EmSella pelvic floor treatment in Littlehampton
If you leak when you cough, sneeze or exercise, feel sudden urgency, or have been told you have a weak pelvic floor after childbirth or prostate treatment, you can now have EmSella chair treatment in Littlehampton — not only in Chichester. At Littlehampton Natural Health Centre, sessions are led by Amelia Altenburger, an HCPC-registered physiotherapist with extra pelvic-floor training (Mummy MOT and POGP). You remain fully clothed. A typical appointment is 30 minutes.
EmSella is not a substitute for assessment: we will first check whether the chair, hands-on pelvic floor physiotherapy, or a combination is appropriate.
What EmSella is (and what it is not)
The BTL EmSella chair is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy (HIFEM) to make the pelvic-floor muscles contract and relax while you sit, fully clothed, on the chair. The manufacturer describes a 30-minute session as producing thousands of supramaximal contractions — often summarised as “equivalent to 11,000 Kegels”. That figure is a manufacturer comparison, not a promise that one visit will match months of supervised physiotherapy.
Manufacturer and published-study materials also quote research figures such as 95%, 75% and 66% in studied groups. Those are not this clinic’s cure rates, and we do not publish unverified in-house outcomes.
EmSella can be useful when you struggle to find or load the pelvic floor yourself, want a clothed option with no internal examination during the chair session, and have been assessed as having weakness rather than an untreated medical cause. It is not surgery, a diagnosis, a weight-loss treatment, or a guarantee of dryness. It does not replace your GP, continence nurse or urogynaecology team if you have red-flag symptoms (blood in urine, unexplained pelvic masses, sudden severe pain, new neurological symptoms, or recurrent infections).
EmSella vs pelvic floor physiotherapy
The chair loads a weak pelvic floor while you sit clothed. Physiotherapy answers why you leak or have pain: history, examination (internal vaginal examination only with consent), education and exercise. Many patients do both. We will not sell a 12-pack before a conversation.
What happens at Littlehampton Natural Health Centre
1. Free preliminary telephone consultation. A short call with Amelia to see whether EmSella is even in the right territory. Complete the online questionnaire beforehand if you can.
2. Initial consultation (£45 in person or by telephone). Symptoms, history, medications, previous surgery, and your goals. You should leave with a recommended plan — chair, physiotherapy, both, or a GP/NHS referral.
3. Chair sessions. You sit on the padded seat. Intensity is adjustable (the clinic describes a 0–100 dial). Sensation is usually strong pulsing or buzzing in the pelvic floor, not sharp pain. Wear comfortable clothes. You can normally drive and return to the day afterwards.
4. Review. Progress is reviewed (listed at £25 on the price list). Plans are then stepped down or changed.
Typical course (guide, not a protocol — Amelia will individualise this):
Phase 1 — strengthen: often around 6 sessions over about 3 weeks (commonly twice a week).
Phase 2 — settle the gains: fewer sessions, sometimes weekly or fortnightly for a handful of visits.
Phase 3 — maintenance: some people continue a few times a year (the site describes up to 4 sessions a year for many patients).
Your result depends on the type of incontinence, how well you attend, and whether other issues (prolapse, infection, medication, constipation) are addressed. We will not tell you that one session “cures” incontinence.
Prices
Preliminary telephone consultation — Free — Book online
Initial consultation (in person or telephone) — £45 — Book online
EmSella treatment — £80 per session
Maintenance plan (annual review included) — £66 per session
EmSella 6 plan (reviews included) — £396
EmSella 12 plan (reviews included) — £792
Review with Amelia — £25
Book online or call reception on 01903 734373. Full list: Price list.
Frequently asked questions
Does EmSella hurt?
Most people feel strong, repetitive pelvic-floor contractions, not sharp pain. You control intensity on the device. Tell Amelia if anything feels wrong. There is normally no recovery period; you may feel tiredness in the pelvic floor, similar to a gym session.
How long is a session, and will I have to undress?
Chair time is typically 30 minutes. Allow a little extra for arrival. Chair sessions are fully clothed — wear comfortable clothing.
How soon might I notice a change?
Some people notice a difference after a few sessions; others need the full first phase before they judge. Research summaries used by the manufacturer report quality-of-life and leakage improvements in a majority of studied patients. That is not a guarantee for you.
Can men have EmSella?
Yes, after assessment. It is sometimes used for leakage after prostate surgery and for selected pelvic-floor-related symptoms. It is not a stand-alone treatment for all erectile dysfunction.
Can I have EmSella if I also need physiotherapy?
Yes. Many people should. If your pelvic floor is tight, painful, or you cannot coordinate a contraction, start with pelvic floor physiotherapy.
Is it available on the NHS?
EmSella chair treatment is not typically an NHS offering locally. NHS pelvic health physiotherapy is available via GP or self-referral in Sussex; we can discuss when that is the better first step.
Are the 95% / 75% / 66% figures your clinic’s results?
No. Those figures, used in manufacturer and some clinic materials, come from published EmSella research and marketing summaries. Ask us which papers we rely on. We do not publish unverified in-house cure rates.
Can I book a course without a consultation?
No. Use the free preliminary call or the £45 consultation first so we do not treat the wrong problem.
What if I am postnatal?
You are welcome, once you have had your GP postnatal check and Amelia has screened you. A Mummy MOT physiotherapy assessment is often the better first appointment if you also have tummy-gap, scar or back-pain concerns.
Do I need to do Kegels at home as well?
Often yes — if they are the right exercise for you. Wrong or bracing Kegels can worsen tightness. We will tell you whether to add home practice.
Book EmSella in Littlehampton
Start with a free preliminary telephone consultation, or book the £45 consultation if you already know you want a fuller discussion.