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Healthcare Professionals Falling Short Dealing with Adult Incontinence

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

When it comes to adult incontinence, one in five adults in the UK suffers from it. Between both types of incontinence, faecal and urinary, that statistic translates into literally millions of people who are dealing with this problem. As it turns out, the treatment of incontinence is still more of a problem than healthcare providers would like to see, and because it is frequently not treated correctly it can actually degrade a person’s health.

A recent audit of about 20,000 adults suffering from incontinence highlights some disturbing facts regarding how well the healthcare industry is addressing this issue with its patients. Citing organisation issues and deficient training as real problems among healthcare providers, the audit finds that while people in every age group are affected by this gap in care, elderly people are most especially affected.

Because of poor organisation and training, healthcare providers are not proactive enough when dealing with elderly patients who may be embarrassed to broach the subject of incontinence themselves. Since many of these patients are too humiliated to bring up their issues with incontinence, many elderly people continue to suffer from a condition that is treatable and is often curable.

With over a million and a half of adults over the age of 65 negotiating their way around some sort of incontinence issue, healthcare professionals typically do not consider continence a priority when providing service to their patients. Since a much larger percentage of older people are adversely affected by some sort of incontinence, this silent suffering is disproportionately shared among the elderly.

Identifying the problem is the first step towards finding a solution for it, and now that the gap in services for incontinence sufferers has been brought to light, healthcare providers can take steps to upgrade patient care. By improving the organisation of incontinence support services and providing the proper training for caregivers to be more proactive in identifying and treating incontinence, especially among the elderly many elderly adults will be able to get the help that they need to successfully deal with the challenges of adult incontinence.

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Adult Incontinence

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Adult incontinence is a common condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It is a condition that causes shame and embarrassment amongst those who suffer from it. Many people are reluctant to discuss the problem with their physician, which is unfortunate because the condition can often be effectively treated.

It is possible to gain control of incontinence and reclaim your confidence. To begin, you should see your physician at the first sign of incontinence. This is important so that cause can be determined. Potential causes of adult incontinence are numerous and vary by sex. For men, incontinence is often a result of prostate enlargement or disease. For women, incontinence may occur as a consequence of pregnancy and childbirth. Your physician will be able to determine the cause of your incontinence based on your symptoms. It is useful if you can track incidences of incontinence for a week or two before you visit your physician, making note of when incontinence occurs, how often it occurs and any associated factors such as signs of infection, pain with urination and any other information you feel is pertinent.

Once the cause of adult incontinence has been determined (which may require tests to clarify the issue), attention can then turn to treating the problem. Self-help remedies are often attempted first. These may include dietary and lifestyle changes. Should these home remedies fail, medication is often the next step for treating adult incontinence. Medications are used to decrease bladder irritability, decrease the size of swollen prostate glands, or decrease the urge to void frequently.

While you and your physician are sorting out the problem, you will want to use incontinence products that will help you feel secure and confident. Qualities to look for in incontinence products include absorbency, comfort, discreetness and affordability. DryForLife incontinence products have all these attributes. In addition, DryForLife products can be delivered right to your door at no extra cost, saving you the inconvenience of having to shop for your incontinence products in a store.

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Infection as a Cause of Bladder Incontinence

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Bladder incontinence is a common condition affecting millions of people around the world. Causes of bladder incontinence are numerous. Infection in some part of the urinary tract may cause incontinence and is one cause that your physician can easily detect and treat.

Urinary tract infections may affect the kidneys (pyelonephritis), the bladder (cystitis) or the urethra (urethritis). Men may also suffer from prostatitis, or infection of the prostate gland. Bladder incontinence is sometimes the result of untreated infections.

Not all people who have urinary tract infections are symptomatic. When symptoms do occur, they may include:
-Frequency (frequent need to urinate)
-Dysuria (painful urination)
-Hematuria (blood in the urine, which may be visible or only -detectable under a microscope)
-Rectal fullness (men)
-Suprapubic pain (pain just above the pubic bone)
-Fatigue
-Weakness
-Fever (usually present when infection reaches the kidneys)
-Flank pain or backache (usually only with pyelonephritis)
-Nausea and vomiting (pyelonephritis)
-Milky, foul-smelling urine

In children, symptoms may not be obvious. Children are more likely to have a fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and failure to thrive (in infants).

