Abstract

Urinary incontinence (UI) is according to ICS definition “every uncontrolled urine loss”. Among the broadly understood definition, there are different types of UI: effort, urgent, from overflow, mixed, transitional, bedwetting and other types of UI. The most common type from mentioned is the effort urinary incontinence and the mixed one. Due to the complex nature of UI problem, there are many methods of diagnosis and treatment of incontinence. In conservative treatment, pelvic floor muscle exercises, physical therapy (including magnetic field) and behavioral therapy are commonly used.  The aim of the study.  The aim of work is to evaluate the impact of magnetostimulation and pelvic floor muscle exercises on the level of urinary incontinence among women after menopause. Material and methodology.  The research was conducted among 30 women at the age of 45–67 years old (average ± 56) who were treated because of UI in The Independent Public Health Care Centre named Primate Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in Sieradz in the rehabilitation ward. The patients were divided into two groups – 15 people each. In the first group participants were tested by magnetostimulation and they were doing pelvic floor muscle exercises. In the second group they were only doing pelvic floor muscle exercises.The patients have been surveyed twice, before and after 3 weeks therapy. In the study two different questionnaires (A and B) were used. They were based on Gaudenza questionnaire. Results. According to the analysis of survey data, these are the following results. In the first group improvement concerned: reduction in the frequency of UI episodes and frequency of urination, less amount of „urine loss” and UI intensity based on daily physical acivity, extending the time of the ability to control urination and better quality of life tested women. In the second group an improvement has been noticed according to subjective patient’s feelings. All data analysis results from questionnaires were not statistically significant.

Conclusions. From the analysis of the results, the following conclusions have been drawn: 1. Combination therapy of magnetostimulation with pelvic floor exercises causes more beneficial effect than applying only exercises. 2. Subjective assessment of participants on how to improve ailments connected with UI, speaks in favour of therapy with the use of magnetic field stimulation. 3. The most common type of incontinence amoung tested women after menopause was the effort one. 4. Therapy with 3–weeks programme of magnetic field stimulation increases the level of satisfaction and improves well-being of poople with UI.

Key words:

urinary incontinence, magnetostimulation, menopause, physiotherapy