Women’s Urinary Incontinence: The Many Faces

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary Incontinence

If you think that the face of women’s urinary incontinence is an aging baby boomer headed for assisted living, then think again. 

Contrary to popular opinion, urinary incontinence affects women of all ages, from the teenager who suffers from “giggle incontinence” to the young woman athlete who strains something “down there.”

And then there’s the 30-something mother who suddenly finds herself in wet panties post-partum, and the 45-year-old career woman who suddenly can’t work out because she leaks urine every time she gets on the treadmill.

Still think you recognize all the faces of women’s urinary incontinence?

Women’s Urinary Incontinence by Age Group
Urinary incontinence isn’t normal at any age, and yet it can happen to females at any age. We’re all familiar with the poor bladder control in toddlers, but few women expect to deal with the problem again until much later in life. Unfortunately, it happens, though for different reasons at different points in our lives.

Giggle Incontinence in Youngsters
As the name suggests, giggle incontinence happens to young adults in their pre-teen and teenage years, usually when they giggle or otherwise put pressure on their bladders. This condition affects about 7% of young women in the U.S., and most children and young adults who suffer from this condition don’t have any physical abnormalities. Research indicates that this condition may be genetically-linked and can be passed down from parents to children.

The good news is that giggle incontinence can be treated with conservative measures and behavior modification. Read more about resolving giggle incontinence here.

Young Women
Women in their 20s and 30s often develop symptoms of urinary incontinence for a variety of reasons. Avid athletes who participate in high-impact sports can develop weakened pelvic floor muscles or suffer injuries in their pelvic region, resulting in urine leakage. Some young women have naturally weak pelvic floor muscles, which can also cause urinary incontinence. For these women, conservative measures, such as doing correct Kegels, can strengthen their pelvic floor muscles and often resolve urine leakage issues.

Post-Partum Women
Many a post-partum woman has returned to her normal exercise routine only to discover that she now leaks urine. The effects of pregnancy and vaginal deliveries can weaken a woman’s pelvic floor muscles, causing urinary incontinence. Although many women do Kegels during pregnancy and post-partum, a large number of them do this pelvic floor contraction incorrectly, which does little to alleviate their urine leakage. Luckily, learning to do correct Kegels and using other conservative measures, such as medication and behavior modification, can often help these women resolve their symptoms.

Baby Boomers
While this is the most recognized face of women’s urinary incontinence, the baby boomer woman who has urinary incontinence may also be the one least likely to seek help. Many older women assume that urine leakage is just a normal sign of aging, so don’t ask their doctors for help. If you are a baby boomer with urinary incontinence, don’t let your age stop you from getting the help you need. There are many options available to women at any age for dealing with urinary incontinence, so be sure to explore all of your options!

Explore the Many Faces of Women’s Urinary Incontinence
In this blog post we cover the faces of women’s urinary incontinence by age group, but there are also different faces associated with the three kinds of urinary incontinence, which are stress, urge, and mixed. Women with weak pelvic floor muscles can also experience pelvic organ prolapse and decreased sexual sensation. Learn all the different faces of urinary incontinence, decide if one of them belongs to you, and get on the road to recovery by starting with these links:

Is This You?
What’s Up Down There? A Free Ebook on Women’s Pelvic Floor Health

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Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Discreet Online Resources

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessWomen's Healthcare

While urinary incontinence is becoming a more prevalent condition than more well-known ailments like Alzheimer’s or diabetes, people suffering from this condition are less likely to seek treatment. In fact, experts estimate that between 50% and 75% of the cases of women’s urinary incontinence are never reported. Why?

Either because it’s too embarrassing or because women just think urinary incontinence is a normal part of aging.

Knowledge is Power: Learn about Urinary Incontinence Discreetly
If either embarrassment or lack of knowledge is preventing you from seeking help for your urinary incontinence, then we’ve got news for you!

First of all, urinary incontinence is not normal at any age, so don’t accept it as simply a normal sign of aging. Instead, learn more about women’s urinary incontinence so you can get the help you need, rather than just coping with your symptoms.

