Biofeedback Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Voiding Dysfunction and Overactive Bladder

Abstract

Objective: Biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) has been widely used in treatment of stress urinary incontinence, idiopathic detrusor overactivity, learned dysfunctional voiding and chronic pelvic pain. Only limited data have been reported on this treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction in adults. This study used PFMT to treat a group of patients with symptoms of OAB or voiding dysfunction due to poor relaxation of the urethral sphincter or pelvic floor muscles. Materials and Methods: All patients were treated with a standard 12-week step by step program which included instruction in voiding physiology, identification of the pelvic floor muscles, correct contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, increase in endurance of the pelvic floor muscles, and a continuing program at home. The symptomatic improvement and uroflowmetry parameters were compared between baseline and post-PFMT. Results: A total of 124 patients entered this study, but only 68 (55%) completed the program. Among these patients, 52 (76.3%) had symptomatic improvement. After PFMT, the maximum flow rate and voided volume all increased in both genders and in patients with OAB as well as those with voiding dysfunction. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that with a proper training program, 76.5% of patients with OAB and voiding dysfunction can achieve improvement in symptoms using biofeedback PFMT. The severity of frequency urgency symptoms can be reduced and voided volume and Qmax can be increased.