Types of incontinence

There are a few different types of incontinence that I will review with you here.  Remember, knowledge is power:

• Stress Incontinence – Many individuals experience this type of incontinence. The usual cause is lack of muscle strength in the muscles that you use to hold your urine.  Many times this is experienced when you are older.  As the name suggests, stress incontinence is the leakage of urine when to much stress is on the muscles which hold our urine.  Some examples that you can probably relate to are laughing too hard, sneezing, or coughing.  Wearing pads will help catch the extra urine.

• Urge Incontinence –  This is the most common type of incontinence seen as you age.  Some of  the causes can be vaginal delivery, any disease causing muscle weakness, or prostate enlargement.  It is easily described and have the urge to urinate, but the inability to hold your urine until you can get to the toilet. In elderly patients, adult diapers, or briefs are the best solution for this type of incontinence.

• Reflex Incontinence – This type of adult incontinence is experienced after diagnosed with a brain tumor, or after a stroke.  Also spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis is another cause. In the elderly this incontinence usually occurs at night when they are unaware of the loss of urine or stool.

• Overflow Incontinence – This type of incontinence is rare unless you have another health condition. Small amounts of urine leak throughout the day. Individuals often feel as though they cannot completely empty their bladder.

Treatment Options For Adult Incontinence

Pelvic floor exercises or “Kegal” exercises can strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.  These exercises are very easy to do and consist of simply tightening the muscles you use to hold urine.  Tighten these muscles, then hold for a count of three, then release.  Doing this several times a day may decrease incontinence.

Using incontinence products such as pads, diapers, briefs, and bed incontinence pads do help with management of the condition.  During the day you can leave home and enjoy yourself without the fear of accidents and embarrassment .

Keeping the skin clean and changing your pads, diapers, or briefs several times a day is necessary.  the risk of not keeping the skin clean and dry are skin rashes or skin breakdown.  This is also necessary to prevent a urinary tract infection or bladder infection.

There now are products for incontinence that were used at NASA for the astronauts.  These incontinence products wick the urine away from the skin and keep the skin unbelievably dry in between changes.  This protects your skin and will prevent urinary tract infections.

Another option to keep your skin healthy are lotions and creams that act as a barrier, protecting your skin from coming in contact with your urine.  Remember many, many people suffer from urinary incontinence. For odor issues there are sprays available to help with this issue. Try not to be discouraged, as once the right incontinence products are used you will regain more of your independence and be able to experience life once again.  The knowledge you gain here will allow you to manage a previously unmanageable problem.

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