Incontinence Help | DryForLife Incontinence Advice

Continence Pads and Products Pivotal in Leading Normal Life

Monday, March 8th, 2010

All too often when a person begins to experience continence problems they start to withdraw from social activities for fear of an embarrassing public accident. However, with the new continence pads and products that are available on the market today, you can expect to manage your urinary or faecal incontinence problem while continuing to engage in a normal and active lifestyle.

You can find continence care products in any number of places, so being able to get your hands on the right products is not usually where people run into problems. The problem occurs when trying to choose the right product for your particular situation. Discussing your symptoms with your doctor or medical professional is a great place to start, because they can advise you on the basics of what to look for in your continence care products. They are usually aware of the newest products on the market, so they can keep you updated on any innovative new developments in products as well.

For many people pads and pants are the best choice, and they come in all shapes and sizes. These products are available in disposable and washable styles, and they are also manufactured in gender specific designs to suit the differences between the male and female anatomy. For many people, different continence pads are appropriate for different activities throughout the day. For example, if you are working out, one type of pad may work best, and then for your day at work, another type of pad may be more comfortable and effective.

Especially if you are just beginning to deal with a continence problem, it may be a good idea to get a sample pack of products, so that you can try several different styles and absorbency levels to see which work the best for your situation. You may find that you like the convenience of disposable pads and the cost of washable products, so using a combination of the two may be the perfect solution for you.

While most pads are designed to be low profile, generally the larger the continence pad, the more urine it will absorb. Other pads are designed for bowel incontinence and have a special built in odour control. When selecting pads, you want to look for a snug, yet comfortable, fit, so that your skin does not become chafed or irritated. Continence pads are built to hold large volumes of liquid and quickly wick it away from the skin to keep any type of rash or skin infection from developing.

You can also find mattress covers and furniture protection, which can be used alone or in tandem with other continence care products. So as you are working to find the perfect combination of continence pads and products to properly manage your situation, remember that DryForLife has been helping people deal with their continence care needs for over forty years, and we are here to help.

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Frequent Urination in Women Can be Frustrating

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

For women it can be frustrating to have to make frequent trips to the bathroom whether it is during the day or night, and if you drink a lot of water, or any liquid for that matter, fantastic because you are staying healthy and hydrated. However, being properly hydrated may mean that you have to go the the bathroom more often. While there is no set ‘norm’ for how frequently a woman should go to the bathroom, as it varies by person, and even by the day, when you find that your bathroom visits are so frequent that they are interfering with normal work and sleep you may be suffering from a condition known as frequent urination in women.

The most common cause of frequent urination in women is often stimulants and bladder irritants like alcohol and caffeine, which is not surprising because they are also natural diuretics. High blood pressure medication also is a diuretic, and may be another cause of frequent urination symptoms. Symptoms can also be caused by kidney disease, diabetes, and urinary tract infections among other things.

Another cause of frequent urination in women, especially if it is happening at night, is ageing. As you get older you produce two thirds of your urine at nighttime and one third during the daytime, which is the exact opposite of how your body works when you are younger.

If your frequent urination is not accompanied by any pain or discomfort, then you probably do not need to worry about it. However, if it is simply getting too inconvenient, there are a couple of things that you can do. First of all, try cutting back on the amount of liquid that you are drinking, especially later in the day. You can also try building a bigger bladder by gradually expanding the lapse time between bathroom visits. You can do this by waiting at least fifteen minutes to go to the bathroom after you first feel the urge to go. Then after about a week increase your wait time by another fifteen minutes. Over several months try to lengthen you time between bathroom visits to three or four hours.

If you are taking a diuretic medication, do not take it late in the day. Check with your doctor to make sure that you can take it earlier in the day. By taking your medication earlier in the day, the effects that your medication has on the bladder should be long gone by bedtime. By just making a few simple changes to your behavior, you can generally alleviate the most annoying symptoms of frequent urination in women.

If you worry about having an accident during the night, you can protect your mattress with a waterproof mattress pad, which you can order from DryForLife from the privacy of your living room and have delivered directly to your front door.

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Bed Wetting Alarms Get Good Results

Friday, March 5th, 2010

If you have a child that is having problems mastering that last little piece of toilet training and staying dry throughout the night, take heart, because this problem is fairly common. By the time a child is about six years old, they have normally developed the ability to sleep through the night without needing to go to the bathroom, and if they do need to go to the bathroom, their bladder sends a message to the brain which awakens them so that they can get up and go to the bathroom.

