Apps for Your Bladder and Pelvic Floor
Those suffering from urinary incontinence or overactive bladder (OAB), know how frustrating and embarrassing it can be. Constant trips to the bathroom and sudden leakage can make even routine schedules difficult. Those struggling with bladder control can be reluctant to leave the house, go on long trips, or be away from a bathroom for too long. These conditions can cause people to turn down social invitations, lose sleep, and even develop anxiety and depression. Luckily, with today's technology there are an increasing number of great tools that can be accessed directly from our phones.
Top Apps for Bladder Control
No matter what factors of bladder control a person is struggling with, whether it is leakage, sudden urges, or stress incontinence, here are a few bladder control apps that can help those with bladder control concerns take back control.
Bladder Diary Apps
For tracking fluid intake and voids, Vesica provides an organized, clean, and streamlined way to keep track of your bladder. The app’s design is based on a standard paper voiding diary.
With Vesica, you can record what you drink, including type and measurement,
document your output and identify bladder sensations from a pre-set list, with options like “did not need to go, went just in case” and “had urgency but got to the toilet before leaking.”
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, autopilot diary to quickly record all your (intentional or accidental) bathroom breaks, this app is your new best friend. You can also export and email PDFs of your diary, so if you’re working with a pelvic floor therapist or physician, you can send your diary directly to them.
iUFlow is a simple interface to help you track a fluid log and voiding diary.
iUFlow helps you:
· Record and measure liquid intake and output
· Rate leaking or urgency
The company that made iUFlow also sells a device to use along with the app, so you can get more accurate liquid measurements if precision is your thing. That said, plenty of people use the app without the device and you do not need to purchase anything to use the app.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Apps
Elvie is one of the best device based pelvic floor trainer to help learn how to properly contract and strengthen the pelvic floor. You do need to purchase the vaginal device to use with the app and it will take you through a series of interactive challenges in about 5 minutes. Patients can see real time biofeedback from app and track their progress.
Similar in concept to the Elvie, the Perifit is an app that works with a vaginal device that you would need to purchase in order to use the app correctly. The Perifit helps train your pelvic floor, but with Perifit you actually play games while doing coordinated kegel exercises to keep exercises a little more interesting!
Tat App is designed to help women struggling with stress incontinence. The app works as a coach to help women build up their pelvic floor muscles, which can be especially affected after childbirth. Users are guided through exercises that start off easy and become more challenging as they work through the program. Each exercise comes with graphs and illustrations to show women exactly how to do each workout. Users can also enjoy lifestyle advice, helpful tips, and notification reminders to help them keep up with their regular pelvic floor exercises.
Kegel Trainer PFM Exercises helps guide users through Kegel exercises to help build strength and stop sudden leakage. This app offers 10 different exercises to users and also allows them to set reminders if they are prone to forgetting their daily exercise.
Squeeze is an easy to use app designed to help women remember to do their pelvic floor muscle exercises. One of the few apps that can connect to your Apple watch to help with reminders.
Bathroom Finder App
Flush an interactive app that helps people quickly find the nearest restroom using Google maps technology. This app is excellent for those struggling with sudden, intense urges to urinate while away from home. Users can simply open the app and immediately locate nearby public restrooms. Additionally, the app will direct users there via GPS to take the stressful navigating out of getting to the restroom quickly.
Pregnancy and the Pelvic Floor App
Interactive app that guides patients through pregnancy and how to maintain the pelvic floor. Full of great information and education about the pelvic floor and associated challenges during pregnancy and after delivery. The app includes exercise instruction and reminders to help keep patients on track.
The app will also update through your pregnancy to deliver information at specific milestones to improve your knowledge and awareness at the right times.
Even for patients that are not pregnant, this app is worth a look for it's great education resources.