Leak-free with New Technology | MyHealthy Decisions

In this Women’s Health issue of MyHealthy Decisions, learn more about new treatments available at Bassett Medical Center for urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Strengthening Pelvic Muscles the Easy Way

“I thought it was normal — just something I had to deal with,” says Jennifer Moore, 44, of Cooperstown.

For several years, Moore noticed that when she laughed or sneezed, she would leak a tiny bit of urine. She also noticed that after resisting the urge to urinate for a long time, she did not always make it to the bathroom in time.

Moore did not realize she had a treatable condition that is very common for women. “I had not mentioned this problem to a doctor,” she says.

Her mother, Debbie, also had what the medical profession calls urinary incontinence.

“My mother needed surgery to correct a similar problem, which was more complicated because of a previous hysterectomy,” she says. “It was my mother who referred me to Dr. Badalian.”

Non-surgical Option

Moore did some research online and initially tried Kegel exercises, but they didn’t help. During the summer of 2019, Moore met with Dr. Badalian and learned that she was the perfect candidate for the BTL Emsella® chair, a non-surgical treatment option.

In November 2019, Moore had six, 28-minute treatments in the Emsella® chair, twice a week for three weeks. The chair is an FDA-cleared device that provides effective treatment for stress and urge incontinence. The chair transmits electromagnetic stimulation to the pelvic muscles, producing the equivalent of 11,000 contractions in 28 minutes of treatment.

Moore described the treatments this way: “It’s a weird feeling that is hard to describe. It doesn’t hurt. It feels like waves of motion. It starts off slow and increases in intensity. One sensation that is only one part of the whole experience feels like you are being snapped by a rubber band very lightly. It is not painful and you get used to it right away.”

‘It Worked’

Another advantage of this non-invasive treatment is that the patient receiving the treatment is fully clothed.

“I would bring my book to my treatments and read for 28 minutes,” Moore says.

Over the course of three weeks, Moore noticed “slight changes” in her ability to control her bladder. A couple of weeks after completing her six treatments, she says: “I have not worn a panty liner or had any accidents! It worked.”

Now that Moore is leak-free, she has talked to girlfriends, saying, “I did not realize this problem I had was so common.”

The BTL Emsella® chair, available at Bassett Medical Center’s women’s health clinic in Cooperstown, is not currently covered by insurance and costs $300 per treatment.

Samuel S. Badalian, MD, says Emsella chair therapy can be a good option for treating urinary incontinence for women and men.