Incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder and bowel
control and can affect men, women and children of all ages, with over 5 million
Australians experiencing bowel or bladder control problems.
1 There
are several types of incontinence, and the causes can vary depending on which
type you may be experiencing.
Some examples of incontinence types include stress
incontinence, urge incontinence and overflow 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.
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.
Overflow incontinence affects more men than women and occurs
when you have difficulties completely emptying your bladder. This can result in
an overflow, sometimes with a large amount of urine as 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.
To find out more about the other kinds of incontinence that you can experience, click here.
Risk Factors
- Age can be a factor as when we get older our pelvic floor muscles can become weaker and can cause the occurrence of incontinence.
- The risk of developing incontinence while pregnant or after the baby is born can increase due to the weight and pressure of the baby pushing down on the pelvic floor muscles. This can put pressure on your bladder muscle causing leaking urine.
- Diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis can affect bladder control due to the increased chances of damaged nerves.
- An enlarged prostate gland can be a contributor towards incontinence in men.
- A spinal cord injury can cause incontinence due to miscommunication between the brain and the nerves that control bowel and bladder function, disrupting the flow of urine.
- A urinary tract infection may also cause temporary urge incontinence, but this often clears up as the infection goes away.
Treatments for Incontinence
A way to help prevent the occurrence of incontinence is bladder
training. This is when you schedule the amount of time between bathroom trips,
helping you to decrease the amount of trips you take and also helping you to
improve your bladder’s capability of holding more urine.
Pelvic muscle exercises, also commonly known as kegel exercises
are used to help strengthen your pelvic muscles. These support the bladder and can
help you avoid the loss of urine and prevent accidents from occurring.
Another useful tip that may help includes
ensuring that you are able to access your bathroom at home and that there are
no obstacles or barriers in your way. Make sure that there are no
obstructions and keep the door open and lights on to allow for easy access.
If you suffer from a medical condition, then it is best to discuss
your treatment options with your GP so they can provide appropriate advice
depending on your individual situation.
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 incontinence products for you. Click here for our range of products.
1Understanding Incontinence. https://continence.org.au/about-continence/understanding-incontinence