Second, if you do feel too embarrassed to ask your doctor for help at this point, it doesn’t mean you can’t help yourself. You can help yourself by learning about urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power! Today there are thousands of resources online where you can learn about the symptoms of, treatments for, and options available for women’s urinary incontinence.

And you can learn all of this without leaving your home. Just turn on your computer and start clicking the links below. There is a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be uncovered and discovered … all without embarrassment.

Ready? Then dive in!

Online Resources for Women’s Urinary Incontinence

Free Ebook: “What’s Up Down There? A Quickie Guide for Evaluating and Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor Muscles”

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

American Urologic Association Foundation

Gilbert Guide: Adult Incontinence

Medline Plus: National Library of Medicine

National Association for Continence

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What’s Up Down There? Ebook Tells if You are Loose as a Goose or …?

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor WeaknessWomen's Healthcare

Kegels. Most women have heard of them. Some women do them. Very few women actually do them correctly!

Yet, doing correct Kegels on a regular basis can have a huge positive impact on a woman’s pelvic floor health, sex life, and even self confidence.

Correct pelvic floor exercises are especially important for women suffering from urinary incontinence, since toning the pelvic floor muscles can often improve or even cure symptoms.

But Kegels and other pelvic floor exercises only help if you do them correctly, and to help more women do better Kegels, we’ve developed an educational and fun quick guide for women who want to know:

“What’s up down there?”

Are You as Loose as a Goose or a Pelvic Floor Goddess
Believe it or not, quite a few women are “as loose as a goose” down there and don’t even know it. Some women are simply born with less-than-toned pelvic floor muscles while other women lose tone down there as a result of giving birth or aging.

Our short no-cost ebook guide gives you two self-tests you can perform to determine your pelvic floor status: loose as a goose, pelvic floor goddess, or somewhere in between.

In addition, we offer detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do a correct pelvic floor contraction, or Kegel. We also “troubleshoot” the problem areas most women have while doing Kegels, ensuring that you are engaging the right pelvic muscles during a Kegel.

Easy as pie … To download this free ebook written especially for women’s pelvic floor health, just visit our download page:

Download the Ebook Here

By downloading the ebook you are taking the first step to becoming a pelvic floor goddess! Plus, we’ll keep you informed of any new women’s health and pelvic floor resources we develop just for you.

Can Having Too Much Sex Cause Stress Urinary Incontinence?

by General Urinary Incontinence

Nope … but 29% of women between the ages of 25 and 34 think that it can. 

This is according to a survey conducted by the National Association for Continence.

In fact, the very reverse is true. Having a healthy sex life can actually increase the tone of a woman’s pelvic floor, which decreases the risk for stress urinary incontinence. So don’t let this myth hold you back in the bedroom!

Want to debunk more myths about stress urinary incontinence and women’s urinary incontinence in general?

Dig into these two helpful articles:

Debunking Myths about Stress Urinary Incontinence
More Myths about Female Urinary Incontinence

Photo credit: Free Digital Photos

Solving Urinary Incontinence: Avoid Doorknob Conversations with Your Doctor

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

When it comes to female urinary incontinence, many women are doorknob conversationalists.

What’s a “doorknob conversation”? 

It’s where you avoid talking about urinary incontinence during the entire doctor’s appointment because you are too embarrassed to bring it up. Then, at the last moment, literally when your hand is on the doorknob and you are walking out the door, you raise the issue.

Those conversations usually start with, “By the way …” or “I forgot the mention this, but …”

You know what we’re talking about, right? We’ve all done it, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, these kinds of conversations prevent you from getting the help you need. Your doctor isn’t likely to have time at the end of your appointment to fully discuss your urinary incontinence issues, so you’ll end up having to come back for another appointment.

Three Steps to Avoiding Doorknob Conversations
Instead of waiting until you are walking out the door to ask your doc for help, get right to the heart of the issue at the beginning of the appointment. Here are three tips to help you avoid doorknob conversations.

1. Be Clear About the Purpose of Your Appointment
When you call to schedule your appointment, be sure to tell the staff at your doctor’s office that the purpose of your appointment is to discuss urinary incontinence. Be sure to use the words “urinary incontinence” so that your meaning isn’t lost in translation. Be firm with yourself about this!

