Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It is a very common problem that is thought to affect about three million people in the UK. Anyone can experience urinary incontinence, although it is more common in older people. The condition affects far more women than men, and it is thought to occur in one in five women who are over 40 years of age.

How the bladder works

The bladder is a stretchy muscular bag that collects and stores urine. It is located in the pelvis at the lowest point in the abdomen, immediately behind the pubic bone. The bladder is constantly receiving urine from the kidneys, which filter it down to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The urine is held in the bladder by the pelvic floor muscles, which keep the urinary opening (urethra) closed. Once the bladder is full, a signal is sent to the brain that triggers the need to pass urine. At a suitable time, the brain tells the pelvic floor muscles to relax and the bladder contracts to push the urine out. However, this process can be interrupted in several different ways, resulting in urinary incontinence.

Types of urinary incontinence

There are various types of urinary incontinence, but the two main types are stress incontinence and urge incontinence.

• Stress incontinence occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to prevent urination.
• Urge incontinence is thought to occur as a result of incorrect signals being sent between the brain and the bladder.

These two types of urinary incontinence are thought to be responsible for up to 90% of all cases of the condition. It is also possible to have a mixture of both stress and urge urinary incontinence.

What can be done

Urinary incontinence can be an uncomfortable and upsetting problem. Many people may think that it is an inevitable part of ageing, but there are several forms of treatment, including exercises, medicines and electrical therapy, that can help ease the symptoms.

What is bowel incontinence?

Bowel incontinence is an inability to control bowel movements, which means that stools (faeces) can leak uncontrollably from the rectum (back passage). Bowel incontinence is also sometimes known as faecal incontinence. Symptoms of bowel incontinence can range from inadvertently passing a small piece of stool when passing wind, to a complete loss of bowel control. See Symptoms, above. Bowel incontinence is not a condition in itself - it is a symptom of other underlying conditions, such diarrhoea, muscle and nerve damage, and dementia. Bowel incontinence does not usually present a serious threat to health, but it can have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life, self-esteem, and emotional well-being.

How common is bowel incontinence?

Bowel incontinence is much more common than most people realise, which may possibly be due to many people being unwilling to discuss the condition with family and friends. It is estimated that 1% of all adults in England experience regular episodes of bowel incontinence. Bowel incontinence can affect people of any age, although the condition is more common in elderly people. It is also thought to be slightly more common in women than men. This may be because many cases of bowel incontinence develop as a complication of pregnancy.

The importance of seeking treatment

Many people with bowel incontinence do not seek medical treatment for their condition. One study estimated that only 20% of people with bowel incontinence reported their symptoms to their GP. This may be due to a number of misunderstandings and misconceptions which are listed below.

• Bowel incontinence is something to be ashamed of’ - bowel incontinence is simply a medical problem that is no different than diabetes or asthma.
• Bowel incontinence cannot be treated’ - in fact, there are a wide range of successful treatments for bowel incontinence.
• Bowel incontinence is a normal part of aging’ - in many cases, with the right treatment, there is no reason why a person cannot maintain normal bowel function throughout their life.
• Symptoms of bowel incontinence will resolve without treatment’ - while this is true in a minority of cases, most people will require treatment to control their symptoms.

Outlook

With treatment, the outlook for bowel incontinence is actually very good. Treatment options include:

• lifestyle and dietary changes,
• exercise programmes,
• medication, and
• surgery.

   

  Even if a complete cure for bowel incontinence is not possible, most people will experience a significant improvement in their symptoms and achieve a better quality of life.

What are the benefits of washable incontinence products?

There are a number of benefits of washable incontinence products, primarily that they are more economical over time, being up to 50% cheaper than disposable incontinence products, and they are far more environmentally friendly as most disposable pads cannot be recycled. They can also be easier to store and look and feel similar to normal underwear allowing the wearer to be more discreet. However you will need several pairs to ensure you have enough at any one time.