Changes to bladder function can become more noticeable at different stages of life, particularly during perimenopause and menopause. You may find yourself needing to urinate more frequently, experiencing greater urgency or noticing small leaks when coughing, sneezing, exercising or laughing.
At Pure Perfection, intimate health concerns are approached sensitively and without embarrassment. Urinary changes can have several causes, so understanding your symptoms is important before deciding whether treatment may be appropriate or whether further medical assessment is needed.
What Are Urinary Changes?
Urinary changes describe differences in how your bladder and urinary system normally behave. These can include needing to urinate more frequently, a sudden or difficult-to-control urge to go, waking during the night to use the toilet or experiencing urinary leakage.
Some women notice stress urinary incontinence, where small amounts of urine leak when pressure is placed on the bladder through coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise.
These symptoms are common, but that does not mean they should simply be accepted as an inevitable part of getting older.
What Causes Urinary Changes?
There are many possible causes of urinary symptoms. Pregnancy and childbirth can affect the pelvic floor and supporting tissues, while ageing can contribute to changes in muscle strength and tissue quality.
During perimenopause and menopause, falling oestrogen levels can also affect the tissues of the vagina, vulva, bladder and urethra. These changes are associated with genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM, and can contribute to urinary urgency, frequency and recurrent urinary symptoms alongside vaginal dryness and discomfort.
Urinary changes can also be associated with urinary tract infections, certain medications and other medical conditions. New, persistent or worsening symptoms therefore need appropriate assessment rather than automatically being attributed to menopause.
Treatments for Urinary Changes at Pure Perfection
The appropriate treatment depends on the type of urinary change you are experiencing and what is contributing to it.
Intimate Health
Pure Perfection offers personalised intimate health treatment for women experiencing changes associated with the intimate tissues, including those that can develop during perimenopause and menopause.
Treatment is considered following consultation, allowing us to understand your symptoms and establish whether changes in tissue quality, laxity or hormonal ageing may be contributing.
Radiofrequency Tightening
Radiofrequency treatment uses controlled energy to gently heat the intimate tissues, stimulating collagen production and supporting tissue remodelling. It may be considered where reduced tissue quality and laxity are contributing to intimate health concerns.
Not all urinary symptoms are suitable for aesthetic or intimate health treatment. Where symptoms suggest another cause, we may recommend assessment by your GP or an appropriate healthcare professional before proceeding.
FAQs
Are urinary changes common during menopause?
Yes. Hormonal changes can affect the tissues surrounding the vagina, urethra and bladder, contributing to symptoms such as urgency and frequency. However, urinary symptoms can have several causes, so assessment remains important.
Why do I leak urine when I cough, sneeze or exercise?
This is known as stress urinary incontinence. It occurs when increased pressure on the bladder leads to leakage, often because the pelvic floor and supporting structures are not providing sufficient support.
Can radiofrequency treatment help urinary changes?
Radiofrequency treatment may be considered for some intimate health concerns associated with changes in tissue quality and laxity. Suitability depends on your individual symptoms, and it is not an appropriate treatment for every cause of urinary problems.
Are urinary changes always caused by menopause?
No. Although menopause can contribute, urinary changes may also be associated with pregnancy and childbirth, pelvic floor changes, urinary tract infections, medications and other medical conditions.
When should I seek medical advice about urinary symptoms?
Seek medical assessment for new, persistent or worsening urinary symptoms, particularly if you experience pain or burning when urinating, blood in the urine, difficulty emptying your bladder, recurrent infections or other unexplained changes.