2. Jot Down Your Symptoms and Questions
To be sure you get exactly the help you need, make a list of all of your symptoms. Include items like when you leak urine, how much urine you leak, triggers for urine leakage, and any other related symptoms. Make a list of all the medications you currently take, as some of these could be related to your symptoms. Finally, jot down any questions you want your doctor to answer.

3. Grab a Buddy
If you are afraid that you will chicken out at the last moment, either by skipping your appointment or failing to actually discuss your symptoms, take a buddy with you to your appointment. Ask your buddy to remind you of the purpose of your appointment, and ensure that you cover every item on your list during your appointment. A trusted friend can offer a lot of moral support and courage.

Need more tips? Check out these resources:

Using the Right Words – Don’t Let Your Symptoms Get Lost in Translation
Learn About the Different Types of Urinary Incontinence 

 

Urinary Incontinence: Does the Sound of Water Make You “Go”?

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceUrinary Incontinence

When it comes to urinary incontinence, most women just know that they have to deal with wet panties and endless inconvenience. What a lot of women don’t know is that there are actually three kinds of urinary incontinence:

– Stress Urinary Incontinence
– Urge Urinary Incontinence
– Mixed Urinary Incontinence

If the sound of water makes you leak urine, then you most likely have urge urinary incontinence, which is also called overactive bladder. If you also leak urine when you cough or sneeze, then you have mixed urinary incontinence, which is a combination of stress and urge urinary incontinence. Finally, if you only have urine leakage when you put pressure on your abdominal cavity, like when you step off a curb or jump around, then you have stress urinary incontinence.

It’s important to know what kind of urinary incontinence you have so you can get the right treatment. Each kind of urinary incontinence is treated differently.

To learn more about each of the different kinds of women’s urinary incontinence, check out the links below. Knowledge is power. If you are tired of dealing with wet panties and adult diapers, the first step in changing your life is to learn more. Start learning here:

Stress Urinary Incontinence
Urge Urinary Incontinence
Mixed Urinary Incontinence

And then, visit a doctor to get a true diagnosis of your condition. Need help finding a doctor? Here are some tips to get you started:

Find the Right Doctor

 

American Women Shy When Discussing Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

American women are usually known for their directness, forthrightness, and brashness. 

We live in a society where sex sells everything from cars to television shows. We climb corporate ladders with ease and are not afraid to challenge corporate glass ceilings.

But we American women have one area where we are very shy. According to women’s health experts, American women are very hesitant to discuss urinary incontinence.

Why Urinary Incontinence is Taboo for American Women
According to Caryn Antos of the National Association for Continence (NAFC), our culture is partially responsible for women’s reluctance to discuss urinary incontinence. She says, “The United States is one of the more reserved countries when it comes to this topic. In Europe, tons of organizations band together for educational purposes–and there’s no privacy barrier to break through.” She adds that at trade shows and other educational events, most women are afraid to approach the NAFC booth to pick up brochures, concerned that they’ll be pinned with a “scarlet letter.”

Missy Lavender, executive director of the Women’s Health Foundation, experienced a similar sense of cultural reserve. Having published educational material about women’s urinary incontinence, Missy was asked by the editor of a local women’s magazine: “Why is a nice girl like you talking about things like this?”

If this is the kind of reception being given to advocates of education about women’s urinary incontinence, is it any wonder that the average woman feels shy about asking for help with her bladder control issues?

Additional Reasons Women Don’t Ask for Help
In addition to the general reserve in this country surrounding women’s urinary incontinence, experts point out numerous other reasons that women are hesitant to seek help. Two of the most prominent are age and lack of information.

Age
A large percentage of older women suffer from urinary incontinence, and women in this population are less comfortable than younger women discussing this area of their anatomy. They may also be unaware of the progress that has been in made in the last 30 years in treating urinary incontinence. Finally, they may simply feel that urine leakage is a normal part of aging.

Lack of Information
Some women know that “something is wrong,” but lack knowledge about their own anatomy and feel uncomfortable discussing their problem with a male doctor. This is where seeking help from a female urologist, gynecologist, or physical therapist can help.

