill to almost 7 percent… and growing.
There are two types of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence, which is the accidental release of urine and can be triggered by a sneeze, cough or laugh and urge incontinence, which is the sudden urgent need to urinate and the inability to get to the toilet in time. Both kinds of incontinence are caused by the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, and the problem affects new moms, women in menopause and older women as the muscles weaken with age.
Dr. Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist back in the 1940’s, was the first physician to address the problem. As a solution, he suggested exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscle. Those exercises, known as “kegels” are quite helpful in treating and preventing urinary incontinence -- but most women do not do them and those who do often do them incorrectly.
Athena Feminine Technologies has developed a wireless product that, through pelvic floor electrical stimulation, performs kegels automatically. “While there are drugs that treat urge incontinence,” according to Mara Solomon, Director of Client and Customer Relations at Athena, “most people don’t get better or they don’t like the side effects. Women are looking for a product that will help them.”
The device is simple: once inserted, the Pelvic Muscle Trainer is controlled wirelessly by a small unit. An electrical current, at safe but effective levels, stimulates the muscles to do the “kegel” exercises and ensures they are done correctly and regularly. It works well for older women and is very effective for new moms for whom surgery and drugs are not options. Plus the wireless technology allows users to do other things while the exerciser works.
With over 12,000 in use, Athena is beginning to see sales rise as women talk to each other about the benefits they see using the Pelvic Muscle Trainer. In the UK, the Pelvic Muscle Trainer is available over-the-counter and marketing directly to women has been very successful. In the US, while the device is FDA approved, it must be prescribed by a doctor and requires a letter of medical necessity.
Some small studies have been completed and Athena is embarking on a larger study and hopes someday that the Pelvic Muscle Trainer will be available over the counter here as well.
“It’s embarrassing to talk about and women just want a simple treatment that allows them to take control over their health and bodies,” says Sarkis. “We have found that women with urinary incontinence won’t leave the house, become isolated and depressed. The ramifications are incredible. We don’t want to just sell them a device, we want to change women’s lives.”
Robin Wright is a consultant with more than 20 years of experience in the IT and telecom industries. To read more of her articles, please visit please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Erin Monda