Managing Adult Incontinence

Urinary incontinence, which means the loss of bladder control, affects 25-30 million people each year in the U.S. alone. Many people also suffer from bowel incontinence. If you or a loved one is dealing with adult incontinence, you know that engaging in the activities you love or even making a routine trip to the store can cause worry that you might have an accident. The majority of those who experience adult incontinence are over the age of 50 and its causes are varied. But regardless of the cause, adult incontinence can make life less enjoyable. Someone with bladder or bowel control issues may even avoid socializing and pursuing hobbies because they fear embarrassment.

To help manage adult incontinence there are essential products you should have on-hand that can make this condition manageable. Honest Medical offers a wide range of adult incontinence products such as incontinence underwear, loss-of-bladder-control products and other items that can ease your worries and help you approach your daily routine, pursue your interests, and socialize with confidence.

Symptoms and Types of Adult Incontinence

The symptoms of urinary incontinence range from experiencing minor urine leaks to more frequent small to moderate losses of urine. These symptoms can be the result of several different types of urinary incontinence including the following:

• Stress Incontinence: pressure is put on the bladder from laughing, sneezing coughing or physical exertion
• Overflow Incontinence: constant small leakage caused by the bladder not emptying completely
• Urge Incontinence: the sudden need to urinate followed by an unintended loss of urine
• Functional Incontinence: not making it to the bathroom on time caused by a physical or mental disorder
• Mixed Incontinence: suffering from more than one type of adult incontinence.

Causes of Persistent Adult Incontinence

There are many conditions that can cause adult incontinence, which is experienced by more women than men. The causes for adult incontinence may include the following:

• Pregnancy and Childbirth: Many pregnant women suffer from temporary incontinence when they experience hormonal changes and the fetus puts weight on the bladder. Vaginal delivery in childbirth can also cause damage to bladder supportive tissue and nerves.
• Menopause: Menopause results in a decrease in the hormone estrogen, which keeps the bladder healthy. This loss can cause incontinence in women.
• Aging: For both men and women, getting older means losing bowel and bladder muscle mass and the ability to store waste.
• Enlarged Prostate and Prostate Cancer: Enlargement of the prostate gland as men age can cause incontinence as can prostate cancer.
• Obstruction of the Urinary Tract: This can be caused by urinary stones, or a tumor that blocks the flow of urine.
• Neurological Diseases: Disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or experiencing a stroke, tumor or spinal injury can all impede the nerve signals the bladder depends on to control urination.
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can cause bowel incontinence.

Learn More About Adult Incontinence

HonestMed has published several blogs that offer more information on adult incontinence and tips for managing it:

• Managing an Overactive Bladder Like a Pro
• Preventing Skin Infections: A Quick Guide When Caring for Immobile Adults
• How to Choose an Ostomy Pouch That You Feel Good About
• Adult Swim Diapers: Find Your Perfect Fit and Dive Into Fun With Helpful Tips

If you have any questions about the incontinence products you need, contact an Honest Medical Care Specialist at (833) 933-2323.