Pelvic-floor HIFEM · London
BTL Emsella pelvic-floor chair, alongside a real physio.
Fully clothed, seated, 28 minutes. Over 11,000 supramaximal pelvic-floor contractions per session. Six sessions, twice a week, for stress incontinence, post-partum and peri-menopausal weakness, and post-prostatectomy leakage. Sat beside a women’s health physio, not instead of one.
Why patients choose us
- 01
Emsella beside a real pelvic-floor physio, not instead of one
NICE NG123 puts supervised pelvic-floor muscle training first. We match you with clinics that combine Emsella with a women's health physio, so the chair adds to the work, not replaces it.
- 02
The right patient, honestly assessed
Stress and mixed incontinence respond well. Overactive bladder, prolapse and neurological bladders do not. We say so before you book six sessions.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and the introduction costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What an Emsella course costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our vetted London providers. Tell us your symptoms and we come back with two or three named options.
In short
A full course of six Emsella sessions in London: £1,400–£2,400, over three weeks.
| Package | Indicative range | Time on chair | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Emsella session (pay as you go) | £280–£450 | 28 min | Same visit |
| Standard course of 6 (2x weekly, 3 weeks) | £1,400–£2,400 | 6 x 28 min | 3 weeks |
| Course of 6 + women's health physio review | £1,700–£2,800 | 6 x 28 min | 3 weeks |
| Emsella + Emsculpt Neo core stacking package | £2,400–£3,600 | Combined | 3–4 weeks |
| Maintenance session (single, 3–6 monthly) | £280–£450 | 28 min | Same visit |
| Second-opinion review before you commit | £150–£300 | 30 min | 48 hours |
Prices vary by clinic and by whether a women\'s health physio review or Emsculpt Neo stacking is included. London providers we see patients ask about include EF MEDISPA, PHI Clinic, Cadogan Clinic, Young LDN, Waterhouse Young and specialist women\'s health physio clinics with Emsella on site.
The journey
From enquiry to maintenance - step by step.
One team from first message to the week-six re-score and the maintenance interval that keeps the gain.
- 01
Before
You tell us your symptoms
A short, confidential form. Leaking on cough, sneeze or exercise. Post-partum or peri-menopause. Post-prostatectomy. Any prior physio, surgery or Bulkamid.
- 02
Before
We come back with a plan
Within one working day: whether Emsella fits, or whether physio, Bulkamid, sling or PTNS is a better first move. Indicative price and provider options.
- 03
Before
We book your first session
Usually within one to two weeks. A baseline symptom score and pad-use diary go with you so progress can be measured, not assumed.
- 04
On the day
Arrival and set-up
Fully clothed, seated on the chair. The technician adjusts the seat so the electromagnetic field targets the pelvic-floor plate correctly.
- 05
On the day
The 28-minute session
HIFEM delivers over 11,000 supramaximal contractions. You feel tingling and strong involuntary tightening. You can read, work or scroll your phone throughout.
- 06
On the day
Straight back to your day
No downtime, no recovery, no aftercare. Drive, work or train the same afternoon.
- 07
After
Course and maintenance
Six sessions, twice a week, over three weeks. A repeat symptom score at week six. Top-up sessions every three to six months to hold the gain.
When it helps
When Emsella is the right step, and when it is not.
The indications with the strongest data, plus the red flags that mean urogynaecology or urology first, not the chair.
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Stress urinary incontinence in women
Leaking on cough, sneeze, laugh, run or lift. Post-partum or peri-menopausal. The strongest evidence base for Emsella.
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Mixed incontinence (stress-dominant)
Stress leaks with an urge element. Emsella helps the stress component; the urge component often needs bladder training or PTNS as well.
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Post-prostatectomy incontinence in men
Leaking after radical prostatectomy. Emsella retrains the residual pelvic-floor sling and often reduces pad use over six weeks.
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Post-natal recovery
Six weeks or more after vaginal or caesarean birth, with GP or physio clearance. Adjunct to pelvic-floor muscle training, not a substitute.