Don’t Be Shy – Get Help for Your Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence, while not life-threatening, can definitely affect the quality of your life. It can also be a symptom of other health conditions, so it’s important to raise the issue with your healthcare provider. Here are some resources to help you get started on the road to recovery … and drier panties:

Lost in Translation? Getting Treatment for Urinary Incontinence

Dealing with Urinary Incontinence? Be Your Own Healthcare Advocate

How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence

 

Female Urinary Incontinence – Is It a “Good Girl-Bad Girl” Problem?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Get this: urinary incontinence affects more people than diabetes or Alzheimer’s, yet 50% of women who have urinary incontinence never seek help.Now get this: The Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy reports that 8 out of 10 cases of urinary incontinence can be improved.So why don’t more women get help?

Female Urinary Incontinence and the “Good Girl-Bad Girl” Problem
For many women, the simple answer is, “embarrassment,” which is understandable. However, it turns out that there is often a deeper issue involved. Some call it the “Good Girl-Bad Girl” syndrome. This syndrome is basically associated with the cultural taboos we pick up early in life, usually during potty training.

In a recent seminar co-sponsored by the National Association for Continence, experts explained how shame is associated with bathroom issues from an early age, during the potty-training stage. Young children are taught that they are either “good girls” or “bad girls,” depending on whether they “performed” well in potty training.

Later in life, these subliminal messages of “good girl” or “bad girl” still haunt many women, even if they are not conscious of these thoughts. As a result, these women feel embarrassed to discuss bathroom-related issues, so don’t seek the help they need for their urinary incontinence symptoms.

The Good News About Female Urinary Incontinence
Luckily, once you become aware of these subliminal messages or your embarrassment about discussing urinary incontinence, you can start to overcome those feelings. For more on how to overcome embarrassment, or to find out more about female urinary incontinence, click the links below.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Embarrassment
Is This You? The Different Kinds of Urinary Incontinence

 

Is Urinary Incontinence Ruining Your Fashion Sense?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
We all like to look our best. Nothing makes us feel prettier than a sexy dress, a slimming pair of designer jeans, or just a good-looking outfit.But if you suffer from urinary incontinence, then you know how it can really interfere with your fashion sense!

If you have urinary incontinence, then fashion may have less to do with the way you dress than it used to. Instead, you choose clothes based on other factors.

Here are some examples:

– Pants that are easy to get on and off for those times when you just “have to go.” Forget fancy button-down jeans … think elastic waistbands!

– Tights instead of pantyhose. Pantyhose rip way too easily when you’ve got to go, whereas tights are much more resilient

– Clothes that don’t wrinkle. When you have to pack a change of clothes everywhere you go, you need clothes that can be stuffed into a shoulder bag, not clothes that have to be hung on hangers
.
– Baggy pants that accommodate pads and diapers. Forget those slimming tight jeans!

Yuck!

Want to Retrieve Your Fashion Sense?
If baggy pants, wrinkle-free clothes, and pants with elastic waistbands really offend your sense of fashion, then maybe it’s time to stop dressing down to accommodate your urinary incontinence symptoms. Maybe it’s time to address your urinary incontinence.

Here’s a question for you: 

Would you rather go around embarrassed for the rest of your life because you have to wear clothes you hate, or would you rather be embarrassed for 30 minutes … the time it takes to tell your doctor about your urinary incontinence and get help?

Amazingly enough, 50% of women suffering urinary incontinence choose the first option. They never seek help, and choose to simply “cope” with their urine leakage rather than getting help from a healthcare provider.

But that doesn’t have to be you. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases, many times with conservative therapy.
Isn’t it time to stop committing fashion suicide? Get help now.

 

Urinary Incontinence: Not How Much but What You Drink That Matters

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

The first reaction many women have to urinary leakage is to cut back significantly on their fluid intake. After all, it does make sense that what goes into your body must come out. That means the less fluid you take in, the less likely you are to leak urine, right?

Not necessarily.

Actually, decreasing your fluid intake too much may actually irritate your bladder, which can cause more urine leakage, not less. To avoid this you need to drink enough fluid to stay hydrated, usually between four and nine cups of water per day. To improve symptoms of urinary incontinence, focus on what and when you drink. This applies to stress, urge, and mixed urinary incontinence.

