Incontinence
Many people find it difficult to talk about incontinence, but there's no need to feel embarrassed—you're not alone. In fact, more people experience these issues than you might realize. At the LBPC, our friendly and highly experienced team is here to help. Reach out to us today, and together, we can improve your comfort and quality of life.
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What is a Incontinence?
Incontinence is a common issue that many people experience. It refers to the unintentional loss of control over urination or bowel movements. It can range from occasional minor leaks to a complete loss of control. There are different types of incontinence, and understanding them can help in finding the right treatment and management strategies.
Types of Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence: This is the most common type, where you might experience leakage of urine. There are several subtypes of urinary incontinence:
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Stress Incontinence: Leakage occurs during activities that increase pressure inside the abdomen, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising.
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Urgency Incontinence: A sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by an involuntary loss of urine. This is sometimes referred to as overactive bladder.
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Mixed Incontinence: A combination of stress and urgency incontinence.
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Overflow Incontinence: Occurs when the bladder doesn’t empty completely, leading to dribbling of urine.
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Functional Incontinence: Involves a physical or mental impairment that prevents you from making it to the bathroom in time.
Fecal Incontinence: This is less common and involves the inability to control bowel movements, leading to involuntary stool leakage.
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What Causes Incontinence?
Incontinence can result from various factors, and understanding these can help manage and treat the condition effectively. Common causes include:
Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles: These muscles support the bladder and bowel. Weakness can result from childbirth, aging, or surgery.
Neurological Disorders: Conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or spinal cord injuries can affect nerve signals that control bladder and bowel function.
Chronic Conditions: Diabetes, obesity, and chronic cough can increase the risk of incontinence.
Medications: Certain medications, like diuretics, can increase urine production and lead to incontinence.
Hormonal Changes: Menopause in women and prostate issues in men can contribute to incontinence.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): UTIs can irritate the bladder and cause temporary incontinence.
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How do you experience Incontinence?
Incontinence can show up in different ways, depending on the type you’re experiencing. Here’s what you might notice:
If you have urinary incontinence, you might find that you leak urine when you least expect it. This can happen when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. Sometimes, you might feel a sudden, strong urge to urinate and might not make it to the bathroom in time. You might also experience a constant dribbling of urine, especially if your bladder doesn’t empty completely.
For those with fecal incontinence, you might have trouble controlling your bowel movements, leading to accidental leakage of stool. This can range from small smears to a complete loss of control.
These symptoms can affect your daily life and may feel embarrassing, but please remember that incontinence is a common issue, and there are effective ways to manage it. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk about them so we can find the best ways to help you feel more comfortable and in control.
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How can we help?
As physiotherapists, we can help manage incontinence through a personalised treatment plan. Here’s how we can work together:
Assessment and Diagnosis: We can conduct a thorough assessment to understand the type and cause of your incontinence and identify any contributing factors.
Pelvic Floor Exercises: We can teach you exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can improve bladder and bowel control.
Bladder and Bowel Training: Techniques to help you gradually increase the time between trips to the bathroom and develop a regular schedule.
Lifestyle Modifications: Advice on dietary changes, fluid management, and weight management to reduce symptoms of incontinence.
Education and Support: Providing information on incontinence products, strategies for managing symptoms, and support to help you feel more confident and comfortable.
By working together, we can develop a comprehensive plan to manage your incontinence effectively, improve your quality of life, and help you regain control.
