Bladder and bowel
Leaks and urgency, handled in private
Care for leaking, sudden urges, getting up in the night, constipation and straining.
Leaks and rushing to the bathroom are common, and you do not have to live with them quietly. Pelvic floor muscles, breathing, posture and habits all play a part, and each can be looked at.
This care is for you if
You leak when you cough, sneeze, laugh, lift or run
A sudden urge comes and you do not always make it in time
You plan your day around where the bathrooms are
Constipation or straining is part of most days
What a visit looks like
Who treats you
Wilhelmina Griffin, a licensed physical therapist, at every visit.
What happens
You talk through your day and your habits, fully clothed. Then she looks at how you breathe, sit, stand and move.
How long
A first visit lasts about an hour, and you leave knowing what to try first.
What Wilhelmina does
Talks through your day
When it happens, what you drink and eat, how you sit on the toilet, and what you have tried.
Shows what the muscles do
Many people squeeze when the muscles need to let go. She helps you tell which one you need.
Exercises that fit your body
Strengthening, relaxing or both, in the order that suits you.
Small habit changes
Timing, posture and breathing that make the bathroom easier.
A plan to practice
A short routine, checked and changed at each visit.
Before you book
What decides how many visits
How many visits you need depends on what is behind the leaks or urgency, how long you have had them, your habits and your goals. Wilhelmina reviews the plan with you as you go.
Who treats you
Wilhelmina Griffin is a licensed physical therapist in Wisconsin. You see her at every visit.
About WilhelminaHow it is paid for
Most PPO plans and Medicare are billed, and you can pay yourself with a written estimate first.
How fees workWhen to see a doctor first
Blood in your urine or stool, a fever with burning when you pee, or any new loss of bladder or bowel control needs a doctor now. Numbness between your legs that comes on suddenly is an emergency.
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, a sudden severe headache or pain, new weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a fall with a head injury needs emergency care now. Call 911.
Questions about this care
Is this just part of having children or getting older?
It is common, and common is not the same as something you have to accept. Wilhelmina looks at what is behind it in your body.
Do I have to squeeze all the time?
No. For many people the work is learning to let go, and she checks which one you need before she gives you an exercise.
Will I need an internal exam?
Only if you choose one, after she explains what it is for. Many visits do not include one.
Ready to ask?
Send a message or book a time. You can tell us the name and pronouns you would like us to use.