What is incontinence?
Incontinence is a term that describes any accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence) or bowel motion, faeces or wind from the bowel (faecal or bowel incontinence).
Incontinence is a widespread condition that ranges in severity from ‘just a small leak’ to complete loss of bladder or bowel control. In fact, over 4.8 million Australians have bladder or bowel control problems for a variety of reasons. Incontinence can be treated and managed. In many cases it can also be cured.
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence (or poor bladder control) is a common condition, that is commonly associated with Prostate procedures (such as surgery or radiation), and a variety of other life factors such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause or a range of chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or arthritis.
Poor bladder control can range from the occasional leak when you laugh, cough or exercise to the complete inability to control your bladder, which may cause you to completely wet yourself. Other symptoms you may experience include the constant need to urgently or frequently visit the toilet, associated with ‘accidents’.
Urinary incontinence can be caused by many things, but can be treated, better managed and in many cases cured. For this reason, it is important to talk to your doctor or a continence advisor about your symptoms, in order to get on top of them.
Faecal incontinence
People with poor bowel control or faecal incontinence have difficulty controlling their bowels. This may mean you pass faeces or stools at the wrong time or in the wrong place. You may also find you pass wind when you don’t mean to or experience staining of your underwear.
About one in 20 people experience poor bowel control. It is more common as you get older, but a lot of young people also have poor bowel control. Many people with poor bowel control also have poor bladder control (wetting themselves).
Faecal incontinence can have a number of possible causes, but with prostate patients it is typically realted to radiation therapy, or in rarer cases surgical prodecures
Prevention and management
There are things you can do to help keep your bladder and bowel healthy and avoid incontinence and continence problems. Suggestions for healthy lifestyle choices include:
- Drink plenty of fluid – at least two litres (6 to 8 glasses) each day, unless your doctor advises you otherwise.
- Eat well to prevent constipation and to maintain healthy body weight (eat wholemeal bread, high-fibre cereal and at least two pieces of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day).
- Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes every day) to keep fit and to prevent constipation.
- Tone up your pelvic floor with pelvic floor exercises for good bladder and bowel control.
- Practise good toilet habits to prevent bladder and bowel control problems.
Good toilet habits can help to prevent incontinence and continence problems. These include:
- Going to the toilet to pass urine only when you have the urge to go – don’t go ‘just in case’
- Taking time to completely empty your bladder and bowel
- Not delaying going to the toilet when you have the urge to use your bowels
- Using the correct posture on the toilet to help you pass a bowel motion (place your elbows on your knees and put your feet on a footstool).
An incontinence management plan will usually include several of:
- Adequate fluid intake of up to two litres (6 to 8 glasses) each day (your urine should be pale yellow in colour)
- A diet rich in fibre (such as wholemeal bread, cereals, fruit and vegetables) to prevent constipation
- A pelvic floor muscle exercise program
- A bladder retraining program
- A toileting program
- Medication
- Incontinence aids such as pads, condom drainage or catheters.
http://www.continence.org.au/pages/what-is-incontinence.html