KNOW THE FACTORS
INCONTINENCE is when one has an accidental or involuntary loss of urine or faecal matter due to bladder weakness and two common forms of incontinence are urge incontinence and stress incontinence, says Dr Peter
Ng, consultant urologist and president of the Continence
Foundation Malaysia.
Urge incontinence occurs when there is a sudden or intense urge to use the bathroom while stress incontinence happens when pressure is exerted on the bladder when one is laughing, sneezing, exercising or lifting something heavy.
Incontinence affects more women than men due to pregnancy, childbirth and menopause.
“Incontinence can also affect people of all ages, even younger and active people as early as 20 years old. Some might suffer from incontinence due to pregnancy, childbirth or even because of over exertion from certain sports activities such as running, gymnastics and weight lifting.”
Dr Ng says many factors could lead to incontinence. Therefore, always consult a doctor to diagnose the root cause of the incontinence and explore potential solutions.
Most people are not aware that incontinence itself is not a disease but is the outcome of a disease and can be treated if the root cause is identified.
For example, a patient with stress incontinence who undergoes a surgical procedure where a sub urethral tape is inserted will be cured in 85 per cent of cases. A person with an overactive bladder can also be cured with bladder training.
Some of the things which a person can do to prevent or reduce the impact of incontinence include maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding bladder irritants such as reducing caffeinated drinks, alcohol and smoking, and doing pelvic floor muscle exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles.
It’s also important to establish a regular toilet schedfour ule. Make regular visits to the toilet every two to hours instead of holding your urine for too long.
Limiting fluid consumption before bedtime and bladder training — holding your urine for 15 minutes before going to the toilet — can be beneficial as is wearing absorbent pants to manage daily activities.