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Urinary incontinence is a consequence of the loss of tonicity of the muscles of the pelvic sphere, which no longer fulfill their role as a barrier. To help patients who suffer from it, an application that combines yoga postures, breathing exercises and meditation works these muscles and seems to give good results.
The app Yoga of ImmortalsYoga des Immortels in French, is a mobile application that brings together yoga postures and other breathing and meditation exercises for people suffering from urinary leakage problems.
This application has been studied by researchers, because its treatments are difficult to follow and the application could be a solution.
A questionnaire sent to the users of the application
The problem of incontinence particularly affects women, it is even frequent because it is estimated between 25 and 45% the number of women who suffer from it with a strong impact on their social life and their activities.
In this study, published in the journal Urologythe researchers sent a survey to people who subscribed to the app to identify those who experienced loss of bladder control of different types (leakage of urine due to inability to reach the toilet in time or loss of urine after sneezing, coughing or laughing, for example).
The 258 subscribers from 23 countries aged between 18 and 74, mostly women between the ages of 18 and 44, received questionnaires at four weeks and eight weeks to report on the improvement in their condition.
The researchers then assessed their responses using specific questionnaires and the Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale, which measures the subjective effectiveness of the therapy.
76% of patients “feel better” after four weeks
Researchers found that 76% of respondents felt “much better” after four weeks, with significant improvement in the frequency and severity of urine leakage.
Several participants even reported continued improvement after eight weeks. Those with more severe leaks reported the greatest improvement in daily activity and quality of life, and most study participants felt “much better” at the end of the study.
“Quick and easy to follow sessions”
The Yoga of Immortals application therefore has several advantages with “easy, safe, effective and convenient daily 30-minute application sessions as they can be done anytime and anywhere“.
The authors write that “the app has the potential to increase treatment adherence and can be used to complement other treatments. And because of its convenience, flexibility and effectiveness, the app can improve access to care and serve as a frontline treatment for women and men with urinary incontinence. It is an easily accessible self-management treatment“.
However, further studies are needed totest the effectiveness of the application in improving this condition in the long term“add the scientists.
Existing treatments that are binding
Various medical and surgical treatments exist to counter this problem of urinary leakage. This may include taking medication, physical therapy to re-muscle the pelvic floor, or surgery.
But according to the authors of this work, “less than 20% of patients choose to treat themselves, because of the constraints that this imposes”.
For Hari Tunuguntla, lead author of the study and associate professor of urologic surgery at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Canada”although these treatments are effective, they have many limitations: the drugs have poor compliance and potentially significant side effects; patients often lack the knowledge to identify specific pelvic muscles and the motivation to undergo physical therapy. Additionally, the surgical procedures are invasive with potential complications.”.