It is one of the most common problems patients are too embarrassed to mention, and one of the most treatable. Urinary incontinence, the involuntary leaking of urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze, lift, or exercise, affects a large share of adults, especially women after childbirth and both men and women as they age. Most people quietly manage it with pads and avoidance, assuming the only real fix is surgery or a lifetime of Kegel exercises they never quite keep up with.
There is a better option. At Bromberg Chiropractic, we offer Emsella, a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment that strengthens the entire pelvic floor while you sit, fully clothed, on a specialized chair. This post explains what Emsella is, who it helps, and what to expect.
Why the Pelvic Floor Matters
The pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles that stretches across the base of your pelvis. It supports the bladder, bowel, and (in women) the uterus, and it plays a central role in continence, controlling the flow of urine and stool. Like any muscle group, the pelvic floor can weaken.
Common causes of pelvic floor weakness include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth, which stretch and strain these muscles, sometimes significantly. (See our post on pregnancy chiropractic care for related support during pregnancy.)
- Aging and hormonal changes, particularly around menopause.
- Prostate surgery in men, a frequent cause of post-surgical incontinence.
- Chronic strain from heavy lifting, chronic coughing, or constipation.
- Excess weight, which increases pressure on the pelvic floor.
When these muscles weaken, they can no longer reliably close off the urethra under pressure, and leaking results.
The Problem With Kegels Alone
The standard advice for pelvic floor weakness is to do Kegel exercises, voluntarily contracting the pelvic floor muscles. Kegels genuinely work, but with two big caveats. First, most people do them incorrectly, contracting the wrong muscles or holding their breath and bearing down, which can make things worse. Second, even done correctly, you can only contract these muscles so many times and so strongly through conscious effort. Building real strength requires hundreds of strong, full contractions, which is more than almost anyone manages consistently.
How Emsella Works
Emsella uses High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology. When you sit on the chair, it generates a focused electromagnetic field that penetrates the pelvic floor and triggers deep, supramaximal muscle contractions, contractions far stronger and more complete than you could produce voluntarily.
Here is the number that makes the difference: a single 28-minute Emsella session produces thousands of pelvic floor contractions. That is the equivalent of doing many thousands of perfect Kegels in under half an hour, without the technique problems and without the effort. Over a course of treatments, this rebuilds the strength, endurance, and neuromuscular control of the pelvic floor.
What a Session Is Like
This is one of the easiest treatments we offer. You sit, fully clothed, on the Emsella chair. During the 28-minute session you feel a tingling and a rhythmic contraction in the pelvic floor; many patients read, check their phone, or simply relax. There is no pain, no preparation, and no recovery time. You walk out and resume your day immediately.
A typical treatment course is six sessions scheduled over about three weeks (usually two per week). Many patients begin to notice improvement partway through the course, with results continuing to build over the weeks that follow as the muscles strengthen.
Who Emsella Helps
Emsella is a strong option for:
- Women with stress incontinence (leaking with laughing, sneezing, coughing, or exercise), especially after childbirth.
- Women with urge incontinence (sudden, hard-to-control urges).
- Men experiencing incontinence after prostate surgery.
- Postmenopausal women dealing with pelvic floor weakening.
- Anyone wanting to improve pelvic floor strength and the core stability and intimate wellness that come with it.
Because it is non-invasive and requires no downtime, Emsella is suitable for people who are not candidates for surgery or who simply want to avoid it. As with any treatment, we begin with a consultation to confirm it is appropriate for you and to rule out conditions that need different management.
A Word on Dignity
I want to say this plainly because so many patients suffer in silence: incontinence is common, it is not your fault, and it is not something you simply have to accept as part of aging or motherhood. The avoidance it creates, skipping the trampoline with your kids, mapping every bathroom before a trip, declining the workout class, quietly shrinks your life. Effective, dignified treatment exists.
Take the First Step
If bladder leaks or pelvic floor weakness are affecting your confidence or your daily life, you owe it to yourself to learn whether Emsella is right for you. Contact Bromberg Chiropractic for a private, no-pressure consultation. We have helped many patients across Cambridge and Greater Boston regain control and get back to living without a second thought.