Modifying behavior by limiting fluid intake several hours before bedtime and using a bed wetting alarm can be very successful in training your child to stay dry throughout the night. These alarms are attach to a child’s pajamas or underwear in an area where you would expect the first drops of wetness to occur. As soon as the monitor senses moisture, the alarm sounds and wakes the child prompting them to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. Over time a child learns to feel a full bladder, and they will get up to go to the bathroom before the alarm sounds.

When you are looking for a bed wetting alarm notice how it attaches to the child. For example, does it come with its own special pair of underwear, of does it attach to the child’s underwear. You can also find a pad style alarm for those who would rather not have the alarm attached to their clothing.

Once the alarm sounds, it needs to be silenced, and there are different styles of alarms available with different shut offs. Removing the sensor from wetness and hitting a reset button is a common setup. This two step routine keeps the alarm from being turned off accidentally. You can also find wireless alarms which require getting out of bed and turning off the alarm at the base unit on the wall.

The alarm itself can be worn on the shoulder, be placed on the bedside table or across the room. Having the sound close to the ear is great if the child will hear the alarm and get up to urinate. However, if they still need prompting from their parents, then having a wall mounted unit may be easier for everyone, the child and parents, to hear.

These bed wetting alarms are also available with other sensory stimulation like vibration, which simply makes the alarm more effective. The vibration acts like the gentle shaking of the shoulder. Of course if your child is a very sound sleeper, then having a volume control is essential. Top volume is usually needed when both parent and child need to respond to the alarm. When your child first starts using the alarm, you will want to help and guide them with its use. If your child is a very sound sleeper, you will want to make sure that the alarm awakens them. So when you hear the alarm, you need to quickly awaken your child.

As you are working with your child to put the finishing touches on toilet training, you may want to enlist the assistance of some protective coverings for your mattresses, or even a disposable mattress pad. DryForLife is happy to advise you on products that may help make your situation easier to manage, and you can order them online or over the phone. Then they are delivered right to your home with fast, convenient shipping.

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A Positive Approach to Enuresis Treatment

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Enuresis, or bed wetting, happens when a child over the age of about six accidentally urinates. While this involuntary urination can happen any time, either during the day or during the night, the more typical problem in children is nighttime enuresis, and the enuresis treatment for nighttime bed wetting is behavior training o5 drugs, or both..

If your child is having a nighttime accident, two or more times per month, then they are suffering from enuresis. Two of the most common reactions that parents have when an older child is bed wetting are to either do nothing at all or to punish the child. Both of these approaches are absolutely no help at all. Instead of leaving the child to figure the problem out on their own, let them know that this problem is common, and then get them some help.

The first line of assistance can come from you. Begin by regulating their bathroom times during waking hours so that they are not having to hold urine for an extended period of time. Always have your child go to the bathroom before going to sleep, and reduce liquids several hours before going to bed.

This type of behavior modification is the most successful when your child is between five and eight years old. While it may not solve the problem, it is a sensible place to start, and coupling it with positive reinforcement can work. However, when it does not work you can employ the use of a bed wetting alarm. These small alarms awaken the child when it is time for the child to go to the bathroom. It may take a couple of months to fully train your child, but bed wetting alarms have a really high success rate if they are used properly and consistently.

There are also drugs that are very effective for enuresis treatment. Some medications decrease the volume of urine that is produced during sleep, and it has been used with very good results. A doctor may prescribe this type of medication for a time, and then stop to see if the problem has righted itself.

All children develop at different rates, and remaining dry throughout the night is essentially the last stage of toilet training. After the age of six if a child is still wetting the bed at night, then they are considered to have nocturnal enuresis.

There are two types of enuresis, primary and secondary. Primary enuresis occurs when a child has never been completely toilet trained. Frequently the cause for primary enuresis is that the body is making more urine than the bladder can hold, and the child does not awaken to go to the bathroom. The child’s brain has not learned to respond to the wake up signal when the bladder is full.

Secondary enuresis occurs when a child has been completely toilet trained for at least six months. When a child suffers from secondary enuresis, the problem could be physical, emotional or a change in sleep patterns. Normally when a child is suffering from secondary enuresis, a doctor will not begin treating the child until they know what the cause of the problem is.

If your child is suffering from enuresis, it is important to get the righe enuresis treatment and use the right products to help your child avoid accidental embarrassment. Whether your are looking for nighttime mattress protection or protective undergarments for your child, DryForLife has been helping people find just the right products to suit their situation for over forty years. You can order by phone or online, and have the products shipped directly to your home quickly and discretely.

