Don’t suffer in silence
MANY older people could improve their quality of life by seeking treatment for incontinence, a Townsville women’s health physiotherapist says.
Nurture Family Allied Health’s Amy Lamb said while one in three mothers suffered from some level of incontinence, it was largely a silent condition.
“I think a lot of women particularly put up with it in silence and I suspect there would be a significant number of older people leaking but unreported,” she said.
“I think often they think that it’s normal, or that there’s nothing they can do about it.”
Ms Lamb said the problem generally became worse when age- related muscle atrophy set in.
“Often the damage that occurred during pregnancy and childbirth finally surfaces, or becomes harder to manage,” she said.
Men who have undergone a prostatectomy are more likely to have the condition.
Ms Lamb said medical costs – and more pressing health concerns like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol – often stopped older people from seeking treatment.
But there are numerous strategies that can help with urinary incontinence.
“I think with almost everyone you can make some amount of improvement,” Ms Lamb said.
“Often a small change in someone’s continence status can make a big difference to them being able to participate in exercise, or being able to spend more time with friends.”
Bladder retraining, pelvic floor muscle exercises and adjusting fluid intake can improve urinary issues.
As being constipated can impact incontinence, it’s important to eat a healthy, highfibre diet.
“Things like caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods or artificial sweeteners can irritate the bladder and cause bladder urgency,” Ms Lamb said.
There are two types of urinary incontinence.
“Stress urinary incontinence ( is) when you leak when you sneeze, you cough or jump,” Ms Lamb said.
“Urge urinary incontinence, is when you feel a need to rush to the toilet but don’t make it and leak on the way.”
Those with untreatable incontinence can apply for funding under the Australian government’s Continence Aids Payment Scheme.
“Even if you can’t fix the incontinence often you can help with management strategies,” she said.
“People are often using pads that are inappropriate for the type of incontinence they have.”
Ms Lamb said incontinence was the single biggest factor that determined whether people end up in nursing homes.
Ms Lamb is holding a free session for men and women, called Continence Through the Golden Years on Saturday, November 4, at 11am.
To book, phone Nurture Family Allied Health and Early Parenting Centre on ( 07) 4772 2555.