EMS for pelvic floor muscles strengthening and coordination

Let’s be honest.

Many of you in your early to mid-40s, especially with postpartum or excess weight, may begin to notice a slight bulge, light ache, or burning sensation near the vaginal opening. The situation, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), often leads to pelvic organ prolapse, stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and reduced core strength. 

While ignoring it can intensify your health condition, general training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) can give you relief. If you’re the one who doesn’t want any surgical interference that carries recurrence risks, EMS can help you out in the early stage of PFD.

So, let’s start with the very first question that you may have now.

What Is Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) Pelvic Floor Therapy?

A highly effective and non-invasive treatment, Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), or Pelvic Floor Electrical Stimulation (PFES), aims to fix your pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). In this therapy, gentle, low-grade, safe electrical impulses are passed through your vagina to stimulate a set of muscles or nerves connected to your pelvic area. 

You may notice the effect after the first 2-3 sessions, as it becomes easier to feel and engage pelvic muscles that were previously difficult to contract.

Clinical studies have shown that patients with SUI experienced about a 32.7% cure rate with EMS therapy. And, many others reported noticeable improvement in PFD control and symptoms.

However, based on your pelvic diagnosis, you may be asked to treat with any of these pelvic floor EMS therapies, which are:

• Surface Electrical Stimulation

• Intravaginal/Intra-anal Electrical Stimulation (IVES)

• Extravaginal/Electromagnetic Therapy (HIFEM)

What are the Signs and Symptoms that Indicate PFD and the Need for an EMS Therapy?

So, before you visit a physiotherapist to take EMS therapy to treat incontinence, be well aware of warning signs of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). Don’t ignore your condition, if you see even a single symptom of them, which are listed below:

• Stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence during exercises, laughing, sneezing, or lifting weights 

• Bowel incontinence and chronic constipation 

• Increased sexual discomfort due to weak muscle response

• Injury from sports, surgery, work, or during childbirth

• Postpartum and prenatal pelvic floor weakness

• • Mild pelvic organ prolapse or a feeling of a bulge out of vagina

• Vulva pain and fecal incontinence

How does an Electrical stimulation Pelvic Floor Therapy Work?

EMS therapy starts under a professional physiotherapist who first assesses your current condition of pelvic health. The primary assessment helps them understand if you’re a right fit for this treatment. 

Your physiotherapist will ask you to lie or sit to insert a soft probe in your vagina. In some cases, a self-adhesive electrode can be used as well. 

Just don’t get nervous. This therapeutic session will be smoothly finished within just 20-30 minutes. During the session, you won’t feel pain as the probe insertion will feel like placing a small tampon into your vagina. And, forget getting uncomfortable, as you’ll be fully clothed throughout. Imagine you’re going through the process while watching your favourite series. And, most importantly, the series of sessions is mostly completed within 6-8 treatments over a few weeks

At least, we’ve seen this exactly in our clinic, Get Back Physiotherapy. Feel free to take a trial session with us at our women’s pelvic floor physiotherapy in Mississauga.

Who Can Benefit from Electrical Muscle Stimulation(EMS) Pelvic Floor Therapy?

We’re often asked who is ideal for EMS treatment. As women often get affected by pelvic floor dysfunction, vaginal EMS therapy helps them. However, men affected with PFD can also get treatment with rectum EMS therapy to restore muscle contraction and coordination.

While EMS therapy helps improve continence after radical prostatectomy or vaginal delivery in women, men can also benefit from enhanced urethral closure and erectile function.

What are the Expected Benefits of EMS Therapy? 

Studies show that the Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) significantly fixes Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), the most common PFD, in middle-aged or elderly women. In this study, a group of 885 women’s cases is analyzed and drafted. And, the results speak for themselves while showing the significant improvement as given here:

• 95% of women’s pelvic floors strengthen

• 95% of women’s symptoms are controlled

• 95% of women’s quality of life gets better

Who Should Avoid Pelvic Floor EMS Therapy and Why?

EMS therapy for incontinence offers several benefits from managing chronic pelvic floor treatment to improving PFD symptoms. However, certain individuals must avoid it with extreme caution. You should consider, if you have​

• A planning of pregnancy

• Postpartum condition until the next six weeks or with C-section delivery until after twelve weeks

• Seizure or epilepsy and dementia conditions

• Uncontrolled hemorrhagic and haemophilia disorders

• Active implants of a pacemaker

• Recent radiation therapy

• Infection, TB, osteomyelitis

• The presence of fresh postoperative scars

• Recent injury or fracture in muscles or bones

• Undiagnosed pain in the pelvic area

• Abnormal smear results

• Nickel allergy (it’s applicable in electrode insertion)

However, it’s always advisable to communicate with your doctor before making an informed decision. If your doctor gives the go-ahead, be confident to move forward.

What to Expect After Electrical Stimulation Treatment (Recovery & Results Timeline)?

We know you’re hoping for a quick recovery result.​

But being honest, we can tell you that the effectiveness of an EMS therapy depends on the stage of your pelvic floor dysfunction. While some might experience a minimal recovery time, others may find it’s longer than usual. Your progress typically depends on the severity, adherence to the doctor, and combination with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT).

However, to monitor your improvement and do necessary adjustments, you’re suggested to often appear in the clinic within 2-4 weeks of consistent treatment. It may extend upon the stage of improvement.

Final Thought  

EMS therapy is designed to naturally trigger a set of muscles or nerves in your pelvic area so that you can regenerate damaged innervation at your will. While this therapy can be done at either clinic or at home, the supervision of a specialist is always required.

And, if you want safety, privacy, and professionalism throughout the session, you can book your appointment with Get Back Physiotherapy anytime.