Innovo: the pelvic floor exerciser improving patients' bladder control

Did you know that one in three women, and one in 10 men, in Ireland suffer from bladder weakness, making it more common than hay fever, asthma or arthritis? These unwanted leaks often happen when exercising, coughing, laughing or sneezing. For many people, bladder weakness can seriously affect their quality of life, but safe, effective and clinically proven treatments are available.

Helen

Helen, from Mayo, lived with the problem for many years before seeking help.

“I was constantly worried about having leaks. When I would go out shopping I would make sure I knew where the nearest loo was, and I would carry a change of clothes with me in case I had an accident. If I went to a show or a concert I tried to get the seat nearest to the toilet. I used to wear pads to try and manage the problem, but I found them uncomfortable and irritating. It got so bad that I even didn’t want to go out sometimes, and I was too embarrassed to ask for help. After the menopause, the problem became even worse, and eventually I worked up the courage to speak to my GP’s practice nurse.

I recommend it to anyone who has this problem

“They referred me to Aoife Ni Eochaidh, chartered physiotherapist and clinical specialist in Women’s Health & Continence in Galway, and thanks to her and Innovo my life has been completely turned around. Aoife started me on some pelvic floor exercises, and then introduced me to Innovo. It’s like a pair of shorts that workout your pelvic floor muscles for you. I use it for a half an hour a day while I’m reading or on the phone – it’s like my 'me-time.' I find I have so much more control and I’m less worried about having leaks.

“Best of all, it’s given me confidence. I’m so conscious about other people who have this problem and might be embarrassed like I was, but it’s really important to know that there are experts like Aoife and products like Innovo that can make a real difference. I recommend it to anyone who has this problem.”

Seamus

Seamus, from the west of Ireland, started experiencing bladder weakness as a result of a prostate cancer surgery.

“I was totally incontinent. When I went anywhere, I had to have a travel bag with me day and night and, even then, I wet myself from time to time. I had no bladder control and became so frightened of going outside. I would go to the pub for a few pints with the lads because after a hard day’s work you want to relax, but there is nothing relaxing about wetting yourself in front of a room full of men. It was humiliating. Dealing with prostate cancer was hard enough, but then to have urinary incontinence was an additional struggle I found hard to cope with.

I feel like I have my life back

“I came across Innovo and it completely changed my life. I can now go out, wear my normal clothes and I am not constantly feeling down my trousers to see if I am all wet. I feel like I have my life back. I can do all the things I did before I had cancer, even visit the pub with my friends for a few pints.”

Aoife Ni Eochaidh

Aoife Ni Eochaidh uses Innovo with her patients in her clinic in the Bon Secours Consultant Clinic in Galway, and is an award-winning pelvic physiotherapist who is highly skilled, experienced and passionate about treating incontinence.

Aoife says; “Innovo is a fantastic device which delivers targeted and intensive neuro muscular electrical stimulation to the pelvic floor muscles and nerves.” This kind of therapy has been used successfully by pelvic physiotherapists treating urinary incontinence for many decades. Innovo is a new and improved evidence-based version of this pelvic floor therapy. It embraces the best of modern technology to successfully treat this very common, embarrassing and taboo health problem.

Aoife frequently uses neuro-muscular electrical stimulation in her clinic, when the patient’s pelvic floor muscles are so weak that they cannot contract them properly themselves. It is very important that the pelvic floor muscles are exercised correctly for optimal results. With Innovo, Aoife explains; "the pelvic floor muscles are contracted and relaxed perfectly 180 times in the half hour session when using the device. The patient can use Innovo at home - it is easy and pain free. A few positions can be used for therapy such as standing which is the most athletic, but Aoife cautions to remember that you cannot walk around while using it."

Many patients are in doubt as to whether they are doing their pelvic floor exercises correctly and this results in them not being inclined to do them at all.  With Innovo the patient will feel the normal muscle function and regain bladder control with ease.

Aoife says that her patients really like using Innovo, it is a modern technology which is non-invasive, easy to use and is pain-free, which gives her patients their quality of life back without fear of leaks.

Recommended by leading health care professionals in Ireland, Europe and the US, Innovo is suitable for use by women and men of all ages, and treats stress, urge and mixed incontinence in the privacy of your home.