Urine is normally sterile. However, bacteria sometimes cling to and multiply at the entrance to the urinary tract, the urethra. There are several bacteria that live in the bowel and anus. These bacteria can travel from the urethra upwards to other areas of the urinary tract.

Usually, the act of urination causes bacteria to be washed away, but this mechanism sometimes fails. Some people are more prone to urinary tract infection due to underlying health conditions:
-Victims of spinal cord injury (incomplete bladder emptying)
-Sexually active women (urinating after intercourse may decrease r-isk of infection)
-People with kidney stones
-People with suppressed immune function
-Women who use a diaphragm as a method of birth control
-Men with enlarged prostate glands

Urinary tract infection may cause temporary bladder incontinence when symptoms, such as urgency, are intense. Fortunately, bladder infection can be easily detected and treated with antibiotics. Any new-onset bladder incontinence should be evaluated by a physician. When the cause of bladder incontinence is urinary tract infection, the problem can be easily treated.

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Save Money with Washable Incontinence Pads

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

There’s no doubt about it; suffering from incontinence can be expensive. One way to cut down on the expense associated with being incontinent is to consider the use of washable incontinent pads.

Incontinence products generally come in two varieties: disposable or washable (reusable). While many people prefer to use disposable products, because they can simply be disposed of when soiled, there are a growing number of people who choose to use washable products in order to save money.

Washable incontinent pads are often teamed with washable incontinent pants. These products are made of comfortable, breathable materials that are highly absorbent. Washable incontinent pants often look and feel like normal underwear, which is a large part of their appeal. As the incontinence market has grown, so have the styles and features of products. For example, men’s washable incontinence pads and pants now come in styles that appeal to men, such as boxer style briefs. Women have not been forgotten- manufacturers realize that women desire products that are discreet and look natural under any type of garment they choose to wear.

More and more people are going green, and buying washable incontinent pads and pants is one way that consumers can help the environment. By cutting down on waste, buying washable products can assist people who care about the environment by allowing them a choice.

DryForLife understands that people with incontinence want to have a choice in the products they use to cope with incontinence, and that people want value for their money. DryForLife offers a wide range of products, including washable incontinent pads, which are comfortable to wear, absorbent, discreet and cost-effective. DryForLife is also proud to carry the full line of Tena products to offer their valued clients a wider choice in incontinence products.

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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.

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.

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Bed Wetting Products: What You Should Know

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Bed wetting, or enuresis, is a common problem affecting 1% of the population over the age of 15. Bed wetting is more common in children, with 15 to 20% of five and six-year-old youngsters experiencing the problem. Sometimes the problem persists into adulthood for unknown reasons. Bed wetting may occur only occasionally, or it may occur on a more regular basis. The problem can be a source of embarrassment but can often be treated with behavior modification or medication. Bed wetting products can protect against nighttime accidents and protect your mattress.

To protect your mattress if you or someone you love suffers from enuresis, you may want to consider some of the following bed wetting products:

Premium Super Bed Pads – These disposable pads are highly absorbent and are suitable for moderate to heavy incontinence.
They are made from quilted wadding, which is comfortable to lie on, and they contain a very absorbent core which wicks fluid away from the body. They are rustle-free, guaranteeing you a restful sleep and the peace of mind which comes from knowing that your mattress is fully protected in case of an accident.

Heavy Duty Waterproof Mattress Cover – These washable mattress covers protect your entire mattress with fully fitted ends. Supremely comfortable to lie on, these mattress covers can be easily washed in a washing machine, making them an economical choice in mattress protection.

Unisex Supreme Disposable Pants – Some people who suffer from enuresis prefer to wear disposable incontinence pants that can easily be disposed of in the morning should an accident occur, or reused if dry. These incontinence pants are comfortable to wear and are highly absorbent.

Bed wetting products protect your mattress and allow you to relax while you sleep, knowing that your mattress is protected should an accident occur. DryForLife has a full line of incontinence products available designed specifically to help manage any bed wetting situation.

