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Posts Tagged ‘Urinary Incontinence’

Male Incontinence Supplies

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

More and more men are living with incontinence, due to an aging population and advances in medicine that allow men to survive cancer of the prostate and other conditions. As a result, the incontinence industry is striving to meet the unique needs of men suffering from urinary incontinence by creating male incontinence supplies that are designed for style as well as comfort and absorbency.

Male incontinence supplies include incontinence pads that are designed to trap and absorb urine where absorbency is required the most, which is at the front of the pad. Incontinence pads are shaped to contour to a man’s anatomy and offer a comfortable fit as well as a sense of security that allows active men to live their lives to the fullest.

Male incontinence supplies also include male incontinence pants designed to offer the same qualities of comfort and security as women have available to them. Male incontinence pants are available in washable and disposable varieties. In addition, male incontinence pants are available in a wider variety of styles. Some men prefer boxers while some prefer briefs, and the incontinence industry has recognized that men appreciate having this choice available in male incontinence products. Male incontinence pants come in a variety of materials and styles to allow men several options to choose from to meet their individual incontinence needs.

Men can lead an active and productive life, pursuing all of their normal activities, while feeling secure and dry. Male incontinence supplies are designed with discreetness in mind, so that men who are incontinent can rest assured that their secret is safe, and no one need know that they suffer from incontinence.

View a variety of styles of male incontinence supplies available from DryForLife, and DryForLife is also proud to offer Tena incontinence products designed specifically for men.

Additional Articles Dealing with Incontinence Supplies

Mens Incontinence Pants Offer Comfort and Style

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

For years women have been catered to in terms of incontinence products. It is finally the mens turn to be offered the same qualities in incontinence pants that women have been demanding for years, including comfort and style. Men want the same things that women do, namely absorbency, discreetness, style and variety. Men want men’s incontinence pants that look and feel like normal underwear.

DryForLife is a company that listens to its customers. They offer several styles of men’s incontinence briefs that are affordable and stylish. DryForLife is a company that also offers much more, such as a friendly and helpful staff, a free advice line, a free incontinence guide for those suffering from incontinence and quality products that can be delivered right to your door. Many men appreciate this discreet and personalized service, and that is why men are fast becoming one of DFL’s largest consumer groups. It is also one of the reasons why DFL has strived to create products that will appeal to their male clientele.

DryForLife offers mens incontinence pants in two main styles, boxers and briefs. Men’s briefs may be disposable or washable, with a pouch for an incontinent pad that is suitable for those who suffer from heavier incontinence. They are made from soft and comfortable materials that feel every bit as comfortable as regular underwear. DryForLife also offers men’s boxers for men who prefer this style of undergarment. Men have the option of wearing a pad with these boxers for added security. Both briefs and boxers may be machine washed, saving money over the long term.

Men who suffer from urinary incontinence have long been forced to wear unisex incontinence briefs that are less comfortable and are certainly not stylish. Now men have the opportunity to choose mens incontinence pants that are more in keeping with the qualities that men appreciate in underwear, namely comfort and style.

Additional Articles Dealing with Men’s Health

Urinary Incontinence Treatment Options

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Urinary incontinence is a common problem. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for those who suffer from bladder weakness, including home remedies, medications and surgery as a last resort. Urinary incontinence treatment options have come a long way!

Self-help remedies are often all that is needed to improve or cure urinary incontinence. Self-help remedies may be suggested by your physician. Self-help remedies for urinary incontinence treatment are safe and often effective. They may include the following:
Avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which may irritate the bladder and also act as mild diuretics

Avoiding foods that may irritate the bladder, such as citrus fruits and juices

Decreasing fluids consumed before bed, which may decrease the likelihood of nighttime incontinence

Quitting smoking (coughing may worsen stress incontinence)

Losing weight, which decreases the amount of stress on the bladder

Bladder retraining, in which the time between voids is gradually increased

Kegel exercises, which help to strengthen pelvic floor muscles

Medications for urinary incontinence treatment may include antibiotics if infection is present and is contributing to incontinence symptoms. Medications that decrease bladder spasms may also be prescribed for urge incontinence. For men, medications that decrease swelling of the prostate or prevent further swelling are often prescribed. Although there are many medications that may be tried, they are not without side effects, such as dry mouth, drowsiness and constipation, therefore self-help remedies are often tried first.

Surgery may be performed as a last resort when self-help remedies and medications fail or when incontinence is severe and adversely affects quality of life. Before considering surgery as a urinary incontinence treatment option, possible complications should be discussed, as well as success rates. No surgery is without risk, and individuals should be fully informed before considering surgery.
Urinary incontinence treatment options should be tailored to the individual suffering from incontinence and may also be dependent upon the type of incontinence that is present (urge, stress, overflow or a combination of these). For this reason, it is a good idea to visit your physician so that the type of incontinence can be determined and the most effective urinary incontinence help can be prescribed.

