Incontinence is a huge problem for as many as 3 million people in Britain. This embarrassing ailment means sufferers have an inability to control urine elimination, which makes them pass urine by accident.



People of any age or gender can suffer from incontinence, but it’s much more widespread in people who are older. In addition to this, the ailment affects many more females than gentlemen.



Causes



Incontinence happens when the regular process of passing urine is disrupted. However, urinating can be disrupted in a number of different ways, which is why there are a number of kinds of incontinence.



The effect of fluids can be a huge cause of the ailment. In fact, a fluid intake that is too small or too large can be the cause of this embarrassing condition. In addition to this, caffeinated beverages and alcohol an also be the cause of incontinence in some people.



Symptoms



The main symptoms of incontinence vary depending on the sufferer. Some sufferers experience urine leakage all of the time, while other people only suffer from leakage when sudden pressure is put on their bladder such as when they bend over or sneeze. Incontinence can also refer to bed wetting, which is most common in children but it can also affect older people.



Types



As we have already discussed, there's a variety of types of incontinence.



These include:



Stress incontinence, which is the most common form of incontinence and one that is common in ladies who have had children. Stress incontinence is when urine leaks during sneezing, laughing and other activities that put sudden pressure on the bladder.



Urge incontinence, which is when you know that you want to urinate although you can not hold it in long enough to make it to the toilet in time. For this reason, urine can leak the minute you want to pass it.



Some people may suffer from mixed form incontinence, which means, for example, stress incontinence sufferers may develop other strains of the problem.



Treatment



There are a vast variety of different incontinence treatments available. One of them is bladder training. This treatment requires you to empty your bladder at set times, before gradually increasing the amount of time between intervals. You need to follow this treatment for at least 6 weeks to see if it's going to work.



If you have stress incontinence and other treatments haven't been adequate, your Dr may recommend a surgical procedure to support your bladder neck and urethra. There are a vast variety of available surgical procedures, so you will have to visit your Dr for additional information.



As well as these treatments, there's also a wide range of goods available that'll help you to keep your symptoms under control. These include disposable and washable pants & pads to keep you dry throughout the night & day.

Sylvia Fontrellini is a full time carer for old people requiring washable briefs, disposable bed protection and adult nappies.