Living with adult urinary incontinence: what you need to know
Adult urinary incontinence is not an easy thing to talk about. Although there is no such thing as an embarrassing health problem, there is certainly a stigma around talking about this issue. What we can attribute this outdated attitude to is that old explanation: a simple lack of understanding. If you don’t know the statistics already, you would be very surprised by the number of adults living with continence. Of course, you just wouldn’t know it, given how little it’s discussed and how poorly our society is set up to accommodate it.
So, one of the most effective ways of living better while living with incontinence as an adult is to understand the issue at hand. There are changes you can make to your lifestyle, exercises and treatments that you can do and take, and sleek, discreet clothing to help you feel more like yourself.
Here are a few things to help you live more comfortably.
Adult urinary incontinence is common
When we suffer from a health issue that isn’t as simple and easily understood as a broken arm or a bout of the flu, it is easy to feel isolated. It can feel like we are the only ones suffering from it and that no one else could understand.
The fact of the matter is that adult urinary incontinence is a very common problem. It is estimated that it affects millions of people. The reason why we don’t have exact statistics is that so many of us feel like it’s something that they shouldn’t be talking about.
There are several types of adult urinary incontinence, the most common being:
- stress incontinence – when urine leaks when under pressure such as if you laugh or cough;
- urge incontinence – when urine leeks immediately after feeling an intense urge to pee;
- overflow incontinence – when you cannot fully empty your bladder, which causes frequent leaking;
- total incontinence – when your bladder cannot store any urine at all.
It is fairly common to have a mixture of stress and urge urinary incontinence.
So, if you’re feeling like you are struggling through adult incontinence alone, remember that there are a huge number of people in the same boat. We would soon realise that if only we felt more comfortable talking about it.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your GP
When you are dealing with a health issue that is a little difficult to talk about, there can be a real temptation to just put your head down and try to get on with it. However, it’s important to remember that this is not a problem that will go away on its own, and that there is nothing that your GP will find unusual in what you tell them. They will be able to prescribe treatments, techniques and changes in diet and behaviour that can help, and the psychological impact of sharing a problem is never to be overlooked.
Another important aspect of seeing your GP is that that he/she can ensure the incontinence isn’t an indication of a major health issue. Invariably it isn’t, but it is better to check.
Living in discomfort is not inevitable
If you are living with urinary incontinence, you may feel you need to wear protective clothing to avoid any leakages. But wearing protective clothing does not mean that you have to be uncomfortable.
Women normally have quite a few options and are generally more used to wearing pads and the like because they are accustomed to wearing sanitary protection.
Men often find the problem more challenging, but nowadays there are some very acceptable options. While the phrase adult diapers does not immediately conjure the image of something stylish and discreet, companies like Zorbies have developed alternatives to adult diapers for men that are light, absorbent and washable, with multiple layers to make sure that you stay comfortable no matter what happens. They are sleek and made from cloth fabrics, they look and feel just like regular underwear, and there are options which incorporate disposable incontinence pads. You can also find disposable options which also have the look and feel of underwear. With the proper protection, you (or the man in your life) won’t just have the physical comfort they provide, you’ll be able to relax knowing that you don’t have to worry about any unpleasant surprises.
There are many reasons why adults develop urinary incontinence
With a lot of health issues, we often look for something that we’ve done wrong, but there are many reasons why you may be suffering from adult incontinence.
Women who have given birth often assume that any urinary incontinence is a direct result of pregnancy and vaginal childbirth, and that can certainly be a factor, but there are many reasons why both men and women suffer incontinence such as hereditary issues, neurological conditions, connective tissue disorders, surgeries and certain medications. Obesity is a potential cause, as is an overreliance on caffeine and alcohol, a lack of fluids, constipation and UTIs. It’s also increasingly common as you get older.
Older men often associate urinary problems with prostate cancer. And although they may have this concern, they are still reluctant to see a doctor. Naturally, it is important to do so, so that your GP can arrange the necessary tests and hopefully rule out anything serious. In the majority of cases, urinary incontinence is NOT a sign of prostate cancer. Additionally, it is also important that more men die with prostate cancer than from it i.e. many forms of prostate cancer are not aggressive and therefore may not need surgery or chemotherapy. New tests are also being developed to make prostate cancer much easier to diagnose and assess whether or not it is an aggressive form.
So let’s just stress. If you are an adult living with urinary incontinence, you should contact your GP. The cause is probably nothing to be concerned about, but it is always better to get a proper diagnosis so you know exactly what the cause is and how to deal with it.
There are simple treatments available
Once your GP has ascertained the underlying issue, and assuming there are no major medical conditions, they will suggest a number of potential treatments and changes to your behaviour, depending on the nature of the issue. They will probably ask you to keep a bladder diary detailing how often you need to use the toilet, the amount of fluids you ingest and what kinds, and you will have a physical examination.
There may be other tests depending on what your doctor thinks, but there are plenty of non-surgical treatments to help alleviate the problem, including pelvic muscle floor training to strengthen the muscles that surround the bladder and the urethra, as well as simple lifestyle changes such as reducing the amount of caffeine and alcohol you drink and additional exercise. So, get proactive, make an appointment with your GP and remember that living in discomfort is not an inevitability.
Disclaimer: None of this information in this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.