Additional Articles Dealing with Urinary Incontinence Treatment

A Charming Solution for a Not So Charming Adult Incontinence Problem

Monday, September 27th, 2010

A new incontinence aid is being developed with the hopes of allowing people who are suffering from adult incontinence to live more confidently. The device is a detector that looks just like a little, plastic charm, and it can be attached to a key chain, a watch or a wallet. It works by alerting the wearer to an episode of urinary incontinence. The plastic changes colour when an incontinence problem occurs.

One of the main things that people with adult incontinence worry about is public embarrassment, and this device can help an incontinence sufferer do something about their problem before anyone else notices it. With the worry of urine leakage and tell tale odour removed, a person suffering from incontinence can get back to living a normal life.

These devices will be most valuable to older people giving them the confidence of knowing that if they do have a continence problem, they will be the first to know so that they can do something about before it turns into an embarrassment. The device is being tested at The Bristol Urological Institute, which is a registered charity set up to support urological research. While the institute delves into urological cancers, they are also striving to improve the plight of people, most especially the disabled and the elderly, trying to find ways to live with incontinence. Not only does the institute research the problem looking for new products and practices to help manage incontinence, but they also push healthcare professionals to learn more about adult incontinence by developing continuing education training programs for them.

With millions of people in the the population ageing, incontinence is a problem that is not going away any time soon, so finding ways to manage it is essential. Devices like the little, plastic charm, being tested at The Bristol Urological Institute and continuing education for healthcare practitioners regarding the management of incontinence is more important now than ever. New materials and incontinence products are constantly being developed and tested, and by training medical personnel to proactively offer help and information to their patients when incontinence may be an issue allows those people who are afflicted with incontinence to have the tools necessary to properly deal with their adult incontinence situation quite successfully.

Additional Articles Dealing with Adult Incontinence

Not So Sweet when You Need Urinary Incontinence Pads

Monday, September 20th, 2010

When you find yourself needing to use urinary incontinence pads, you might want to think about what you are eating and drinking. Many types of incontinence are exacerbated by what you eat and drink on a daily basis. Most commonly spicy foods are blamed for irritating the bladder, along with caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea, which are well documented diuretics. However, another ingredient that aggravates a lot of incontinence problems does not get the recognition that it deserves, and this ingredient is aspartame, an artificial sweetener.

This sweetener is marketed under many different brand names, including Equal, Nutrasweet, and Spoonful. There have been many reports of people having adverse reactions to this ingredient, yet it is still widely used in many products to cut their sugar and calorie content.

While irritating the bladder lining is certainly enough of a reason to suspend the use of aspartame in anyone’s diet, it has also been linked to seizures, convulsions, dizziness, migraines, tremors, memory loss, slurring of speech, chronic fatigue, depression, panic attacks, asthma, hypertension, and impotency, just to name a sampling of symptoms attributed to aspartame toxicity. This toxicity can mimic many serious diseases like arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimers, and depression just to name a few. The most worrisome part about this problem is that aspartame is found in many different foods, which span from instant breakfasts, to diet drinks, to breath mints, to yogurt. Always read product labels and stay away from using products that contain aspartame if you are experiencing problems with incontinence.

While many people are able to eat and drink products that contain aspartame with no apparent, adverse side effects, it is certainly worth cutting this ingredient form your diet if it means the difference between using urinary incontinence pads and being continent. So, at the first signs of incontinence, assess what you are eating and drinking, and make some minor adjustments cutting aspartame from your diet. You may be happily surprised by the results. However, if the problem persists, it is always a good idea to have a medical professional evaluate the situation to help pinpoint the cause, and there are many helpful incontinence products from which to choose while managing the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Additional Articles Dealing with Incontinence Pads

What is Double Incontinence?

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

As if suffering from one kind of incontinence were not enough, some people suffer from both urinary and faecal incontinence. When a person suffers from both types of incontinence, they are said to have double incontinence. Double incontinence may affect both women and men and is less common than suffering from one type or the other.

Studies have shown that quality of life for people who suffer from double incontinence is more greatly impaired than in those who suffer from urinary incontinence alone. This may be due to the fact that there is a social stigma attached to faecal incontinence, and faecal incontinence brings more feelings of embarrassment and shame. People who suffer from double incontinence may isolate themselves more due to embarrassment over their condition. Double incontinence is not limited to men or women but occurs with almost equal prevalence amongst both sexes, according to studies.