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Peri- and post-menopausal weakness
Oestrogen-related tissue changes that make Kegels feel like they 'do nothing'. Supramaximal contractions bypass the effort problem.
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Female sexual dysfunction
Reduced arousal or orgasmic function linked to pelvic-floor deconditioning. BTL reports symptom improvement; the evidence is smaller than for incontinence.
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Erectile function support in men
Adjunct to standard erectile-dysfunction pathways in men with pelvic-floor weakness. Not a replacement for cardiovascular assessment or PDE-5 review.
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Red flag: severe prolapse, urgency, blood
Visible prolapse, urgency with urge incontinence, haematuria or recurrent UTIs need a urogynaecology or urology assessment first, not the chair.
Treatment options
Emsella sits inside a wider incontinence pathway.
What each option involves, and where Emsella fits. NICE NG123 keeps supervised pelvic-floor physio as first line for women.
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Pelvic-floor physiotherapy (NICE first line)
Supervised pelvic-floor muscle training with a women's health physio for at least three months. First-line per NICE NG123. Emsella works best alongside, not instead.
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Emsella HIFEM chair
Supramaximal electromagnetic contractions delivered fully clothed, seated. Six 28-minute sessions over three weeks. Best for mild-to-moderate stress and mixed incontinence.
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Bulkamid urethral bulking
A soft hydrogel injected under the urethral lining to restore closure pressure. Day-case, minimally invasive. For persistent stress incontinence after conservative measures.
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TVT and mid-urethral sling
A synthetic tape placed under the mid-urethra. Highly effective for stress incontinence but a bigger step with mesh considerations - discussed at MDT level.
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Botox for overactive bladder
Intravesical botulinum toxin for urgency and urge incontinence resistant to bladder training and antimuscarinics. A different pathway from Emsella.
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PTNS and sacral neuromodulation
Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, or InterStim, for refractory overactive bladder. Not for pure stress incontinence.
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Emsculpt Neo core stacking
HIFEM-plus-radiofrequency of the abdominal wall and glutes. Some patients stack Emsculpt Neo with Emsella to retrain the whole core-floor unit.
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Second-opinion review
A specialist read of your symptoms, prior physio and urodynamics - sometimes the answer is a different pathway, not the chair.
Our vetted London network
A short list of clinics we would send our own family to.
Genuine BTL Emsella hardware, physio integration, honest triage and clear escalation pathways. Introductions are made privately.
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Genuine BTL Emsella hardware, not lower-cost HIFEM lookalikes
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A women's health or pelvic-floor physiotherapist on site or by referral
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Baseline and week-six symptom scoring, so progress is measured not assumed
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Clear onward pathways to urogynaecology, urology and Bulkamid when needed
Safety and contraindications
What to expect, and who should not sit in the chair.
Emsella is non-invasive with no downtime, but electromagnetic energy has firm contraindications. Disclose everything at the assessment.
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No downtime, straight back to your day
You feel tingling and strong involuntary contractions during the session. Mild residual muscle fatigue for a few hours. Drive, work and train the same day.
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Contraindicated in pregnancy
Emsella is not used in pregnancy. Wait until at least six weeks post-partum and cleared by your GP or physio before starting.
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Copper IUD in situ
Copper coils are a contraindication for HIFEM. A hormonal (Mirena, Kyleena) coil is generally accepted; confirm with the treating clinic and your GP.
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Cardiac pacemaker and implanted metal
Not used with pacemakers, implanted defibrillators, drug-delivery pumps or metal implants near the treatment area. Hip replacements are usually far enough away - always disclose.
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Active malignancy
Active pelvic or abdominal cancer, or ongoing radiotherapy to the pelvis, is a contraindication. Post-treatment survivors need oncology clearance.
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Epilepsy
A history of epilepsy is a contraindication for electromagnetic stimulation. Disclose at the assessment, not on the day.
