It can be very difficult to manage when you have incontinence. The control over one's bowels and bladder is a trademark of the human species. No one wishes to have a loss of control that results in unexpected urine or feces.
Despite people’s wishes, there are a lot of people who suffer from incontinence. There are over 26 million Americans who suffer from urinary incontinence alone. Some may feel that incontinence is only something that the elderly have to deal with. However it affects many different people. While admittedly more common in those who are older, it is something that can affect all age groups.
Some think of incontinence as a disease. The truth is that it’s not. It’s a symptom. It’s proof something in the body is functioning incorrectly. Anyone who is suffering from incontinence should see a doctor and determine exactly what is happening.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
Despite what some people may think, there are actually several different types of urinary incontinence that people may undergo. From those groups, there are two main types of urinary incontinence that people may undergo.
- Stress Incontinence - Stress incontinence refers to physical stresses rather than the mental ones people think of when they hear stress. Stress incontinence occurs whenever the body does basic physical actions like moving, walking, sneezing or laughing. Essentially any pressure that is put on the pelvic floor. Stress incontinence is very common in pregnant women.
- Urge Incontinence - Urge incontinence is very different from stress. While stress incontinence is caused by physical issues, urge incontinence comes from the interior. This comes from an intense need to urinate. This can occur directly after previously urinating, thus making it seemingly occur at random.
Urinary Incontinence Treatment
Thankfully there are a lot of treatment options when it comes to incontinence. Many of these treatments are natural and require a minimum of outlay. Typically the first thing that occurs in treatment may be a change to diet. Trying to fix the issue by diet is the least invasive method of improving on incontinence.
If diet options don’t work, then it’s time to take the next step. There are medications that are commonly given to help treat incontinence. This is especially common with urge incontinence. Further treatments may choose to try things like electrical stimulation or injections. As a final resort, some may choose to try surgeries.
Incontinence Products
Unfortunately there are times when incontinence can’t be treated. Quite simply it’s part of a chronic issue within the body. When those times occur, then it’s time to turn to products designed to assist with incontinence. Here are some of the products that are commonly used:
- Absorbent Pads - These are disposable pads that attach adhesively to the underwear. They trap a specific amount of urine and keep it away from the skin. They are disposable and can be changed multiple times every day.
- Incontinence Underwear - These underwear options look as much like normal as they can, but they also have built in absorbent material. These are designed for day and night use, with the night versions absorbing more liquid. These are reusable options that can be cleaned.
- Disposable Underwear - The disposable options are used once and then removed. They work and often look much the same as incontinence underwear.