Incontinence, Quality of Life and Restful Sleep

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Incontinence, Quality of Life and Restful Sleep
Loss of bladder control can come about as a
result of diabetes, the menopause, an enlarged
prostate, lifestyle and also as a result of
other illnesses and certain medications. Urinary
incontinence can cause great embarrassment and
also lead to isolation, as the individual
affected may find socialising somewhat
challenging. Urinary Incontinence
Explained Urinary incontinence can be classified
as stress incontinence, urge incontinence,
overflow or total-
Stress incontinence becomes stronger
is when the pressure in the bladder
than the strength of the urethra (the
doorway to the bladder) to contain the urine
content.
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• Urge incontinence is when the detrusor muscles in
  the bladder contract too often and create a need
  to quickly pass urine.
• Overflow incontinence can be when the detrusor
  muscles dont contract fully and cause the
  bladder to stretch. This condition is often
  caused by an obstruction or a blockage, meaning
  that the bladder cannot completely empty itself
  and so frequent leaking becomes a possible
  factor.
• Total incontinence means that the bladder cannot
  contain any urine and the individual passes a
  lot of urine, or has regular toilet seat riser
  visits and frequent leaks in between.
• Risk factors to incontinence can include regular
  urinary tract infections (UTIs), age and family
  history.
• How to Reduce Leaks
• There are several points that the individual can
  take into account, to lessen the development of
  leaking-
• Smoking can increase incontinence, as regular
  coughing can loosen the pelvic muscles
• Lifting and carrying can weaken pelvic muscles,
  so mentally work at tightening the pelvic
  muscles before lifting weight of any kind
• Fatty tissue from being overweight can put
  pressure on the bladder

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• Efforts taken when constipated can both weaken
  the pelvic
• muscles and worsen and urinary infections
  present. Change both your diet and lifestyle, to
  reduce the likelihood of constipation
• Caffeine is present in coffee, tea, green tea,
  fizzy drinks, energy drinks and hot chocolate
  and can irritate the bladder, making
  incontinence worse
• Alcohol is a diuretic and so causes you to
  urinate more often. Cut down on consumption to
  reduce the effects on the bladder
• Cut down on acidic and spicy foods, as they can
  worsen incontinence symptoms.
• Keeping Dry
• Keeping dry means protecting ones skin and
  keeping clothes, chairs, beds and bed linen free
  from dampness, odour, stains and discolouration.
• Finding the most comfortable incontinence control
  during the day helps keep life how it is meant
  to be.
• The most comfortable way of keeping dry during
  the night will aid restful sleep and make for a
  more positive day.

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Daytime There are a lot of products available for
people who wish to control their bladder upset
and get on with quality, daily life-
- Pads and Pull-Up Pants Like babies nappies,
pads and pull-up pants include a hydrophobic
layer which, by drawing the liquid away from the
top layer of the product, keeps the users skin
dry. This will
contribute to preventing infection and lessening t
he
development of sores. Pull up pants have a
breathable back sheet which supports a flow of
air and keeps skin fresher. Easy to use, these
pants help the skin remain unbroken from
dampness or infection. Pads and pull up pants
come in a range of absorbency levels, from small
leaks to more intense incontinence.
- Incontinence Pads Incontinence pads are more
bulky and are used by people with more severe
incontinence problems. An incontinence pad can
hold up to two or three times the volume of
urine excreted from one full emptied bladder.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com One thousand
mls. (1 2/3 pints) of urine weighs similar to a
bag of sugar. Regular changing is therefore
recommended, as a heavy incontinence pad will
prove very uncomfortable. Incontinence pads and
pants are in both male and female designs, to
allow for a better fit. Sanitary pads are not
recommended as a cheaper option, as they tend to
remain wet and can cause sores to the skin. -
Chair Protection Incontinence chair pads help
keep chair seats dry and clean and are easily
washable. Always buy several chair pads, so that
more than one chair is protected at all times,
allowing the person with the bladder upset to
move freely from one chair or room to
another. Incontinence chair pads can also be used
in the car, to protect the seat from dampness,
odour and staining, keeping travelling by car
firmly on the list of ones pleasures. Night-time
Having to change a wet bed during the night is
an experience to be avoided, due to disturbed
sleep, cleaning and the time taken for all tasks.
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• A mattress can be kept dry and hygienic by
  using-
• A zipped, waterproof, mattress cover this
  covers the whole mattress and can be easily
  wiped clean and deodorised
• A mattress protector - mattress protectors cover
  your bed like a fitted sheet and are made from
  water resistant materials. They protect the
  mattress from spills, sweat and other allergens.
• A waterproof mattress pad a waterproof mattress
  pad does not cover the whole of the mattress but
  offers protection in a particular area of the
  bed, from the chest down to the foot of the bed.
  It is a multi-layered sheet which proves to be
  highly absorbent. If made of paper, it is
  disposable and, if made of cotton, it is washable
• Washable incontinence bed pads (also known as
  reusable bed pads) can be placed either on top
  of, or under, the mattress protector, to keep
  the mattress dry from urine spills and other
  body fluids
• A catheter is a thin tube which, when inserted
  into the bladder, allows urine to flow freely
  into a drainage bag which is held at the thigh
  or calf
• For males, the catheter tube enters the bladder
  through the penis. For females, the catheter
  enters the bladder through a small hole made in
  the tummy.