It is important for people who suffer from double incontinence to speak to their physician about the problem. Faecal incontinence is thought to be underreported in comparison to urinary incontinence, and double incontinence even more so. However, without sufferers acknowledging to their physician that a problem exists, nothing can be done to address their problem. The physician may be able to help determine the cause and explain different treatment options that may be available. Having an understanding of the cause of double incontinence is important in determining the best treatment available. A physician will likely take a thorough history and performing a physical exam. Tests may be ordered to pinpoint where the problem lies. Treatment options may range from self-help remedies to medications to surgery, but until the individual seeks help, the physician will be unable to offer any assistance.

For anyone suffering from double incontinence, it is important to seek help. There are many treatment options available, which can help to improve the quality of life. There are also many incontinence products available on the market today, which can really help to manage the many challenges of dealing with incontinence.

Additional Articles Dealing with Types of Incontinence

Definitions of Incontinence

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

There are so many terms used in conjunction with the word incontinence that it can be hard to keep them all straight. First of all, it is helpful to have a working definition of the word incontinence. Incontinence refers to the sudden, involuntary release of urine or stool. Incontinence can have many different underlying causes, and it is always a good idea to discuss the problem with your doctor when searching for a solution for this problem.

Urinary Incontinence – the sudden involuntary release of urine

Faecal (or Fecal) Incontinence – the sudden involuntary loss of gas (flatulence) or stool; bowel incontinence is often used in place of faecal incontinence.

Stress Incontinence – urinary incontinence that results from some form of physical activity or stress on the bladder, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting a heavy object

Urge Incontinence – leakage of urine following involuntary spasms of bladder muscles or inappropriate contraction of bladder muscles; sometimes called overactive bladder

Overflow Incontinence – in overflow incontinence, the bladder does not empty completely and may become overly full, resulting in leakage of urine; often attributable to nerve damage or bladder muscle dysfunction

Mixed Incontinence – occurs when symptoms of both urge and stress incontinence are present at the same time in the same individual

Functional Incontinence – occurs as a result of a person’s inability to get to a washroom in time to void; incontinence as a result of a physical or mental condition (e.g. arthritis impeding someone’s ability to walk to the washroom quickly enough; dementia causing a person to forget where the washroom is)

Male Incontinence – any incontinence in men, often attributed to prostate disease

Female Incontinence – any incontinence in women, often a result of pregnancy and childbirth Incontinence Pads – absorbent pads that are worn alone or with incontinence pants to absorb urine or stool in incontinence

Incontinence Pants – may be worn alone or with incontinence pads; may be washable or disposable

This list is not exhaustive by any means, but it will hopefully provide you with a working vocabulary when discussing incontinence.

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Urinary Incontinence Treatments

Monday, August 9th, 2010

If you suffer from urinary incontinence, you may be wondering what treatments are available to you. Urinary incontinence treatments range from self help remedies to medication to surgery. Generally, treatment of urinary incontinence starts with self-help remedies.

As far as urinary incontinence treatments go, self-help remedies are the least invasive and have no troublesome side effects. In some cases, self help remedies are all that is needed to improve or cure incontinence, which is why most doctors prefer their patients start will these simple measures to treat incontinence:

Limit Fluid Intake – Decreasing the amount of fluids taken in close to bedtime may decrease nighttime incontinence. Individuals who drink a lot of fluids may find that incontinence symptoms improve if they cut down on the amount of fluids they drink during the day as well.

However, you do not want to decrease your fluid intake to the point of dehydration, as this may lead to bladder infections and other problems.

Avoid alcohol and Caffeine – Caffeine can irritate the bladder, and both caffeine and alcohol can act as mild diuretics, increasing the frequency of voiding. They may also contribute to a sense of urgency to void. Simply cutting these two substances out of your life may drastically improve incontinence.

Avoid Acidic Foods – Citric foods and juices, as well as tomatoes and other acidic foods may irritate the bladder, increasing the likelihood of incontinence. Avoiding acidic foods and juices may decrease episodes of incontinence.

Lose Weight – Excess weight puts added pressure on the bladder, which may exacerbate stress incontinence. Losing weight may markedly improve symptoms of incontinence.

Quit Smoking – Smoking can lead to a chronic cough, and coughing is often a factor in stress incontinence. Quitting smoking may reduce coughing spells, which may in turn decrease stress incontinence.

Kegel Exercises – Kegels are exercises designed to improve pelvic muscle tone. Strengthening pelvic floor muscles may improve incontinence. Kegels are often prescribed as first-line treatment to those suffering from urinary incontinence.

Self-help remedies are not invasive, cost nothing and are often effective in improving or curing urinary incontinence. Other urinary incontinence management involve medications, which may have intolerable side effects. Surgery comes with its own set of risks and is often a last resort in urinary incontinence treatments.