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Maintaining Bowel Continence

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Maintaining a healthy urinary system requires maintaining healthy bowels as well. Constipation and impaction are both contributors to urinary incontinence, so maintaining bowel continence is important on many different levels. Few people ever spend much time thinking about their bowels unless they are not working properly. So it might be a good idea to understand how your bowels work, and what you can do to keep them healthy before you have problems.

If your body could not get rid of waste from its system you would eventually become septic and get very ill. Your body has a mechanism to get rid of any waste in its system, and it is the lower part of the digestive tract or bowels. The colon, or the large intestine, stores liquid waste and keeps it moving towards the rectum. While in the colon excess liquid is removed from the waste material until it eventually forms a stool consistency. As this stool consistency is completed there is a sphincter located below the rectum that opens to let the stool pass. Once the stool has passed into the anal canal, nerve endings stimulate the brain to let it know that it needs to trigger a bowel movement. Then, when you decide the time is appropriate the brain allows the external sphincter to relax while contracting the stomach muscles allowing the stool to pass from the body. Once toilet training is complete this process does not ever get much thought unless it is not working properly.

There are some things that you can do to help maintain your bowel continence, and the secret to maintaining a healthy bowel is voiding regularly. To help achieve this goal eat a healthy diet, which is high in fiber and make sure to drink plenty of liquids. Watch your weight and take care not to gain excess weight. Exercise regularly to keep all of the muscles in your body toned. By maintaining a healthy bowel you will contribute to your overall health, and you will keep you bowels and urinary system healthy.

However, if you do have a problem where your bowel continence is not functioning properly, then you will want to make sure to work closely with your doctor to identify the cause of the problem. To help manage your continence problem, you will want to find continence products that work for you and your situation. DryForLife helps you identify and select the appropriate protection for your needs. All of the products can be ordered from the comfort of your own home and delivered right to your front door. Having the proper incontinence products makes managing any type of continence problem much easier.

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Incontinence Protection Lets You Continue to Live Confidently

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

If you are suffering from any type of incontinence, either urinary incontinence or bowel incontinence, then it is important to have the right products for incontinence protection. By being familiar with the products that are available in today’s market and knowing which ones work best to help you manage your situation, you can keep incontinence from interfering with whatever lifestyle you choose.

Incontinence can range from light incontinence to heavy incontinence, and managing each level brings with it its own challenges. For example, stress incontinence happens when stress is exerted on the bladder causing urine leakage. So if you do not cough, laugh, exercise or lift something heavy, you will not have a problem. However, you cannot predict when a sneeze is going to sneak up on you, so it is better to be prepared with the proper incontinence protection, than it is to be caught off guard.

Sometimes you may be taking a medication that has a heavy diuretic side effect that can lead to urge incontinence. Other factors like caffeine, a bladder infection, pregnancy, an enlarged prostate or even alcohol consumption can cause this type of incontinence as well. So if you are prone to having an incontinence issue, it is a good idea to have the proper protection available when you need it.

Heavier types of incontinence occur with overflow incontinence, where the bladder overfills then literally overflows, and reflex urinary incontinence where voluntary bladder control is gone. In this case, you do not know when your bladder is full, so nothing triggers to to head for the rest room.

Each type of incontinence has a cure or at least a management technique that you can use to deal with it on a daily basis. Newer incontinence products and incontinence pads are more absorbent and have improved barriers to help prevent leakage. New materials help to wick moisture away from the body and keep skin dry even if you are sitting down. These pads also help you stay fresh for at least several hours.

So if you are dealing with any type of incontinence problem, make sure to look into proper incontinence protection to make dealing with your situation just that much easier. From pads to pants to mattress protection, you can find whatever products you need to help you live confidently. DryForLife has been helping people deal with their incontinence issues for over forty years, and if you need some guidance or advice on which products may work best for you simply give us a call or drop us an email. You can order from the privacy of your own home and have your products delivered directly to you.

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Nocturia Treatment with an Enlarged Prostate

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

Frequent night urination, or nocturia, can be caused by many different things; so nocturia treatment is varied depending on the underlying cause. One of the most common causes of nocturia occurs in older men, and it is an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland is normally about the size of a walnut, and it is situated right beside the urethra. When this gland grows larger it exerts pressure on the urethra causing any number of problems, not the least of which is nocturia. Other problems that an enlarged prostate can cause are urinary incontinence and repeated infections in the urinary tract. Just to confuse things, it is possible to have an enlarged prostate and not have any symptoms, or to have a regular sized prostate and suffer from nocturia.