What Should You Drink to Avoid Urine Leakage?
It turns out that what you drink, along with when you drink, has more effect on symptoms of urinary incontinence than how much you drink. Any fluids that irritate your bladder should be avoided, while water is always a good choice.

It may surprise you how often you drink fluids that may irritate your bladder. For instance, do you chug a couple cups of coffee or tea to wake yourself up in the morning? Or maybe you slurp down a soda with lunch, and drink another in the late afternoon to help yourself stay awake. Finally, you drink a glass of wine with dinner to relax at the end of a long day.

Unfortunately, all of these are on the “do not drink” list for women with urinary incontinence. Coffee, tea, and most sodas have caffeine, which irritate the bladder. Ditto for the carbonation in the soda and the arylalkylamines in the wine. You might be surprised at how much your urinary incontinence symptoms will improve just by cutting these drinks from your daily menu. Choose water or decaffeinated teas instead.

When Should Your Drink Fluids to Avoid Urine Leakage?
When you drink fluids can also significantly impact urinary incontinence symptoms. To reduce urine leakage, drink the majority of your water in the morning. Reduce fluid intake after 6 p.m. (or two to three hours before bedtime) to decrease nighttime voiding and incontinence.

Making just a few simple changes in what and when you drink fluids can significantly improve your symptoms of urinary incontinence. If you don’t believe it, keep track of your leakage accidents for a week before making any changes. Then, change your fluid intake habits and track your results. You will surprise yourself!

 

What Moms Don’t Know About Kegels: Myths and Facts

by General Urinary Incontinence
Are you a new mom? Or maybe you are the proud mother of a large happy family.

Either way, there is a good chance that your doctor may not have fully informed you about Kegels, or even mentioned them. That’s a shame, and can lead to some real health issues.

Moms really need to know about Kegels, and how to do them correctly, if they want to prevent post-partum issue like urinary incontinence and decreased sexual sensation.

Unfortunately, in a study from the International Urogynecology Journal, 46% of pregnant women reported receiving no information about Kegels. Moms who do learn about Kegels from their doctors, usually through a handout or pamphlet, often do these exercises incorrectly.

Did You Know …?
A reported 50% of women cannot locate and engage the correct pelvic floor muscles to do a Kegel just by reading written instructions. So these women try do Kegels, but incorrectly, and the results are less than satisfactory. Then they think Kegels don’t work!

Kegels do work … if you work the right pelvic floor muscles. Since 30% of post-partum women have urinary incontinence, and Kegels are effective in relieving symptoms in 80% of urinary incontinence cases, this stuff is important! If you are a mom or a mother-to-be, then you need to know about Kegels.

Get the full scoop on moms and Kegels by clicking the link below.
New Moms and Kegels: Myths and Facts

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaaronfarr/ / CC BY 2.0

Can Stress at the Office be Causing Your Stress Urinary Incontinence?

by General Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Nope. Not really.As logical as it might seem that stress at work could lead tostress urinary incontinence, that’s not how it really works. Even so, one-fourth of women surveyed believed this myth to be true.Stress at work is one thing. With urinary incontinence, the word “stress” refers to a different kind of stress – basically any stress on the abdominal cavity.

For instance, you place stress on your abdominal area when you cough, sneeze, or lean down to pick up your toddler. In short, any increase in abdominal pressure equals stress, which causes you to leak urine.

What does all of this mean to you if you have stress urinary incontinence? It means that a bad day at the office won’t cause your symptoms to get worse. That’s pretty reassuring, since most of us are under a lot of stress these days!

Want to know more? Separate the facts from the myths about female urinary incontinence by clicking the links below. In these articles, we tell you what is factual and what is merely an “old wives tale.” You might be surprised by what you read!

