The issue of incontinence shouldn’t be one of embarrassment
and shame. With over 5 million Australians experiencing bladder or bowel
control problems, it’s more common than you think and you’re certainly not
alone.
[1]
If you do suffer from urinary or faecal incontinence and you’re unsure of which
type you may experience, we’ve listed a guide below that helps to explain each
one.
What is Urge Incontinence?
Urge incontinence or overactive bladder syndrome deals with
the urge to urinate even when the bladder isn’t full, this can lead to
involuntary loss of urine before reaching the toilet. This type is common in
both men and women and can occur more as you age. Symptoms may include waking
up multiple times in the middle of the night with the urge to urinate, having
to urinate more than eight times a day and feeling as if you won’t make it to
the toilet when you need to urinate. Urge incontinence can be caused by certain
health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and the occurrence of
an enlarged prostate gland. Urinary tract infections may also cause temporary
urge incontinence, but this often clears up as the infection goes away.
What is Stress Incontinence?
Stress incontinence can occur when activities are undertaken
that add pressure onto the bladder causing urine leakage. It can happen due to
a range of physical activities including laughing, coughing, sneezing, or
walking. Stress incontinence mainly affects women due to the impacts of
pregnancy and childbirth, but men can also develop it after having prostate
surgery. After childbirth many women find that their pelvic floor muscles have
become weakened, and as they undertake certain activities, they are more
inclined to experience stress incontinence as pressure is put on the bladder
causing leaking urine.
What is Overflow Incontinence?
Overflow incontinence affects more men than women and occurs
when you have difficulties completely emptying your bladder. This can result in
overflow, where your bladder will leak without any notice. It can occur when
you have no urge to urinate as the brain has no idea that the bladder is full. Symptoms
can include a sudden release of urine, feeling as if it’s hard to urinate even
though you feel as if you need to go and bed wetting. Overflow incontinence can
happen due to a blockage in the urinary tract and certain health conditions
where the nerves can be affected such as diabetes or Parkinson’s. Men are more
commonly diagnosed with this type of incontinence as one of the most common symptoms
of overflow incontinence is an enlarged prostate gland.
What is Functional Incontinence?
Functional incontinence occurs when a person’s urinary
system and bladder control is functioning
correctly, but they are unable to access a toilet. This can be due to an
intellectual or physical condition, caused by a range of reasons such as not
being unable to recognise the need to go to the toilet or unable to locate or
access a toilet. Functional incontinence is also known as disability associated
urinary incontinence. Conditions such as dementia, cerebral palsy and arthritis
can become barriers for someone to access a toilet.
What is Mixed Incontinence?
Mixed incontinence can occur due to a combination of issues,
most commonly associated with the symptoms of stress incontinence and urge
incontinence. You may experience more of one type over the other, but if both
types are present then you may have mixed incontinence.
What is Reflex Incontinence?
Reflex incontinence is related to a disruption in signals
from the brain to the spinal cord, often due to surgical trauma or a spinal
cord injury. The bladder muscle can dysfunction and cause leakage, often
without the urge to urinate or without the feeling of a full bladder.
What is Enuresis Incontinence?
Enuresis incontinence is most commonly known as bed wetting
and occurs mainly in young children. It is still possible for adults to
experience bed wetting due to a range of reasons such as a smaller than usual bladder,
excessive alcohol, a urinary tract infection or medication.
What is Faecal Incontinence?
Faecal incontinence can be described as leakage from the
bowel due to involuntary bowel movements. It can be caused by a range of
reasons including bowel disease, long term straining and weak back passage
muscles.
If you are experiencing incontinence, Molicare have a vast
range of products that are highly absorbent and provide a comfortable fit. With
a range of different styles, sizes and absorbency levels – there’s a perfect
fit for all incontinence needs. Their curly fibre technology also helps to
maintain healthy pH levels and reduce the risk of skin irritation. Molicare has
a vast range of incontinence products including adult incontinence pads and
incontinence pants for men with their Molicare premium range, Molicare pads and
Molicare mobile range. They also have a wide range of incontinence pads for men
and incontinence pads for women.
It is important to seek medical advice and talk to your
doctor or a continence professional about your symptoms. Visit your local Blooms The Chemist Pharmacy team for more information and recommendations on
the best products for you. Click here for our range of products.
[1] Key Statistics. https://www.continence.org.au/about-us/our-work/key-statistics
Urinary Incontinence. Faecal Incontinence. https://www.continence.org.au/