Incontinence in Later Life – Causes, Prevention and Coping

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Incontinence in Later Life Causes, Prevention
and Coping

• Urinary incontinence is when the storage and
  release of urine from the bladder no longer
  functions as normal.
• There can be many reasons for, and causes of,
  urinary incontinence, some leading to short-term
  conditions and others to long-term.
• Urinary incontinence can be brought on by
• family genes urinary incontinence can prove to
  be a genetic condition, which is passed down
  through the family
• ageing incontinence is common in middle age and
  very common in later years
• particular illnesses e.g. diabetes, stroke,
  multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinsons disease and
  dementia

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• bladder problems and bladder infections.
• Different Types of Incontinence
• There are different types of urinary
  incontinence, including urge, stress, overflow,
  mixed, functional and also enuresis.
• - Urge Incontinence
• Urge incontinence can be because of minor, as
  well as severe, conditions e.g. an infection as
  opposed to diabetes or a neurological condition.
• The urgent need to pass urine could be down to
  the muscles in the bladder walls.
• The detrusor muscles relax to allow urine to
  enter the bladder and then contract for its
  release. A change in their performance could
  lead to leaks and incontinence.
• Going to the toilet too often is referred to as
  having an overactive bladder, meaning that the
  detrusor muscles contract too often and this can
  cause the need for an urgent visit to the loo.

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• An overactive bladder can be brought on by
• not drinking enough liquids strong urine can
  irritate the bladder walls and bring on an
  overactive bladder
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• constipation the bladder and the rectum share
  some nerve endings and, if the rectum becomes
  slightly enlarged because of constipation, the
  bladder will have less room to expand and will
  need to empty more often
• drinking too much caffeine (tea, coffee and fizzy
  drinks) and alcohol
• neurological conditions e.g. Parkinsons disease,
  multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.
• - Stress Incontinence
• Stress incontinence happens when the pressure
  inside the bladder is too much for the bladder
  to handle and the tube through which urine
  passes (the urethra) isnt strong enough to stay
  closed.
• Physical exertion can sometimes increase pressure
  on the abdomen which, in turn, puts pressure on
  the bladder.
• Laughing or sneezing can prove too much for the
  bladder and small leakages might occur.

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customerservice_at_essentialaids.com The ring of
muscle (the urethral sphincter) which keeps
the urethra closed may become damaged e.g.
through pregnancy or obesity, both of which
would place added pressure on the
bladder. Neurological conditions, such as
multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease, can
bring on incontinence. Surgery near the bladder
e.g. a hysterectomy (removal of the womb) or
prostate gland removal can affect the
bladder. Certain medications can cause stress
incontinence. Lung conditions can also bring on
stress incontinence, as the coughing may weaken
muscle strength e.g. emphysema and cystic
fibrosis. - Overflow Incontinence Overflow
incontinence is caused by a bladder obstruction
or blockage, sometimes making it impossible to
empty a full bladder. Also referred to as
chronic urinary retention, this condition can be
because the bladder doesnt empty completely and
the consequent build up of urine may lead to
frequent leaks. The bladder becomes full but the
individual doesnt feel any need to urinate.
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customerservice_at_essentialaids.com Blockages
could be caused by constipation, bladder
stones, or an enlarged prostate gland, all
placing pressure on the nearby bladder. The
bladder can also become stretched if the detrusor
muscles are not fully effective, maybe because
of surgery near the bladder. The individual
needs to go to the toilet quite often but finds
it difficult to start to urinate and to
completely empty the bladder. Certain medications
could also bring on overflow incontinence. -
Mixed Incontinence
Mixed incontinence is a mix of stress and overact
ive
incontinence. Women with incontinence may have bo
th urge and stress conditions.
Mixed incontinence may also occur in men who
have had prostate operations and will also
affect older people.
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• Functional (sometimes called environmental)
  Incontinence
• Functional incontinence is when the individual
  has difficulty getting to the toilet in time
• This may affect people who have walking
  difficulties and also people with mental
  confusion e.g. dementia. This could be just a
  small leak, or a full emptying of the bladder.
• Enuresis
• Enuresis is the involuntary passing of urine from
  an adult who can normally control their bladder.
• Enuresis can happen during the day (diurnal) or
  during the night (nocturnal).
• As many as one in every one hundred people may be
  affected by wetting the bed, or wetting oneself
  during the day. This can occur because of
• a genetic link to enuresis
• smaller functional bladder capacity (FBC)
• an unstable or overactive bladder (OAB), caused
  by faulty detrusor muscles.
• Illness, medication and dementia can make the
  individual less aware that they need to urinate.

