Article Series Incontinence
Your Guide to Managing Incontinence
A Helpful Guide to Managing Incontinence
Did you know that incontinence affects more than one in five senior Canadians? It’s true, urinary incontinence is a widespread condition affecting many different people in many different ways. Incontinence is not the end of the world, but it can have serious effects on quality of life, whether due to embarrassment, stress, and leading to other health issues. And while every case is unique, there are a number of ways to help manage the condition so that it doesn’t interfere with enjoying your everyday life.
Read on to learn about some of the most effective ways to help you manage your incontinence and improve your quality of life.
Some of the Causes of Incontinence.
Part of formulating a plan to manage your incontinence is understanding the root causes so that you can avoid any triggers and prevent symptoms in the first place.
Bodily causes:
- Weakened pelvic floor muscles
- Diseases such as muscular sclerosis Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s, and diabetes
- Strokes
- Injuries
- Side effects from surgery
Lifestyle causes:
- Alcohol can impair mobility and increase urinary output
- Caffeine – most commonly found in coffee, tea, and chocolate – can cause the body to expel water
Other factors:
- Constipation can obstruct urinary flow and force urine to be retained
- Bladder infections cause or worsen certain forms of urge incontinence
- Drinking a lot of fluids can increase urine output
Step 1: Speak to Your Healthcare Provider
If you are suffering from the effects of incontinence, the first step is to get in touch with a healthcare provider. This can include:
- A knowledgeable general practitioner
- A Nurse Continence Advisor
- A urologist
- A physiotherapist who specializes in incontinence
These specialists can help you identify and treat root causes, avoid common triggers, and create a treatment plan to help you minimize your symptoms. Our staff would also be happy to offer you any assistance or advice in helping you manage day to day.
Step 2: Alter Triggering Behaviour
Once you have a better understanding of your particular situation, you may want to consider making some lifestyle changes to help ensure your symptoms are minimized. Here is a quick list of best practices that have helped many Canadians feel better each day.
Healthy Bladder Habits:
- Avoid bladder irritants like caffeinated beverages and alcohol
- Eat more fibre to help avoid constipation
- Maintain a healthy BNI according to your doctor
- Keep active and mobile throughout the day
- Quit smoking (if applicable)
- Keep your bladder empty by urinating every three to four hours and just before bed
- Try to drink moderate amounts of fluid – about six to eight glasses per day on average
Step 3: Protect Yourself from Symptoms
For both your physical and mental wellbeing, it’s also important to make sure you have the right products to help you manage the effects of involuntary urination. With the right incontinence solutions, you can stay confident and comfortable throughout the day – each and every day. And if you’re not already familiar, we’ve outlined some of the most effective solutions below.
Absorbency Products
From light bladder leakage (LBL) to heavy incontinence, there is a wide variety of products designed to discretely absorb liquid and keep you dry and comfortable throughout the day. You can explore a range of low, medium, and high absorbency items to accommodate your unique needs on our website.
Furniture Protection
Preventing urinary flow throughout the night is a struggle for many Canadians. To help avoid the stress that can come with an accidental flow, you may consider using protectors suitable for beds, chairs, wheelchairs, and more.
Personal Hygiene
Part of staying confident and comfortable is feeling clean and dry. Luckily, there is a wide range of hygiene products that can help you stay sanitized throughout the day and night, with or without an incontinence incident taking place.
Catheters
A catheter is one of the most commonly used products for before, during, or after a surgery. If you need help selecting the right one, or already know which one to buy, we offer a selection of internal and external catheter options.