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Not a substitute for pelvic-floor physio
The best outcomes combine Emsella with supervised pelvic-floor muscle training. The chair is an accelerator, not a shortcut past the physio.
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Realistic expectations
BTL data suggests around 95% of patients report improvement and reduced pad use, but few become completely dry. We frame the honest range before you commit.
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When to escalate
No improvement after six sessions, worsening urgency, new pain, or persistent leakage warrants urogynaecology or urology review, not more sessions.
Measuring progress
Your Emsella course in four parts. Read the last one first.
A proper course is measured, not vibes-based. Baseline in, week-six re-score, then a maintenance plan.
- 01 Baseline
Symptom score and pad diary before session one
ICIQ-UI-SF score, a three-day pad diary and a pelvic-floor examination or squeeze grade. This is the number we measure against.
- 02 Protocol
Six sessions, twice weekly, over three weeks
Dates, intensity settings tolerated (percentage of maximum), and any adjustments made if the seated position needed cushioning.
- 03 Findings
Week-six re-score and pad use
Repeat ICIQ-UI-SF, repeat pad diary and patient-reported quality-of-life change. Improvement quantified, not just 'better'.
- 04 Plan
Maintenance interval and adjuncts
Read this first: whether a maintenance session at three or six months is advised, and whether physio, Bulkamid or urogynaecology review is the next step.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Emsella is usually treated as a wellness procedure and self-funded. Bulkamid, TVT, Botox for overactive bladder and PTNS are more likely to be covered when medically indicated.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about Emsella.
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What is the Emsella chair and how does it work?
Emsella is a BTL device that delivers HIFEM (high-intensity focused electromagnetic) energy through a seat plate. You sit fully clothed for 28 minutes while the field triggers over 11,000 supramaximal pelvic-floor contractions - far more than you could produce voluntarily with Kegels.
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How is Emsella different from Kegel exercises?
Kegels depend on your ability to isolate and contract the right muscles, which many patients cannot do well without physio coaching. Emsella bypasses that effort and produces supramaximal contractions directly. It works best combined with a women's health physio, not instead of one.
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What does a course cost in London?
Roughly £280 to £450 per session, and £1,400 to £2,400 for the standard course of six. Packages with a women's health physio review or an Emsculpt Neo add-on run £1,700 to £3,600. Maintenance sessions every three to six months are single-session prices.
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Who is not suitable for Emsella?
Pregnancy, copper IUD in situ, cardiac pacemakers or implanted defibrillators, drug-delivery pumps, metal implants near the pelvis, active pelvic malignancy, ongoing pelvic radiotherapy and epilepsy are all contraindications. Severe prolapse and pure urge incontinence should be seen by urogynaecology or urology first.
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Does Emsella work for men after prostatectomy?
Yes for selected men. Post-prostatectomy incontinence often responds to the same supramaximal pelvic-floor retraining, and BTL reports gains in erectile function too. It sits alongside standard urology pathways, not in place of them.
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Is this covered by private medical insurance?
Emsella is generally treated as a lifestyle or wellness procedure by UK insurers and is not routinely funded. Bulkamid, TVT, Botox for overactive bladder and PTNS are more likely to be reimbursed when medically indicated. We confirm cover before you book.
Ready to be matched?
Tell us your symptoms. We come back within a working day with a plan and two or three named London clinics.
Independent, free and confidential. If Emsella is not the right first step, we say so.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
-
Emsculpt Neo
HIFEM + radiofrequency for core, glutes and abdominal wall.
Learn more -
Bulkamid urethral bulking
Day-case injection for stress incontinence.
Learn more -
Botox for overactive bladder
Intravesical botulinum toxin for urgency and urge leakage.
Learn more -
Sacral neuromodulation (InterStim)
For refractory overactive bladder and urge incontinence.
Learn more -
PTNS for overactive bladder
Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, 12-week course.
Learn more -
Stress urinary incontinence
The condition guide with the full pathway.
Learn more