Electrical stimulation for incontinence is a treatment option that does the hard work for you. While there are lots of treatments available to help with incontinence, many of them are time-consuming, invasive, expensive, or simply don’t do anything on their own. For example, many kegel trainers simply show you if you are squeezing or not.

Electrical stimulation has been around for over 50 years and is one of the oldest treatments besides using weights. What it does is act like your brain sending signals to the targeted muscles to contract, only it “talks” to the pelvic floor muscles directly.  Electrical stimulation has previously only been offered as a vaginal treatment until most recently. Now it can be found as an easy, non-invasive treatment option for incontinence that can help to tone your pelvic floor and improve bladder control.

How Electrical Stimulation Works for Incontinence

Electrical stimulation works by sending gentle, controlled signals to the pelvic floor muscles. These signals prompt the muscles to contract and relax, helping re-engage muscles that may have become weak, poorly coordinated, or difficult to activate on their own.

For many women, bladder leaks aren’t just about muscle strength. They’re often related to muscles that don’t respond quickly enough, fatigue easily, or don’t coordinate properly with movement and pressure. Electrical stimulation helps “wake up” these muscles and reinforces proper activation patterns.

Over time, consistent stimulation helps improve pelvic floor muscle function, which can lead to better bladder support and fewer leaks during everyday activities like walking, coughing, lifting, or exercising.

Benefits of Electrical Stimulation for Incontinence

• Faster and More Effective than Kegels: Electrical stimulation can provide a more targeted and effective workout for your pelvic floor muscles compared to traditional Kegel exercises, essentially doing them “longer and stronger”.
• Ensures Correct Muscle Stimulation: Electrical devices are designed to accurately target the pelvic floor muscles, ensuring that you’re exercising the right muscles and not causing more harm than good.
• Convenience of Home Use: Electrical stimulation devices can be used comfortably at home, making it easy to stick with a consistent routine for best results.
• No Prescription Needed: Some electrical stimulation devices do not require a prescription or doctor’s approval for purchase.
• Avoid doctor appointments or PFT: Frequent appointments can be time-consuming and disruptive to your life.  Electrical stimulation for incontinence offers an alternative treatment that can be done at home.

Who is a Good Candidate for Electrical Stimulation?

Electrical stimulation is commonly recommended for women of all ages who experience bladder leaks and want a conservative, non-surgical treatment option. It may be especially helpful if you:

• have trouble feeling or correctly performing Kegel exercises
• Leak urine during physical activity, coughing, sneezing, or lifting
• Experience urgency or difficulty delaying trips to the bathroom
• Are you postpartum or post-menopausal and noticing changes in bladder control
• Want an option that doesn’t involve medication or surgery

Many women turn to electrical stimulation when traditional exercises haven’t worked or when consistency with pelvic floor therapy has been difficult. It can be used on its own or alongside other pelvic floor treatments, depending on individual needs.

Internal vs. External Stimulation

As you start to explore options for incontinence devices, you’ll find that some work internally and others work externally.  While both are effective, there are several advantages to choosing an external solution like Elitone.  Not only is it less invasive and more comfortable to use, especially if you are postpartum, but it is the only one that can also be used while continuing with other activities, because who has time to lie on your back every day with non-wearable devices?  Elitone is worn; a pad would go, giving you freedom of movement during use.  

What Does Electrical Stimulation Feel Like? Is it Safe?

Electrical stimulation for incontinence is designed to be gentle and comfortable. Most women describe the sensation as a mild tingling, tapping, or rhythmic muscle tightening. The intensity can be adjusted, and the treatment should never feel painful.

When delivered through FDA-cleared devices and used as directed, electrical stimulation is considered safe and has been used in pelvic floor therapy for decades. These devices are designed to target pelvic floor muscles without affecting surrounding organs or tissues.

If discomfort occurs, lowering intensity or adjusting placement usually resolves it. As with any therapy, consistency and proper use are important for both comfort and results.

Stress Incontinence vs Overactive Bladder

For muscle contractions to treat stress incontinence, electrical stimulation has been offered as a vaginal device. However, electrical stimulation has also been used to calm overactive bladders or OAB as a surgical sacral nerve implant in your back, as well as continual office procedures sending stimulation through your leg (percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation or PTNS). However, now Elitone URGE is the only treatment that offers non-invasive, convenient electrical stimulation at home for overactive bladder or urge incontinence.

Is Electrical Stimulation for Incontinence Effective?

The US government did a large meta-analysis of all prior studies and concluded that Electrical Stimulation is effective for Incontinence. Additionally, clinical studies have shown that using Elitone for just 20 minutes a day can reduce leaks for 95% of women.  Most women notice a difference after just 6 weeks of use.

Our customers agree: “I’m so glad I purchased this! In a matter of weeks, I went from being afraid to sneeze, cough, or laugh to being able to exercise on my rebounder with no issues. I tried doing exercises on my own for years and never saw results, and using thi,s I noticed improvement almost immediately.” – Mari