Debunking Myths About Stress Urinary Incontinence
Debunking Yet More Funky Myths About Urinary Incontinence

 

Urinary Incontinence: Stopping the Runaway Weight Train

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
If think about it, the connection between female urinary incontinence and weight gain is obvious. A woman suffering with symptoms of urinary incontinence is likely to leak urine when she jogs, leading to that embarrassing “wet crotch” look. So she stops exercising.She starts to feel bad about herself so she reaches for the tub of ice cream in the freezer to calm her nerves, which makes her gain weight. Now her urinary incontinence symptoms are worse than ever, especially if she tries to exercise … and the runaway weight train has just left the station.

Does this sound familiar?

What You Should Do if You Are Riding the Runaway Weight Train
As a passenger on the runaway train, your first step is to put the ice cream (or chips or whatever) down. Just step away.

Next, go back to exercising. Exercise is so important because losing even just a few pounds can significantly ease urinary incontinence symptoms. In one study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, women who lost 8 percent of their body weight, or about 17 pounds, reduced their leakage incidences by almost half. That’s a lot!

If you are concerned about leaking while you exercise, it’s time to consult a healthcare professional and research your options. There are many conservative therapies that can help you reduce or eliminate urinary incontinence symptoms. Even if you have sought help before to no avail, keep looking. Healthcare has come a long way in recent years when it comes to ways to ease urinary incontinence symptoms.

Finally, read up on urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about urinary incontinence, the easier it will be for you to get the kind of help you want and need.

Here are some excellent resources from national institutions dedicated to solving the problem of incontinence.

Medline Plus on Urinary Incontinence 

National Association for Continence

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Clearinghouse

Simon Foundation for Continence

 

Triggers for Women’s Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
If you suffer from symptoms of urinary incontinence then knowing how to prevent leakage accidents probably tops your list of important things to know.There are many ways to treat the various types of urinary incontinence–stress, urge, and mixed–and sometimes knowing what triggers your incontinence symptoms can help you prevent accidents.

Triggers for Urinary Incontinence
Depending on what form of urinary incontinence you have, the events that trigger urine leakage will vary. With stress urinary incontinence, triggers include anything that increases pressure on or inside your abdomen, usually some form of physical activity or exercise. For some women the trigger can be as slight as stepping off a curb or walking vigorously. For others, the trigger may be more extreme, such as sneezing, picking up a heavy object, or doing aerobic exercise.

If you have urge urinary incontinence, your triggers are different. For most women, hearing the sound of running water or feeling the sensation of water on their hand can trigger the uncontrollable urge to urinate. Spicy foods, carbonated beverages, caffeine, and other foods and drinks that irritate the bladder can also trigger urge urinary incontinence.

For women with mixed urinary incontinence, any of the above triggers may bring on a leakage accident.

Finding Your Triggers for Urinary Incontinence
If you are not sure what triggers your urinary incontinence, keep a journal for a week or so. Track your food and water intake, as well as any events that seem to trigger urine leakage. You can also experiment with some lifestyle habits to see whether they improve or worsen your symptoms. Some good places to start experimenting include:

– decreasing your intake of caffeinated, alcoholic, and carbonated beverages
– stopping or decreasing smoking
– increasing your fiber intake to reduce constipation

You will also want to record the times and amounts of urine leakage, as well as how often you make it to the bathroom to urinate. All of this information will help your doctor determine your type of urinary incontinence and the best ways to treat it.

The more you know about your urinary incontinence, the more empowered you will be as an advocate for your own health and well-being. No matter how long you have dealt with urinary incontinence, it’s never too late to start improving your situation. So get some pen and paper, and start tracking your triggers!

 

How a Woman’s Urinary Incontinence Can Affect Her Man

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Women with urinary incontinence can be quite preoccupied. They have to worry about wet panties. They keep track of the location of the nearest bathroom. A majority of these women, 78%, worry about smelling like urine. And that’s only a short list of issues these women grapple with on a regular basis.In short, many women with urinary incontinence are deeply affected by their condition. Unfortunately, so are the men in their lives. Together, the dynamic between how women deal with their condition and how their men handle the situation create a vicious cycle that can cause even the most stable relationships to deteriorate.It’s all about sex.

Urinary Incontinence: The Woman’s Story
Urinary incontinence and sex often don’t mix, since many women are afraid that their spouses or lovers will be “turned off” by urinary leakage during sex. The woman is too embarrassed to discuss it with her spouse, so she avoids sex. Her spouse, unaware of the situation, feels hurt and rejected.

