Urinary incontinence: the impact on the lives of affected women and the significance of physiotherapy treatment

Abstract

Objective: To verify the urinary incontinence impact on the lives of the affected women; the reason why they seek for late physiotherapeutic treatment, and what the meaning of physiotherapy is concerning the disease.

Materials and Methods: Descriptive-exploratory qualitative study, whose data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews based on guiding questions, conducted over the period of May to July 2013 with women diagnosed with urinary incontinence, established by medical expert and then referred to physiotherapeutic treatment in a School Clinic. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed with the Bardin-content analysis method.

Results: Most of the interviewees demonstrated being unaware of physical therapy treatment; they also took time to see a doctor as they considered it was something "normal", associated with the aging process. Embarrassment and discomfort are feelings described by the women affected by urine loss. Adequate therapeutic exercising program reduced the loss of urine, which led to an improvement of this symptom and enhanced their overall well-being.

Conclusion: Urinary incontinence has a negative impact on the lives of affected women, modifying daily behavior by imposing restrictions, compromising even their social lives. They live for a long time with the problem by considering Urinary Incontinence to be a factor associated with the aging process and the lack of knowledge of therapeutic options such as physical therapy.