If you have any symptoms or concerns about your health, always seek the advice of a doctor or other health professional who is qualified to assess your specific situation.
Glossary on Urinary Incontinence
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Biofeedback
A probe is inserted in the vagina and tracks muscle contraction and release while emitting a sonic or visual signal. This device helps women to be aware of control being exerted over pelvic floor muscles.
Bladder
Organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys prior to disposal by urination. Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra.
Cystitis
A urinary infection of the bladder.
Dysuria
Difficult or painful urination.
Electrostimulation
This method, often used with biofeedback, consists of electrical stimulation from an electrode inserted in the vagina that causes pelvic floor muscles to contract involuntarily. This technique helps keep women aware of pelvic floor muscle contractions.
Estrogens
Female hormone secreted by the ovaries. It is responsible for the development of typical female caracteristics and reproduction system. In menopause, the levels of estrogen drop significantly, leading to menopause-associated symptoms.
Gynecologist
A physician specializing in diseases that affects the female reproductive system. It involves the screening, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases specifically affecting a woman’s reproductive system.
Incontinence
Accidental loss of urine (urinary incontinence) or feces (fecal incontinence).
Kegel exercises
These exercises are used to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. They were developed by Dr. Kegel approximately 50 years ago.
For more information, click on Kegel Exercises.
Kidneys
Organs that filter waste from the body by converting it into urine.
Ligament
A band of tough flexible fibrous connective tissue. Its function is to link bones and articulations together and to keep an organ in position.
Menopause
Physiological stage in a woman’s life defined as the cessation of menses (amenorrhea) for twelve consecutive months due to decreasing ovarian function in the absence of other evident causes.
Mucous membrane
Mucus-secreting tissue lining the inside of many organs and body cavities (such as digestive tract, urinary tract, airways…).
Muscle
A muscle is made of fibrous tissue with the ability to contract, producing movement. It is attached to bones by tendons.
Pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is the group of muscles, ligaments and tissues that supports the main organs of the lower abdomen (bladder, uterus, intestine), over which pass the external canals (urethra, vagina and rectum). One function of the pelvic floor is to support the bladder to control urine flow. For your abdominal organs to function normally, your pelvic floor musculature must be strong and healthy. That is why it is important for women to maintain good internal muscle tone throughout their lives.
For more information, click on Your Pelvic Floor.
Pessary
A device that helps to maintain the bladder or uterus.
Tapes
During a surgical procedure, these fabric bands are inserted under the urethra and act as a hammock for the bladder to prevent leaking on exertion.
TVT
Tension-free Vaginal Tape (or TOT: Trans-Obturator Tape): A surgical procedure in which a tape is inserted under the urethral canal to support it during exertion and prevent it from opening.
Urethra
Canal through which urine is carried out of the body from the bladder.
Urinary incontinence
Involuntary and accidental loss of urine.
For more information, click on The Main Types of Urinary Incontinence.
Urinary stress incontinence
Involuntary leakage of a variable amount of urine during physical effort or exertion (such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting a heavy object). There is no sensation of a need to urinate before the loss of urine; they occur suddenly when physical exertion creates pressure on the abdomen.
For more information, click on Urinary Stress Incontinence.
Urination
Eliminating urine by emptying the bladder.
Urine
Fluid secreted by the kidneys. A person eliminates an average of 1 to 2 litres of urine a day.
Urodynamics
A series of tests to analyze bladder function.
Urologist
A physician specializing in disorders of the urinary tract system.
Vagina
The canal leading from the uterus to the vulva.
Vaginal cones
Vaginal cones – also known as vaginal weights – are small cones, identical in shape and size but of differing weights. Vaginal cone therapy consists of inserting a cone in the vagina starting with the lightest one, retaining it for 15 minutes twice a day, and replacing it with increasingly heavy cones as the pelvic floor muscles become stronger.
For more information, click on Vaginal Cones.
