Dublin -- October 9, 2007 -- The Maher Sports and Wellness Centre opens today offering a comprehensive range of health services including Physiotherapy, Sports Injury treatments and Women’s Health using state of the art equipment and techniques including Biofeedback, Electromyography, Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging and Dry Needling to help diagnose and treat problems.

This opening marks the arrival in Ireland of an important new therapy program – a unique non-pharmacological, non invasive approach in the treatment of urinary incontinence. The truth is, this uncomfortable condition is treatable and surgery is not the only option. The Maher Method of Effective Bladder ControlSM is the first multimodality approach of its kind to offer hope to patients who don’t want their bladder to control them.

It is estimated that 800,000 people in Ireland suffer from urinary incontinence (UI), an insidious medical condition that can seriously reduce the quality of your life. If “leakage” occurs when an individual laughs, coughs, sneezes or exercises they probably have a condition known as genuine stress urinary incontinence. Those who frequent the restroom and have problems emptying their bladder could have urinary frequency, urgency or mixed urinary incontinence. Although, most people associate loss of bladder control to old age, it is not a normal or natural part of aging. UI knows no bounds - it affects all ages - male and female.  

 

Dr. Ruth Maher, MISCP, PT, MPT, DPT, BCIA-PMDB, CEAS and Clinical Director of Maher Sports and Wellness Centre, developed The Maher Method of Effective Bladder ControlSM (patent pending) to treat urinary incontinence through an innovative treatment that involves no drugs or surgery. The Maher Method teaches patients to reclaim control of the muscles that manage bladder function through physical therapy, exercise and technological advancements. The Maher Method utilises Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging (RUSI) to produce images of internal organs and muscle structures on a video screen. This harmless, non-invasive procedure provides the patients with visual biofeedback to emphasise how to properly contract the muscles of their pelvic floor, synergistic muscles and re-train weakened muscles. “Humans are visual learners. Over 90 percent of patients with stress urinary incontinence completing The Maher Method achieve complete resolution of bladder control problems because they learn independently how to strengthen their pelvic muscles,” says Dr. Maher. RTUS, a medical tool used widely in obstetrics, provides patients with an inside look at their pelvic floor muscles at work. The technology allows Dr. Maher to evaluate muscle activation affecting the bladder. In addition to the ultrasound, electromyography is used to augment the patient’s learning experience. Supplemental techniques including whole body vibration (WBV), electrical stimulation and behavior modification may also be applied to enhance muscle function and to alleviate related problems, such as lower back pain.

Urinary incontinence involves lack of bladder control. There are several forms of the condition. Stress incontinence causes leakage when the patient exercises, sneezes or laughs. Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, causes urine leakage at the first sign of needing to void – usually due to involuntary bladder contractions. Overflow incontinence, in which leakage occurs without warning, is usually the result of a medical condition or nervous system complications. Some people suffer from a combination of these conditions. The Maher Method offers patients a stronger and more reliable way to treat the various forms of incontinence. Other medical treatments, such as pharmaceuticals or even surgery, do not address the major cause of urinary stress incontinence – improper muscular function.

A course of six to eight sessions is usually all that is needed to complete treatment with The Maher Method. This rehabilitative program has successfully cured many patients, allowing them to return to routine activities they previously enjoyed, such as exercising and even laughing without fear of leakage. The Maher Method focuses on long-term effectiveness and promotes healing in a non-invasive procedure. With high success rates, the advancements in treating urinary incontinence with The Maher Method are increasing the hope for women and men in restoring their quality of life. “Most patients notice an immediate difference after the first treatment,” states Dr. Maher. “When patients gain control of their pelvic floor muscles, they have a better chance for lasting success.” One 22-year old patient suffered from troubling urge incontinence. After her treatment with Dr. Maher, the symptoms disappeared and she no longer wears pads or has accidents. A 28-year old patient requested therapy to address her need to urinate 30 times a day. After undergoing treatment, The Maher Method brought her frequency down to 4-5 times daily. Dr. Maher has also seen patients who have suffered from incontinence for decades, including a 47-year old patient who was back to her daily routine after only six sessions.

The Maher Sports and Wellness Centre is an outpatient rehabilitation center which focuses on administering clinically efficacious approaches to musculoskeletal and neuromuscular impairments. The facility is located at 2 Berkeley Road, Dublin 7, and is the only facility in the nation to offer The Maher Method of Effective Bladder ControlSM.  The Maher Sports and Wellness Centre is also an Anodyne® Neuropathy Care Center providing low level laser treatment to restore sensation in those who have diabetic peripheral neuropathy.  The Maher Sports and Wellness Centre offers integrated programs including fall prevention and interventions for those with osteoporosis. Treatments are determined based upon a collaborative approach with the individual’s physician and the results of a comprehensive consultation and evaluation. For more information visit our website at www.maherPT.ie