There are a couple of key factors that determine how much the prostate size affects the number of times that you have to go to the bathroom. The prostate consists of two different types of cells, spongy and rigid. The thought is that nocturia is more affected by the proportion of rigid cells in the prostate rather than simply its size. Unfortunately these rigid cells do not respond as well to drugs as they are more resilient than their spongy counterparts. Because of this a patient is frequently faced with surgery, often minimally invasive, for treatment of the problem.

The other piece of the puzzle has to do with a man’s bladder elasticity and capacity. So men with smaller more rigid bladders are more likely to suffer from nocturia than men with larger more resilient bladders. Another variable that is frequently thrown into the mix is the prostate specific antigen or PSA, which is the measure of a prostate protein. This protein is measured in a blood test, and it is used as a cancer screening tool. An elevated PSA may indicate that cancer is present, but the test is not 100% conclusive.

If you are just beginning to experience problems with nocturia, you may want to keep track of your fluid intake. Try to cut back on any liquid consumption within two hours of bedtime, and stay away from alcohol and caffeine later in the day as they have a diuretic effect causing the body to shed even more fluid. If you are taking a diuretic medication try to schedule it early in the day so that its effects will be completed during waking hours.

If you are suffering from nocturia and suspect that an enlarged prostate may be at the root of the problem, have your doctor assess the situation and offer you nocturia treatment solutions. If you are worried about any type of urine leakage during the night there are many different types of incontinence products that can help alleviate your worries. DryForLife can offer you helpful advice on which products might work for your situation, and they can be ordered by phone or online and delivered directly to your home.

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Frequent Night Urination Deserves a Closer Look

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

If you have noticed a pattern of frequent night urination developing, you should probably pay attention to it. Since it can frequently be caused by lifestyle habits, that is probably the first thing that you should consider. The problem is, though, that it can also be caused by medical conditions, and it is frequently the harbinger of kidney, liver and other serious medical problems. So if you notice that your nighttime bathroom trips are increasing, take a look at the amount of fluid that you are consuming later in the day, and consider making adjustments to see if that alleviates the symptoms.

Begin by not drinking any liquids within two hours of when you go to bed. Especially stay away from beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, because they tend to act like a diuretic and cause the body to get rid of even more fluids in your system.

However, if you change your behavior, and you are still having the problem, it is a good idea to consult with your doctor, because frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia, can be caused by any number of underlying conditions from prostate problems to diabetes. By consulting with a doctor, you may head off a serious problem by handling a developing situation in its early stages.

Notice how your nighttime bathroom pattern has changed, and take note of how frequently you do go to the bathroom. Also take note of how you feel as you are getting up yet again to relieve yourself. Does you bladder feel full? Does it feel like you kind of have to go? When you go to the bathroom are you pretty sure you will be up again for another bathroom trip, because it feels like you did not quite empty your bladder? All of this information will be very helpful pointing your doctor in the right direction as he or she sets about finding a solution for your frequent night urination problem.

This problem is actually serious even if you do not have an underlying medical condition, because it begins to affect your quality of life. When you do not sleep well at night, you will not feel rested the next day, which can affect your performance at work, your reflexes and your concentration. You may step away from any social plans that involve traveling overnight. While the topic is pretty uncomfortable for most people to talk about, it is worth talking to your health care professional about it to get to the cause of the problem.

In the case of diabetes, the high sugar levels cause more urine to be produced which causes frequent urination, and this is a problem that needs to be contained for a multitude of health reasons. Certain medications can have a diuretic effect, or in men an enlarged prostate can cause these symptoms as well. Frequently your doctor can cure or help you manage the situation so that it does not interfere with your lifestyle.

If your frequent night urination has you concerned about nighttime continence, then you may want to protect your mattress with a protective mattress pad. DryForLife can provide discreet advice and help you manage your problem as you and your doctor pinpoint its cause. You can order your products, which are available online and have them conveniently delivered to your home.

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Comfortable Continence Wear is Worth a Look

Friday, February 19th, 2010

An embarrassing subject for most people, continence health is something that you take for granted until you have a problem, which can be caused by things like age, illness, injury, genetics or medication. Continence problems can range from light to heavy, and it can be worse at different times of the day or while performing certain activities. So it is important to find continence wear that works for you and your situation as you manage your continence health.

As continence health deteriorates, incontinence, which is the involuntary passing of urine or faeces, sets in. The most common type of incontinence is urinary incontinence, and it generally occurs in older adults. It is also more commonly found to occur in women than men. Millions of adults have to manage continence problems daily, and the more familiar you are with products that can protect your skin, clothing and furniture from accidental leakage the easier managing your continence problem will be.