More Articles Dealing with Incontinence Treatments

Looking at Urinary Incontinence in General Terms

Monday, July 5th, 2010

There are three main types of urinary incontinence, and they focus on the actual cause of the urine leakage. In elderly folks urge incontinence is probably one of the most prevalent types of incontinence that can be found. It manifests itself as an immediate urge to urinate followed by a violent spasm of the bladder and incontinence. This episode of incontinence can vary from very light to heavy. In younger folks stress incontinence is the most common type of incontinence, which is caused when sudden pressure is placed on the bladder causing urine leakage. This sudden pressure is usually caused by something like a sneeze, laugh or cough, and it can even be caused when exerting the stomach muscles as in the case of lifting a heavy object. The third main type of incontinence is overflow incontinence, and it happens when the bladder does not empty all of the way, or when there is an obstruction in the urethra. This type of incontinence occurs when the bladder never fully empties, so it frequently overfills, leaks and causes incontinence. As you can imagine, it is important to have a doctor diagnose the type of incontinence that you have so the two of you can outline a course of treatment to cure or at least manage your incontinence condition.

There are four basic categories that all incontinence treatments fall into which are, behavior modification, physical therapy, medicine and surgery. Your doctor can ascertain which type of therapy best suits your individual incontinence problem. Generally you will begin with the least invasive treatment option for your incontinence problem and move through to the more invasive solutions as you are looking for relief from your incontinence problem. It is important to have an expert, medical opinion as you make these treatment decisions.

Very likely your doctor will decide to begin treatment with the most basic solution for treating your incontinence symptoms. He may very well have you keep a bladder diary to help determine any pattern of your incontinence. Oftentimes if you can see the pattern of your incontinence, you can make a few behavior adjustments and your incontinence symptoms will subside. At this point if your symptoms persist then physical therapy may also be warranted. Exercising the pelvic floor muscles is much like working out any muscle in your body, and by properly exercising you can make it stronger and help to regain its function, which can directly translate into minimizing your incidence of incontinence. Both of these solutions for incontinence have no bad side effects, so there is absolutely no harm in employing them as you are trying to resolve your incontinence problems.

However, if your incontinence symptoms persist, your doctor may prescribe medication for your problem. Depending on the underlying cause of your incontinence there are several different types of medication that you may benefit from. There are medications to quiet muscle spasms, which would help to correct urge incontinence. There are medications to reduce the volume of urine that your body makes, which would help to correct overflow incontinence. There are medications that rid the body of infection. While medication will help with some types of incontinence, like urge and overflow incontinence, there are other types of incontinence where medication is largely ineffective, like stress incontinence.

There are times when incontinence is caused by an injury where something is physically broken, and in this type of case surgery may very well be the best option for treatment. It is important to remember though, that both medication and surgery can have unexpected side effects, so consider treatment with your physician carefully. Whether it is urge, stress or overflow incontinence that you are dealing with, there is a treatment solution out there for you, so work closely with your physician to find what works best for your incontinence symptoms.

Further Incontinence Articles

What is Urge Incontinence?

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

One of the most prevalent types of urinary incontinence in older adults is urge incontinence,. So it is important to understand what is urge incontinence. You may also hear this type of incontinence called a spastic or overactive bladder, because it is caused by abnormal bladder spasms or contractions. It manifests itself as a very sudden and strong ‘urge’ to urinate. While the involuntary loss of urine may seem like a disease unto itself, it is actually a harbinger of an underlying problem, and as such it should not be ignored.

When you notice the symptoms of urge incontinence beginning, you will want to let your doctor know, and he or she can help you to determine the source of the problem. There are many different things that can cause urge incontinence, so it is a good idea to have a medical professional evaluate your individual problem. When you suffer from urge incontinence the spasms in the bladder cause such a sudden and violent contraction, that urine is forced through the strong sphincter muscles normally charged with regulating the flow of urine.

The key then, is to find out why the contraction occurs in the first place. There are many different reasons why the bladder may experience sudden and strong contractions, and this is why it is important to discuss your problem with a medical health professional. Your doctor can determine if some sort of nerve damage has occurred possibly as a result of disease or injury. By the same token, this condition can occur as a result of damage to the spinal cord.

Despite best efforts, there are many times when the exact cause cannot be found even though a trigger is found like the bladder may be stimulated into contracting at the sound of running water. However, even if you do not find the exact cause of your urge incontinence, it is important to rule out some major diseases as the cause.

The symptoms for urge incontinence are pretty straight forward. Accompanied by an involuntary urine leakage, you are constantly feeling the urge to urinate. The leakage happens both during the day and at night, and in some cases the problem can be cured while in other cases it simply needs to be managed.

Urge incontinence is generally treated with behavior modification, medication or surgery depending on the underlying cause of the condition. So now that you have answered the question, what is urge incontinence, you can work with your medical professional to manage your particular situation in the best way possible. At DryForLife we have been helping our customers deal with their incontinence challenges for over forty years, and now we are ready to help you.

Further Urge Incontinence Articles

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