The Emsella Chair May Be Your Answer to Managing Urinary Incontinence

By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder

Urinary incontinence, a loss of bladder control that ranges from small leaks to not being able to make it to the bathroom in time, becomes more common as we age. It affects women more than men. By some estimates, more than half of older women experience it at some point, while the share among men is smaller but still significant. The most common form, where leakage happens when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or exert yourself, is called stress incontinence. The sudden, urgent need to go, sometimes with leakage before you reach the bathroom, is called urge incontinence. Either one can take a real toll on your quality of life.

Incontinence is not a "normal part" of aging.

Bladder control problems are usually a symptom of something else rather than an inevitable part of getting older. In women, they often trace to pelvic floor muscles weakened by pregnancy and childbirth, or to the hormonal changes of menopause. In men, urinary symptoms are frequently linked to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the medical term for an enlarged prostate, which affects roughly half of men in their 50s and the majority by their 60s and beyond. Symptoms in men can also stem from prostatitis, which is inflammation or pain involving the prostate and surrounding muscles, or from surgery to remove the prostate, often due to prostate cancer. Other contributors in both women and men include certain medications, obesity, constipation, some foods and beverages, infections such as UTIs, and neurological conditions.

Some people choose surgery or other procedures to manage incontinence. Others start with lifestyle measures, including exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, known as Kegel exercises.

There is also a non-invasive, FDA-cleared option now more widely available: the Emsella Chair, which pH Labs offers at its Encinitas and Sherman Oaks locations. (It's the same treatment the actress Drew Barrymore has talked about on her show.) "FDA-cleared" means the device passed the agency's review for its intended use, which is the treatment of urinary incontinence.

The Emsella Chair delivers electromagnetic energy that triggers roughly 11,000 pelvic floor muscle contractions over a 28- to 30-minute session, far more than you could perform on your own. Because the energy reaches the whole pelvic floor, it can activate muscles that are hard to isolate with voluntary Kegels. During the session some people can feel the muscles working, and you may notice a tingling sensation, but it is not painful. You stay fully dressed and can read, relax, listen to music, or chat with a friend. There is no recovery time, so you can return to your day right away.

The Emsella Chair is designed for men and women whose incontinence comes from a weak or under-conditioned pelvic floor: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and the urgency, frequency, and waking at night to urinate that often go with them. For men, the strongest fit is stress incontinence, particularly the leaking that can follow prostate surgery. It's worth being clear about what it does not do. It does not relieve the obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate, and it is not the right tool for prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain, which usually involve too much pelvic floor tension rather than too little. Those conditions need their own evaluation, and adding more contractions can be counterproductive. If you aren't sure which pattern you have, that's exactly what an assessment is for.

In the clinical studies behind its clearance, most patients reported meaningful improvement in their symptoms and quality of life, with many noticing a difference within the first few sessions. A typical course is six sessions over about three weeks, with maintenance sessions every one to six months depending on your results.

The chair may also help some people whose reduced sexual response or erectile difficulty is specifically tied to weak pelvic floor muscles. This is a less-established use, and erectile dysfunction has many possible causes, so it's worth discussing with a clinician rather than assuming the chair is the answer.

A note on safety: the Emsella Chair is not appropriate if you are pregnant, or if you have a pacemaker, defibrillator, or other electronic implant. It is also contraindicated if you have metal near the pelvis, including a copper IUD or coil, or a metal hip replacement, plate, or screw, because the electromagnetic field can heat metal. Hormonal IUDs such as Mirena are plastic and generally fine. If you've recently had pelvic, abdominal, or spinal surgery, wait for your doctor's clearance. In all cases, check with a qualified health practitioner before starting treatment.

Nutrition's role in managing incontinence.

Whatever treatment you use, don't overlook nutrition. Good food and a sound diet are cornerstones of health, and they can support your incontinence care too.

Obesity is one example of a diet-related contributor. Extra weight puts pressure on the bladder and strains the pelvic floor and surrounding structures, and it can aggravate both stress and urge incontinence. Obesity also raises the risk of diabetes, which can damage nerves and weaken immune defenses, both of which can feed into incontinence.

Constipation is another. Much like extra weight, a full or obstructed bowel reduces the room your bladder has to expand as it fills, which can lead to leakage or reduced control.

A good first step is to check your nutritional status, which helps ensure your body has what it needs to manage weight and defend against issues like UTIs. Talk with a qualified practitioner about a comprehensive nutrient test. Checking your vitamin D is worthwhile, since there is some evidence that low vitamin D may contribute to incontinence. With results in hand, you can address any deficiencies or imbalances.

Some people find that particular foods irritate the bladder or act as diuretics, including caffeine, carbonated drinks, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, spicy foods, chocolate, and citrus. If you suspect a trigger, including gluten if you're sensitive to it, it's reasonable to test removing it and see whether symptoms change. And make sure you drink enough water. I know that sounds backwards if you're trying to manage leakage, but it isn't: too little water concentrates your urine, which can irritate the bladder.

Finally, review your current medications with your doctor, since some can cause or worsen urinary symptoms.

Enjoy your healthy life!