Continence wear is available in washable as well as disposable versions, and you should investigate different styles and absorbency levels to find the ones that work the best for you and your situation. Your doctor or continence advisor is a great source of information about what products are available, and which types of pads, pants or mattress covers would be a likely match for your problem.

If you are very active, having continence problems is no reason to disengage from your active lifestyle. All too often urinary incontinence forces a person to withdraw from their active life because they are concerned about embarrassing leakage. If you investigate the excellent products that are available today, you will find that you really do not even have to skip a beat. There is a product designed for virtually every need, and while you will still have to manage your continence problems, you have all of the tools at your disposal that you need to do it well.

Most newer designs for continence wear are low profile and comfortable. Pads and pants are designed to absorb a large volume of liquid very quickly, trap it and wick it away from the body to protect skin from irritation. The low profile design lets you discreetly wear these products undetected.

By selecting the product that you need when you need it, you can manage your urinary or faecal incontinence problem and still live your active lifestyle. DryForLife offers a confidential resolution for your continence wear needs, and it is so simple to order your supplies from the privacy of your home for speedy, discreet delivery.

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Continence Problems Can Begin with Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

While continence is rarely ever considered when you are young and healthy, as you get older continence problems begin to loom large. Women are affected with continence problems in greater numbers than men, largely as a side effect of pregnancy and childbirth. However, while pregnancy and childbirth increase the risk of having continence problems, they also arm women with the tools for maintaining continence health. Men, on the other hand, are really never forced to think about that region of their body, from a maintenance standpoint, until they are much older, and then they have a lot of catching up to do.

While women have had to deal with rebuilding that region of their bodies after childbirth, they are much more familiar with all of the working parts, including the pelvic floor muscles in particular. These muscles, which stretch from the tail bone up to the pubic bone, are what supports all of your pelvic organs including your bladder and bowel. When these muscles are young and healthy, they help to keep the bladder and bowel outlets closed tightly preventing any accidental leakage. With age, illness or injury the pelvic floor muscles can weaken causing them to relax allowing the bladder and bowel to empty. Once these muscles become weak, the ability to hold back the flow of urine or keep from passing wind during physical activity is diminished.

The good news is that like any muscles in your body that become weak, you can exercise to rebuild the muscles and regain the suppleness and strength that they once had. The more that you use these muscles, the better they will work for you, but first you have to find them.

Women generally find these muscles as they are instructed in Kegel exercises during pregnancy and childbirth, so even though these muscles get beaten up during the process of child bearing, women are generally aware of these muscles and how to exercise them to keep them in good working order. The easiest way to find these muscles is to stop the flow of urine mid stream the next time that you are going to the bathroom. These are the pelvic floor muscles in action. Once you have identified the muscles you can begin doing Kegel exercises to get them strong.

As you begin consciously using your pelvic floor muscles you can remember to tighten them when you are engaged in other strenuous activities or workouts. Even as you go through everyday activities like lifting, bending, laughing, sneezing or coughing, engaging your pelvic floor muscles will help to support your bladder and bowel. If your muscles are very weak, it is easiest to begin exercising them in a sitting position, but as they grow stronger, you can engage them while standing as well.

As you are working out the muscles of your pelvic floor, realize that it will take from three to six months for you really see an improvement in the functioning of the muscles. Once your muscles are strong again, like any muscle in your body, use it or lose it. So plan to fit your Kegel exercises into a regular workout routine that works for your schedule.

If you are not sure where to begin with your pelvic floor exercises, you may want to enlist the services of a physiotherapist who has experience with continence issues, and they can design a workout schedule that suits your needs. To help manage your continence problems as you follow your workout schedule, find appropriate supplies that work well for you. There are many, quality selections available in either washable or disposable styles, and you can use the product that you need when you need it. DryForLife has a full line of products for continence care ranging from light to heavy levels of absorbency. You can order the products from the privacy of your home and have them delivered there as well.

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Archive for the ‘Incontinence Help’ Category

Continence Pads and Products Pivotal in Leading Normal Life

Frequent Urination in Women Can be Frustrating

Bed Wetting Alarms Get Good Results

A Positive Approach to Enuresis Treatment

Maintaining Bowel Continence

Incontinence Protection Lets You Continue to Live Confidently

Nocturia Treatment with an Enlarged Prostate

Frequent Night Urination Deserves a Closer Look

Comfortable Continence Wear is Worth a Look

Continence Problems Can Begin with Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

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