Non-invasive
No surgery, no needles, no probes. You sit on the chair. That is the whole procedure.
Laval · Sainte-Dorothée · pelvic floor health
You laugh, you cough, and sometimes… a little leak.
You are not alone. About one in three women aged 40 and over lives with bladder leaks, whether after childbirth, at menopause or simply over the years. It often starts with the pelvic floor, the hammock of muscles that supports the bladder. And it is not something you just have to live with: there is a non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence, right here in Laval.
Source: Canadian Urinary Bladder Survey (33% of women aged 40 and over).
- No surgery
- You stay fully clothed
- 28 minutes per session
The treatment, concretely
A chair. 28 minutes. You stay fully clothed.
This is an intimate subject, and the fear of a complicated treatment holds many women back. Here is exactly what a session looks like, no surprises.
You stay clothed
From start to finish. No undressing, no physical contact, no intimate exam.
28 minutes
About the length of a coffee break. Many patients use the time to read or simply breathe.
No downtime
You leave right after and get on with your day. No recovery period, no time off work.
Why it works
The equivalent of about 11,200 Kegel exercises, in 28 minutes, seated.
The Emsella chair uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy (HIFEM) to work the pelvic floor muscles deeply, at an intensity no voluntary exercise can reach.
That is the whole idea of pelvic floor strengthening: a toned pelvic floor supports the bladder better, which helps reduce everyday bladder leaks. No effort on your part, and no surgery. Curious how it compares with the do-it-yourself version? See our guide to Kegel exercises.
Source: BTL, manufacturer data.
In a pilot study of 30 women (6 sessions), 95% reported an improvement in their quality of life, and about two in three reduced or stopped using pads. A small, manufacturer-funded study — we tell you that plainly.
See how it works (official manufacturer video)
Published by BTL INTERNATIONAL.
Is this you?
Situations far more common than people think
Leaks with effort
A leak when you laugh, cough, sneeze, run or lift your grandchildren? That is stress incontinence, the most common form and the one that responds best to pelvic floor strengthening.
Sudden urges
Urges that come out of nowhere and are hard to hold back, dictating your errands and outings? That is often a sign of an overactive bladder. Urge incontinence can be worked on too; the partner pharmacy team assesses your situation in consultation.
After childbirth
Bladder leaks after childbirth are common, even years later. Pregnancy and delivery put enormous demands on the pelvic floor. Strengthening it can change your day-to-day life.
At menopause and beyond
Hormonal changes weaken the tissues and muscles of the pelvis. Many women aged 45, 60 or 75 seek help for the first time. It is never too late to ask the question.
If you are unsure, that is exactly what the free consultation is for: an honest assessment of whether the treatment fits your situation. And gentlemen, you are not forgotten: men have a pelvic floor too. See our page on the male pelvic floor.
Menopause and hormones
At menopause, your pelvic floor needs a little extra attention
Falling estrogen weakens pelvic tissues and can reduce pelvic floor tone. The result, for many women around fifty: leaks that appear or get worse, more pressing urges, waking at night to urinate, sometimes a feeling of heaviness in the lower belly.
The pelvic floor, though, is still a muscle. And muscles can be strengthened at any age: through well-executed Kegel exercises, through pelvic floor physiotherapy, or through assisted strengthening like Emsella. If heaviness is your main symptom, read our page on pelvic organ prolapse first: it explains frankly what strengthening can and cannot do.
Worth a consultation
- New leaks, or leaks getting worse
- Pressing urges that run your days
- Getting up more than once a night to urinate
- Heaviness or a bulge at the vagina
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first; the free consultation then helps assess whether pelvic floor strengthening has a place for you.
Full transparency
What you should know before starting
A technology licensed by Health Canada
The BTL Emsella chair and its HIFEM technology are licensed by Health Canada for the treatment of urinary incontinence, in both women and men (licence No. 98406, Class II medical device, first issued in 2017). This is neither a gadget nor a miracle promise: it is a regulated medical device, used in clinics across the country.
No treatment guarantees results. The whole point of the assessment is to determine whether this one is right for you.
Contraindications exist
The treatment is not for everyone. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with metal implants in the pelvic area, a copper IUD, a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator, or an implanted neurostimulator.
