Managing incontinence
INCONTINENCE is the involuntary leakage of urine or faeces and is a medical condition that affects an estimated 1.2 million Malaysians* constituting females and males of all ages.
Incontinence is neither life-threatening nor a disease, but it is a sign of other physical ailments affecting your body.
That is why if you experience incontinence, it is important to seek immediate medical advice.
In many cases, when the cause of incontinence is properly diagnosed, it can be successfully treated to relieve or improve its symptoms.
One in two elderly people experience regular incontinence*
Contrary to popular belief, incontinence is not a natural part of ageing. However, it is true that the changes that occur when you get older, including menopause in women, may be a contributing factor.
One in four women experience occasional incontinence*
During pregnancy, childbirth and the months after, a woman’s body goes through significant physical and hormonal changes, and incontinence is normal.
Many perfectly healthy women also experience stress incontinence, which is triggered by pressure exerted on the bladder from everyday activities such as sneezing, laughing or exercising.
One in 20 men experience regular incontinence*
Nearly half of these men experience urge incontinence, which is a sudden or intense urge to use the bathroom that is triggered by various reasons.
Incontinence in men is also commonly brought on by prostate health conditions.
(* Based on SCA Hygiene Marketing Sdn Bhd, Internal Prevalence Estimate)
There are numerous ways to manage, pre- vent or reduce the impact of incontinence on your life.
For example, maintaining a healthy body weight relieves stress on your bladder and pelvic floor muscles, which helps manage incontinence.
Avoiding bladder irritants such as alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and spicy food also helps.
In addition to simple lifestyle changes, there are many products that provide incontinence protection so that you can continue to lead an active social life without having to worry about any leaks or odours.
TENA, The Understanding Specialist, provides a comprehensive range of incontinence care absorbent products which are specially designed to provide security and protection for individuals with incontinence.
For more details and free samples, contact the Consumer Careline at 1800 889 988 (Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm). Alternatively, e-mail My-asktena@sca.com, or log on to or Facebook at