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Coping with Incontinence During the Holidays

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Does the idea of traveling for Christmas strike fear in your heart? Do you dread shopping because you are constantly on the lookout for a washroom? Coping with incontinence can be challenging at any time of the year, but may be even more difficult at Christmas time when you may be invited out frequently and may be more apt to travel. So what can be done to make coping with incontinence during the holidays a little easier? You may find the following suggestions helpful.

Avoid overindulgence – It is all too easy to overindulge in all of our favorites during the holiday season. Alcoholic beverages, caffeine, carbonated beverages, spicy and acidic foods and other holiday treats can worsen incontinence. Avoiding these foods or moderating your intake can help you maintain control.

Arrange accommodations in advance – Whether you are staying in a hotel/motel or in the guest room of a loved one’s home, advance preparation can set your mind at ease and allow you to feel comfortable wherever you are. For example, if staying in someone’s home, ask if it is possible to be placed in a room close to the washroom. You may also consider the use of a mattress pad or bed cover. These products are designed to protect mattresses from leakage, and can grant you peace of mind while traveling. You may want to bring a supply of plastic bags with you to dispose of any used products.

Plan your trip- – When traveling, you may find it helpful to do a little reconnaissance before the mission; in other words, you may want to plan for bathroom breaks. Many people who suffer from incontinence are already in the habit of locating the bathroom in whatever venue they are visiting. The same can be done for trips by car—plan to stop frequently at rest stops and restaurants. Frequent stops will decrease the chance of accidental leakage.

Choose the right protection – Perhaps the most important thing you can do to ensure that embarrassing leakage is not an issue for you is to choose the right incontinence product. Incontinence pads come in a wide variety of shapes and absorbencies. Incontinence pants are also widely available. Either of these choices can provide protection and discreetness, allowing you to relax and enjoy yourself.

Incontinence need not detract from your enjoyment of the holidays. Planning in advance and using products designed to help you cope with incontinence, such as mattress covers, absorbent incontinence pads and pants will help you feel confident and secure. DryForLife has a wide range of products designed with you in mind. Thank you for visiting and enjoy the holidays!

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Reflex Urinary Incontinence

Monday, November 30th, 2009

When there is damage to the nerves that allow a person to control when they urinate the bladder fills, but the person has no sensation that they need to empty their bladder. When the bladder becomes overfull, it will eventually empty on its own, which is called reflex urinary incontinence. This type of incontinence is most commonly found in people who have a spinal cord injury, suffered a stroke, have Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis or have a brain tumor.

People suffering from reflex incontinence are unable to control the release of urine from the bladder, and it can occur when the bladder contracts involuntarily causing urine to leak. This type of incontinence can be diagnosed by a gynecologist, urologist, or family doctor.

There are several different types of tests that your doctor may request to determine the cause of your incontinence problem including a physical exam, urinalysis, x-rays or cystoscopy. Your doctor may ask you to keep a journal of your urination schedule and to note when urinary leakage occurs.

Your doctor may choose to do an IVP, which is a specialized procedure that injects contrast dye before x-raying internal organs. The test is looking for blockages or obstructive growths that may cause the reflex incontinence.

A cystoscopy involves your urologist inserting a thin tube into your urethra to check for abnormalities that may be causing the reflex incontinence. They may also choose to take a biopsy of any suspect tissue that they encounter.

If the reason for your reflex urinary incontinence is unknown, you will want to have a medical professional diagnose you as soon as possible. Aside from being inconvenient and annoying, it may be warning you of some more sinister problem lurking in the shadows. By having your doctor properly diagnose your problem, you will be able to start a course of treatment to manage and maybe even cure your problem.

As your doctor is working on properly diagnosing the cause of your reflex urinary incontinence, the right incontinence products can free you from the worry of having accidental leakage in public. Incontinence pads come in many different sizes and absorbencies to deal with any problem from mild to severe. DryForLife supplies a variety of incontinence products, which may be ordered online and discreetly delivered to you.
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Am I Incontinent?

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine resulting from a loss of bladder control, and any number of different factors can cause it. If you suspect that you may be incontinent, it might be a good idea to understand exactly what incontinence is.

There are four basic areas of incontinence, urge, stress, overflow and functional. Each has a different set of symptoms.

Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder contracts or spasms when it should not. You may feel a sudden and intense urge to urinate. You could also have to go to the bathroom much more frequently than usual, or you may be bedwetting at night. The urine leakage may range anywhere from a few drops to a larger amount.

Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles around the urethra are weak, and something causes pressure on the abdomen like laughing, coughing or sneezing which forces urine out of the bladder. This normally does not occur at night, and any amount of leakage may occur.

Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder does not contract properly or the muscles around the urethra are too strong giving you the sensation that your bladder is not empty even right after you go. This problem results in either bedwetting, frequent bathroom trips or small amounts of fairly constant leakage.

Functional incontinence happens when a person is either physically disabled or suffers from dementia making it difficult for them to manage going to the bathroom. It generally does not occur at night and is normally not a direct problem with the urinary system.

If one of these incontinent patterns fits your situation, contact your health care professional for a checkup. The symptoms can frequently be remedied with anything from medication, to exercise to surgery. The sooner you have your incontinence problem diagnosed, the better your chances are of finding a speedy solution.

There are many different types of incontinence pads available today to make dealing with incontinence easier than ever before, and your purchases can even be delivered discreetly and directly to your door.

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Diuretics and Incontinence

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

A diuretic can be defined as any drug that increases the amount of urination. Drugs in this class act in different ways, but they all have the same result- forced urination.

Diuretics may be prescribed to treat any number of conditions, such as edema (swelling), heart failure, liver disease and kidney disease. Lasix (furosemide), Aldactone (spironolactone) and Hydrochlorothiazide are all types of diuretics that may be described. Diuretics may also be prescribed to help control blood pressure. Caffeine is another type of diuretic.

How do diuretics affect incontinence? It’s simple- diuretics force your kidneys to produce more urine, and this increased urine production may lead to new incontinence or worsening of incontinence symptoms, especially in older people.

If you are taking a diuretic and find that you are experiencing incontinence, talk to your doctor. Your physician may be able to prescribe a diuretic that is less likely to cause incontinence. You should not quit taking your diuretic, as this may make the problem you were taking the diuretic for worse; instead, make an appointment with your doctor. Avoiding caffeine may also help you control your symptoms of incontinence.

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Government Joins Forces With Research Into Ageing to Combat Incontinence

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

It is estimated that 3 million people in the UK (and likely more) suffer from incontinence, which is one of the major reasons why older people need to enter homes that provide nursing care. Although this is a common scenario, incontinence has received little attention in research due to the social stigma attached to the issue of incontinence.

Hopefully, this will begin to change. In July it was announced that the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) and Research into Ageing will collaborate on some research projects that will help to further understanding into the biological causes of incontinence, as well as help to raise awareness of incontinence, which often loses out in funding to other, more “fashionable” conditions.

It is hoped that this research will lead to further funding of research into treatment and, better yet, prevention of this debilitating condition that negatively impacts so many people’s quality of life. To view the media release relating to this subject, visit http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2009/090702_new_incontinence_research_funding_benefit_millions.html

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Incontinence in Men

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Although it is true that women are twice as likely to suffer from incontinence as men, many men must also cope with incontinence on a daily basis. Causes of female incontinence often stem from pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes, while in men the blame for incontinence can often be placed on the prostate.

Enlargement of the prostate, or BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) is a common affliction in men as a consequence of aging. The prostate, which is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, begins to enlarge in men after their 40′s; by the time they reach their 60′s, half of all men have some enlargement of the prostate.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate are due to the enlarging organ’s encroachment on the urethra, which it surrounds. Common symptoms include frequency, urgency, nocturia (nightime voiding), a weak stream, dribbling, urinary tract infection, incontinence and others.

Although BPH is common, men who experience incontinence should seek advice from their physician, in order to rule out more serious causes of inconinence, such as infection or cancer.

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Disclaimer - The research, clinical material and advice provided on this website is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical treatment, nor an alternative to medical advice. Any action taken in response to the information given on this website is at the reader's own discretion. Readers should always consult their own Doctor in all health matters. Please read our Terms and conditions. Copyright ©2003-2009 DryForLife®

Archive for the ‘Incontinence’ Category

Coping with Incontinence During the Holidays

Reflex Urinary Incontinence

Am I Incontinent?

Diuretics and Incontinence

Government Joins Forces With Research Into Ageing to Combat Incontinence

Incontinence in Men

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