Whether you’ve recently been diagnosed with Incontinence, have experienced symptoms over the years, or care for someone living with this physical ailment, ensuring it doesn’t affect your lifestyle is crucial. Thankfully, Incontinence can be treated.
Adapting to incontinence doesn’t need to be a chore. When you embrace lifestyle changes, you can ensure they won’t affect your mental or emotional state.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide to assist you in your journey. Read on to discover more.
What Causes Incontinence?
First things first, what causes Incontinence? This physical issue can be caused by numerous factors, including age, surgery, prostatectomies, cognitive issues, and post-pregnancy. Urinary Incontinence can occur at any age, but it’s more common in those over 50. Thankfully there are many medications, therapies, and products like adult pullups available. All are designed to help you manage this issue.
Now you know the causes, let’s learn how to manage it so that it won’t affect your lifestyle.
Living With Incontinence
If left untreated, Incontinence will affect your lifestyle and mood. When addressed correctly, you can continue to embrace an active life without worrying. Whether you require physical assistance or emotional support, there are many channels and platforms you can turn to to assist you in creating a health management plan.
In case you require expert advice, or you simply want to talk to others experiencing the same issues, there are entire incontinence communities. Forums are a great place to turn to ask anonymous questions or learn from those who are successfully managing incontinence without allowing it to affect their lifestyle.
Treatments
There is a misconception that surgery is the only treatment option available. This is far from the case, and there are many other non-invasive, discreet options available. These include:
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Investing in Incontinence Products
With Incontinence issues affecting over 33 million people, it’s little wonder there are so many products available. These include:
- Pads and pull up pants
- Skincare and hygiene products
- Chair and bed pads and protection
- catheters and penile sheaths
- Specially designed swimwear and clothing
The most popular and discreet are absorbent pads and pull-up pants. These items boast a “hydrophobic” layer, which draws urine away from your skin, ensuring you stay dry all day, irrespective of what life throws at you.
Your level of Incontinence will depend on the type of pull-up option you choose. There are several levels of protection to choose from. During the day you may choose a lighter, more discreet option, at night, a heavier product.
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Embracing Pelvic Floor Exercises
First, you’ll need to empty your bladder. Whilst sitting or lying, tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold them for up to five seconds. Relax them for three to five seconds and repeat ten times. This should be done daily, when you wake, on your lunch break, and before bed.
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Bladder Training
Behavioral therapies including bladder training can be incorporated into your daily routine. This involves waiting between two and five minutes before emptying your bladder. Why? Holding on will encourage your bladder to stretch slightly. Adopting this method will heighten the strength of your bladder, ensuring it can comfortably hold large amounts of liquid.
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Diet Changes
Avoiding or limiting certain foods and drinks, particularly alcohol can be beneficial in treating incontinence. In addition, enjoying a diet rich in fiber can help. Speaking to a specialist physiotherapist can help with this.
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Lifestyle Changes
Embracing a healthy and balanced lifestyle is beneficial to all of us, particularly if you’re suffering from incontinence. Ensuring you eat at the right times, and enjoy gentle regular exercise will ensure you stay in tip-top condition. The way you use your muscles and sit can also affect this ailment.
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Medication
There are various medications available to those who suffer from incontinence. These are available over the counter, online, and from your GP. Before trying these, always discuss a treatment plan with your doctor first. They will be able to recommend medication suited to your specific needs.
Many of the above treatments can be carried out alongside your daily activities and won’t dramatically affect working, exercising, or socializing. Nor do they require regular trips to your GP. Incontinence, when managed correctly, doesn’t need to control you. With a proactive mindset, you can carry on as normal.
The Bottom Line
If you suffer from incontinence, there is no need to stop embracing everything life throws at you. Provided you manage this physical problem correctly, you can carry on as normal.
From embarking on long-haul flights to partaking in a fitness class to enjoying a long leisurely lunch with friends, you don’t need to stop doing what you love just because you experience incontinence.
The above tips will help you to understand more about the issue. As well as the many health management options and treatments available. The result? You get to live life to the full without worrying about accidental leakage.