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• Visit a Doctor
• The individual who begins to experience urinary
  incontinence should visit their GP, as this
  condition can affect normal life. The individual
  may
• feel a negative impact on their quality of life
• lead to falls, as the individual rushes to the
  toilet
• bring about a reduction in social activities
• point to some underlying condition and one which
  could be managed by medical intervention
• point to some more serious health condition,
  which may benefit from early intervention.

• How to Manage Urinary Incontinence
• There are certain steps which may prevent urinary
  incontinence becoming an issue and these
  include
• reducing or avoiding alcohol, as well as reducing
  caffeine, as these can encourage the kidneys to
  make more urine
• keeping your pelvic floor muscles strong
  pregnancy can weaken pelvic floor muscles but
  everyone will benefit from strengthening these
  important muscles
• controlling your weight exercise regularly and
  eat healthily.

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• If urinary incontinence isnt addressed, it
  can lead to anxiety,depression, loss of interest
  in sex and sleep loss.
• Coping with Urinary Incontinence in Everyday Life
• There are several ways to protect oneself and
  stay dry, with many different types of both
  washable and disposable incontinence products to
  choose from. Pads for men and women may differ,
  with the bottom part of the product being the
  main point of absorbency for women and the front
  part being more appropriate for men.
• Choosing the right product for you will also
  depend on your lifestyle
• are you an active person
• do you spend a lot of time out of the house
• what are your normal day-to-day activities
• what style of clothing do you wear?

- Disposable pads for men Male pads are designed t
o underwear.
be worn inside close-fitting
With elastic edging, they fit snugly around the pe
nis and scrotum.
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customerservice_at_essentialaids.com Disposable
pads are intended for light leakage and
for use during the active part of the day. These
pads are held in place by an adhesive
strip. More absorbent pads will be more
bulky. Whilst one design or brand may not feel
right for you, try other brands before thinking
of trying different methods. - Washable pads for
men Washable pads are useful during the day for
mild leakage and for those who might have a
small urine loss after urinating. Washable pads
do not have adhesive fasteners and need to be
held in place by close-fitting underwear. Like
babies nappies, the pads have a hydrophobic
layer, which draws urine away from the skin and
into the pad. - Washable incontinence pants for
men Washable incontinence pants look like normal
pants but have a built in absorbent layer. They
come in Y front, brief and boxer designs.
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- Disposable pads for women Some pads are
rectangular and others are designed to give a
more personal fit, with elastic edges, forming
them into a cupped shape and helping them retain
more urine.

• Washable pads for women
• Worn inside closely fitting pants, the
  hydrophobic layer draws urine away from the skin
  and into the pad.
• Washable incontinence pants for women
• Washable incontinence pants for women are
  comfortable, discrete and durable.
• Disposable pull-on pads and pants for both men
  and women
• Sometimes referred to as disposable underwear,
  these are a combination of pants and pad.
• Pull-on pants are for daytime use and not for use
  during sleeping hours, as the body in a
  horizontal position will not make use of the
  pads designed for daytime, upright, use.
• Disposable pull-on pads and pants look like
  normal underwear and help the user to maintain
  dignity and discretion.

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Comparing Disposable to Washable Washable
products cost more up front but can prove to be
more convenient.
Washable products tend to be a little more bulky t
han
disposable products, so may not prove to be as
discreet. Heavy leakage does not do so well with
disposable products for people who are out and
about but prove to be better suited to use at
home.
Incontinence Mattress Protectors Incontinence
mattress protectors are designed to protect your
mattress and bed from dampness, odours and stains
from urinary and faecal incontinence. Incontinenc
e mattress protectors can encase the whole
mattress, or can be disposable or washable
mattress slips which are held in place over the
mattress with adhesive strips, keeping them in
place over the area most likely to be
affected. Using both an incontinence mattress
protector and an incontinence mattress slip will
both keep the bed dry and allow you to change
the incontinence mattress slip as an when
necessary. This will greatly reduce the effort
needed during night time changes and will help
maintain mattress life.
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customerservice_at_essentialaids.com Disposable and
washable incontinence slips can also be used
to give protection to seats and
wheelchairs. Summary When choosing the right
incontinence protection for you, you need to
consider your lifestyle and what will prove most
effective and discreet for you. Remember that
larger pads are more noticeable and even in the
bathroom reduces the mobility issue using the
bath stool.
Decide which style of protection allows you the mo
st
independence. Drying washable products can prove
quite expensive.
Teaming an incontinence mattress protector with
an incontinence mattress slip will save on time
and reduce inconvenience during night time
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