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• Catheter Side-Effects
• The side-effects of using a catheter include-
• Headaches
• Chills
• Cloudy urine
• Pain in the genital area
• Blood in the urine
• Foul smelling urine.

• Bowel Incontinence
• Bowel incontinence is when you find it sometimes
  difficult to control your bowels. It affects one
  in five people aged over sixty five and rises
  for people aged eighty and over.
• Bowel incontinence is not a natural part of
  ageing but older people are more at risk of
  developing the condition.
• Bowel incontinence can present itself as-
• When you soil yourself without knowing
• When an urgent need to go cant be held onto
• When passing wind can lead to some spillage.
• If the accidents become regular, this will
  greatly affect quality of life and
  socialisation. Your first action should be to
  seek medical attention. This condition can often
  be treated with medication,

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• though visiting the doctor should always be
  looked upon as a priority.
• Treatment could include-
• Changing your diet to foods which are less likely
  to cause diarrhoea or loose stools
• Medicine to reduce diarrhoea and constipation
• Incontinence pads and / or small plugs which can
  be inserted into your bottom
• Pelvic floor exercises which can help you strength
  en muscles which control your bowels.
• There are many causes for bowel incontinence,
  including bleeding piles, constipation and
  diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),
  Crohns disease (inflammatory bowel syndrome),
  childbirth (which causes stretching of the
  muscles) and also conditions which can affect
  nerve endings e.g. a stroke and diabetes.
• For bowel incontinence, pads are preferred over
  and above pants.
• When choosing the most effective bowel
  incontinence pad, look for pads which-

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• Are friendly to the skin some people are
  allergic to latex,
• so take this into account when purchasing
• Give a high degree of comfort (belted pads or
  smaller pads)
• Have an absorbency which matches the users level
  of need (normal, plus, super plus and maxi)
• Fit close to the body
• Indicate the level of wetness, so as to know when
  to change the pad
• Neutralise odour, so that you know that others
  wont notice.
• Active or Inactive?
• An active person may make different choices to an
  inactive person, as to what is the best bowel
  incontinence pad to wear.
• An active person will be better suited to
  choosing a shaped pad, as this will accommodate
  movement and general activity.
• An inactive person will find an all in one pad
  the better choice, as they dont need changing
  as often and are easier to remove (e.g. fixation
  or Velcro pads), even when the user is lying down.

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• Summary
• When choosing the right incontinence pad to
  purchase, points which must be taken into
  account include are-
• Whether the user is male or female
• Whether the incontinence loss is mild, average,
  or intense
• Whether the absorbency level meets the needs of
  the user
• Whether the person is active or inactive.

Protecting a bed mattress from incontinence will
promote restful sleep. Washable incontinence bed
pads are a must for keeping the mattress dry and
hygienic. By addressing ones personal lifestyle,
leaking can be reduced and quality of life can
be brought back up to standard. Always confirm
the cause of incontinence with your doctor, as
there may be medication which can greatly help
with solving or managing the issue. Blog an
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