Childbirth and Incontinence in Women

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Women are more likely to suffer from incontinence than men. This predisposition is largely due to the fact that women give birth, which is an act that can bring great joy and can also wreak havoc on women’s bodies. Sometimes pregnancy itself can cause incontinence in women.

During pregnancy, the uterus grows to a point where it applies a lot of pressure to the bladder. This may result in stress incontinence. A woman with a large, gravid uterus may find that she leaks urine when she coughs, sneezes or laughs. Lifting heavy objects may also cause incontinence in women who are pregnant. Stress incontinence during pregnancy is usually transient and ends when the pregnancy does, because the uterus returns to its pre-pregnant size.

Childbirth itself can cause trauma to many structures, including the muscles of the pelvic floor, which help to control urination, and nerves. Conditions that may predispose a women to damage to these structures during childbirth include the following:

Use of forceps or vacuum extraction

Large birth weight babies (>4000 grams)

Multiple births

Prolonged labour

Precipitous birth (baby comes too quickly)

Induced labour using drugs

Episiotomy (performed to enlarge the vaginal opening)

Sometimes damage caused by childbirth is not evident for years after a woman gives birth. When a women experiences new-onset urinary or faecal incontinence, her doctor will want to know about the circumstances surrounding her pregnancies and births. Multiple pregnancies and births may make a woman more likely to experience incontinence.

Incontinence in women need not be permanent. There are many treatments and therapies that may improve or cure incontinence. Many women who experience incontinence assume that there is nothing that can be done, and they do not seek medical advice. Seeing a doctor is the first step to curing incontinence, and incontinence in women should never be viewed as a normal event.

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Making Sense of Mixed Urinary Incontinence

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

There are many different variables to consider when you are considering the underlying causes of incontinence. Most common in elderly men and women, incontinence is by no means isolated to this age group. It can also be found in younger people, and might even be more common than you think. Women tend to suffer from the symptoms of incontinence more frequently than men, because of toll that pregnancy and childbirth take on the body. However, incontinence can also be caused by infection, disease, injuries and surgery in both women and men of all ages.

Sometimes the manifestation of incontinence is a little fuzzy in that it is not clearly one type or another. Rather it seems to be a combination of two different types. For example, there are three main types of urinary incontinence, which are stress, urge and overflow incontinence. Stress incontinence happens when a sudden pressure is inflicted on the area of the abdomen affecting the bladder. Something like a sneeze, laugh, cough, or straining when lifting a heavy object is enough to cause stress incontinence. Weak or damaged pelvic floor muscles are usually the culprit of stress incontinence. This type of incontinence is very common after pregnancy and childbirth or prostate surgery.

The problems associated with urge incontinence appear seemingly out of nowhere, and if you cannot find a restroom immediately, you are very likely to have an accident. Since this type of incontinence is marked with a sudden and uncontrollable bladder contraction, it is frequently managed with medication to quiet the spasm of the bladder. This type of incontinence most frequently occurs in older men and women.

When you have the symptoms of two types of incontinence intertwined and manifesting themselves in concert, the condition is known as mixed incontinence. While mixed incontinence can be a combination of any of the three types of incontinence, it is most often stress incontinence mixed with urge incontinence. When a doctor is treating a case of mixed incontinence he or she will first treat the dominant symptoms, and then address the less dominant symptoms.

Then treatments for mixed incontinence are the same as they are for each individual type of incontinence, and your medical professional can help you define whether behavior modification, physical therapy, medication or surgery is the appropriate course of action for your specific case of incontinence. The treatment recommendation will change depending on the underlying cause of your incontinence.

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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.

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Archive for the ‘Incontinence Help’ Category

Healthcare Professionals Falling Short Dealing with Adult Incontinence

Adult Incontinence

Infection as a Cause of Bladder Incontinence

Save Money with Washable Incontinence Pads

Definitions of Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence Treatments

Bed Wetting Products: What You Should Know

Childbirth and Incontinence in Women

Making Sense of Mixed Urinary Incontinence

Looking at Urinary Incontinence in General Terms

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