Let’s Talk About It: Incontinence, Aging, and Getting Your Confidence Back

Understanding Incontinence and Why It Happens

Incontinence affects millions of women—but that doesn’t mean it’s normal or something you just have to “live with.” Whether it’s a light leak when you sneeze, a sudden urge that’s hard to control, or nighttime interruptions, incontinence is a sign that your pelvic floor, bladder, or nervous system needs support.

There are several types of urinary incontinence:

Stress incontinence: leakage with physical exertion (coughing, laughing, exercise)
Urge incontinence: sudden, strong urge to urinate, often without warning
Mixed incontinence: a combination of stress and urge
Overflow or functional incontinence: due to bladder emptying issues or mobility challenges

For many women, the root cause isn’t just one thing. It could be related to hormone shifts during menopause, childbirth injuries, weakened pelvic floor muscles, chronic constipation, or even nerve damage. But no matter the cause, the result is often the same: embarrassment, frustration, and avoiding activities you love

Why Incontinence Happens: A Breakdown of the Root Causes

Urinary incontinence doesn’t just happen out of the blue—it’s usually the result of gradual changes in your body’s structure, hormone levels, or muscle function over time. Understanding why it happens is the first step toward finding a solution that works for you.
1. Pelvic Floor Weakness

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissue that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. When these muscles are weakened—often from pregnancy, childbirth, aging, or lack of exercise—they can no longer support the bladder or urethra effectively. This makes leaks more likely during any kind of pressure on the abdomen, like laughing, sneezing, or lifting something heavy.

2. Hormonal Shifts (Especially During Menopause)

Estrogen isn’t just about reproduction—it helps maintain the strength and elasticity of the tissues lining your bladder and urethra. As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause and menopause, these tissues thin and become less resilient. This loss of support makes it harder to hold urine and can contribute to both stress and urge incontinence.

3. Nerve Dysfunction

The bladder and urethral muscles rely on signals from the nervous system to function properly. Neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis, diabetes, spinal injuries, or even chronic inflammation can interrupt these signals, leading to urge incontinence or difficulty emptying the bladder fully (overflow incontinence).

4. Pregnancy and Childbirth Trauma

Pregnancy places significant strain on the pelvic floor, and vaginal deliveries can stretch or even tear pelvic tissues and nerves. This trauma may not cause immediate symptoms but can resurface years later, especially after hormonal changes or physical stressors.

5. Chronic Straining and Pressure

Conditions like chronic constipation, heavy lifting, or frequent coughing (as seen in smokers) increase intra-abdominal pressure, which places stress on the pelvic organs. Over time, this repetitive strain can weaken the muscles and ligaments that help maintain bladder control.

6. Obesity and Excess Abdominal Weight

Extra weight increases pressure on the bladder and surrounding tissues, which makes leaks more likely—especially during movement or physical activity. Even modest weight loss can make a meaningful difference. Research shows that losing just 10% of your body weight can reduce urinary incontinence episodes by up to 50% in overweight women. This makes healthy weight management one of the most effective lifestyle changes for improving bladder control and reducing the frequency of leaks.

7. Medications and Lifestyle Factors

Certain medications (like diuretics, sedatives, or muscle relaxants), caffeine, alcohol, and even dehydration can affect bladder function. They may increase urgency or frequency, or reduce your body’s ability to respond appropriately to bladder signals.

Treatment Options That Actually Work

The good news? Incontinence is treatable, and you don’t need to rely solely on pads, pills, or surgery. Today’s solutions are more advanced, holistic, and tailored to the root causes—rather than just covering up symptoms.

Here are some of the most effective, non-invasive treatment options available at A New You Women’s Clinic:

1. EmpowerRF™: Strengthen, Restore, and Reclaim Control

We specialize in the Empower platform, which uses three technologies that can be used alone or combined based on your needs:

VTone: Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) that retrains and strengthens your pelvic floor muscles—like a workout for your bladder.
FormaV: Gentle radiofrequency therapy that improves tissue tone, circulation, and nerve sensitivity—ideal for vaginal laxity and mild stress incontinence.
Morpheus8V: Fractional RF microneedling that promotes collagen remodeling and deep tissue rejuvenation for more advanced support.

These treatments are:

Non-surgical and comfortable
Done in-office with no downtime
Effective for most women in just a few sessions

We customize your Empower plan based on your symptoms, hormone status, and pelvic floor strength.

2. Hormone Optimization

If you’re post-menopausal or in perimenopause, hormone changes may be a big part of your symptoms. Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT), especially with estrogen, can restore tissue integrity, reduce urgency, and strengthen the urethra and bladder neck. At A New You Women’s Clinic, we specialize in hormone optimization that aligns with your whole-body wellness—not just symptom relief.

3. Pelvic Floor Retraining

Even if you’ve been told to “do your Kegels,” many women don’t know how to do them properly—or consistently. We offer referrals to pelvic floor physical therapists or provide guided support in strengthening and coordinating those muscles effectively.

4. Lifestyle & Functional Medicine Support

Because incontinence is rarely just one issue, we also look at:

Diet: Reducing bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners
Hydration: Supporting bladder health without under-drinking (which can worsen urgency)
Weight management: Helping reduce pressure on the bladder
Gut health: Addressing chronic constipation that puts stress on pelvic structures
Stress management: Reducing urgency that can be triggered by anxious bladder patterns

Our functional approach means we don’t just treat the symptom—we address the entire system.

You’re Not Alone—And You’re Not Broken

If you’re dealing with incontinence, it can feel isolating. Many women suffer in silence, planning their days around restroom access, skipping workouts, or avoiding intimacy—not because they want to, but because their body doesn’t feel reliable anymore.

Let’s change that narrative.

You’re not broken. You’re not destined to live this way. And you’re certainly not the only one.

There are advanced, empowering options available—many of which are available right here in your community.