The partner pharmacy team goes through all of this with you during a free consultation, honestly and with no obligation, before any first session.
Where to start
Start with a free consultation. Nothing else.
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You call
A discreet call to the partner pharmacy. Ask anything: the team talks about this every week, without awkwardness.
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The team assesses with you
A free, confidential meeting at the pharmacy: your situation, the contraindications, your questions.
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You decide
You leave with a straight answer, then decide, with zero pressure, whether to start.
Your questions
The questions that come up (often asked quietly)
Does the treatment hurt?
No. You sit on the chair, fully clothed, and feel tingling followed by strong contractions of the pelvic floor: an unusual sensation, but not a painful one. Many patients use the time to read or listen to music.
How long is a session?
A session lasts 28 minutes. You stay fully clothed from start to finish and go right back to your day afterwards: no recovery time, no time off work.
How many sessions are recommended?
A typical course is 6 sessions, most often at one session per week. The exact schedule is set with you by the partner pharmacy team during the free consultation, based on your situation.
Do I have to undress?
No, never. That is one of the big differences with this approach: you stay completely clothed for the entire session. No physical contact, no probe, no intimate exam.
When will I see results?
Everyone is different. Some patients notice an improvement after a few sessions; for others, the effects build gradually over the course. No result can be guaranteed, and that is exactly what the pharmacy team assesses honestly with you during the free consultation.
How much does it cost?
The assessment consultation is free, with no obligation. If the treatment is a fit, expect around $300 per session; a full course is usually 6 sessions. The pharmacy team walks you through everything clearly, without pressure, before you start. A receipt can be provided; the expense may qualify as a medical expense for tax purposes, and some private insurers reimburse part of the cost — check with your insurer.
Are there contraindications?
Yes, a few: pregnancy or breastfeeding, metal implants in the pelvic area, copper IUDs, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, and implanted neurostimulators, among others. That is exactly what the pharmacy team checks with you during the free consultation, before any first session.
Are there side effects?
The ones the manufacturer reports are rare and generally benign: temporary tingling or numbness in the pelvic area, a sensation of warmth in the perineum, gentle skin irritation if there was friction, and sometimes a more frequent urge to urinate for 24 to 48 hours. No downtime: you go right back to your activities. Our article "After Your Emsella Session" covers the first-24-hours guidelines.
My leaks have lasted for years. Is it too late?
No, it is not "too late". Many women live with bladder leaks for years thinking it is normal or irreversible. Strengthening the pelvic floor can be relevant at any age. The free consultation exists precisely to assess whether this treatment suits your situation.
Explore
Understand your pelvic floor better
Simple, jargon-free guides written to answer the questions the partner pharmacy team hears at the counter every week, from Kegel exercises to overactive bladder to prolapse.
Kegel exercises: the guide
Finding the right pelvic floor muscles, the step-by-step technique, the common mistakes, and what to do when Kegels are not enough.
Read the guide →Overactive bladder
Frequent, sudden urges to urinate: what is going on, the habits that actually help, and when to see a professional.
Read the guide →Waking up at night to urinate
Nocturia has many causes, and not all of them start in the bladder. A straight answer on what helps and when to get checked.
Read the guide →Your pelvic floor after childbirth
Bladder leaks and a weakened pelvic floor after baby: when to start rehab and how to recover, even years later.
Read the guide →The male pelvic floor
Leaks after prostate surgery, Kegel exercises for men, intimacy: men have a pelvic floor too.
Read the guide →Pelvic organ prolapse
Heaviness, a feeling of a bulge: what prolapse really means, and the honest (but real) role of pelvic floor strengthening.
Read the guide →Here in Laval
At a neighbourhood pharmacy, not an anonymous clinic
The treatment is offered at this site's partner pharmacy, Pharmacie Uniprix Samson, a neighbourhood pharmacy owned by its pharmacists in the heart of Sainte-Dorothée, minutes from Chomedey, Fabreville, Laval-Ouest.
You have probably already been there to pick up a prescription. Same place, same team, same discretion.
Everything about the partner pharmacy's Emsella service: uniprixsamson.ca/fr/services/emsella
Pharmacie Uniprix Samson
1, boulevard Samson
Sainte-Dorothée, Laval (QC) H7X 3S5
- Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.