Says one woman, Riesa Gusewelle, suffering from urinary incontinence:

“I felt unattractive and unappealing. It stressed my sexual relationship with my husband, even though he reassured me that everything was fine. I was depressed and always felt that I could smell urine.”

That’s the woman’s story … now let’s take a look at the man’s side of the story.

Urinary Incontinence: The Man’s Side of the Story
The spouse or significant other of a woman with urinary incontinence can consider himself lucky if he even knows about her condition, since almost half of all women with this condition don’t discuss their situation with anyone.

But knowing about the situation doesn’t always help. Even if a man repeatedly assures his wife that her urinary incontinence does not “turn him off,” his wife may not be able to hear him. One man described the situation this way:

“I’ve never found her urinary incontinence to be offensive but it affected our sex life anyway. I’m not sure how much her incontinence affected our sex life, but I know it had a definite effect.”

Breaking the Vicious Cycle
Can you see how a vicious cycle starts to form around the issue of a woman’s urinary incontinence? The woman is embarrassed about her condition, despite reassurance from her spouse, so she avoids sex. The man does his best to reassure his wife, to no avail, and becomes frustrated with the situation. Relationship issues arise, and when the couple does have sex, the encounter is less than enjoyable.

 

Think Wet Panties are Just a Sign of Aging? Think Again!

by General Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

A lot of mature women are walking around with wet panties when they shouldn’t be.

And we’re not talking about the “sexy” kind of wet panties; we’re talking about the wet panties you get from urinary incontinence.

Why are these women walking around with wet panties?

Because many of them (34%) think it’s a normal sign of aging, so they just shrug it off rather than getting help from a health care professional.

Well we’ve got news for you: urinary incontinence is not normal or healthy at any age.

The idea that female urinary incontinence “just happens” as we age is one of the biggest myths about this condition. For instance, many women believe that the average age at which women experience stress urinary incontinence symptoms is 50 and older.

That simply isn’t true.

In fact, 40% of women first experience stress urinary incontinence symptoms before they are 40, and 23% had symptoms before they were 30.

Still think that urinary incontinence automatically goes hand in hand with aging? It doesn’t. So much for that myth!

Want to know more about urinary incontinence? Click the links below to get the facts about female urinary incontinence, debunk the myths, and learn where to get help for your wet panties!

Debunking Myths About Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Debunking Yet More Funky Myths about Urinary Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence – Not Just a Problem for Mature Women
How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence

 

What Do Orange Juice, Bananas, and Urine Have in Common?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Aside from the fact that all of these items are yellowish in color, they also share a common link to a condition that affects 1 in 4 women:Female urinary incontinence.

Orange juice and bananas, like coffee and cheese, should be avoided by women suffering from urinary incontinence symptoms. Why? Orange juice and coffee are both acidic, while bananas and cheese contain arylalkylamines. Food and drink that are either acidic or have arylalkylamines can worsen urinary incontinence symptoms in women.

That’s bad news unless you want to walk around with wet panties all the time. 

But don’t worry. This doesn’t mean that a chunk of cheese can never cross your lips again. It just means that if you suffer from urinary incontinence, you need to pay attention to what you eat and drink.

You don’t have to avoid foods and drinks that are acidic or contain arylalkylamines, altogether. Just eat or drink these items in moderation.

Want to know more? Get a list of foods and drinks to avoid, and learn what you can do to ease urinary incontinence symptoms if you go overboard. Read the full article about this topic by clicking the link below:

Healthy Bladder: Foods and Drinks to Avoid

 

Healthy Bladder: Foods and Drinks to Avoid this Holiday Season

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary Incontinence

Healthy Bladder: Foods and Drinks to Avoid This Holiday Season

The holidays are just around the corner, and for women dealing with urinary incontinence, all that holiday food can look like a minefield rather than a tasty buffet! They spend their time wondering which foods and drinks are going to bring on a leakage accident, and which are “safe.”

If you have suffered from urinary incontinence for a while, then you probably already know that certain foods and drinks can irritate the bladder and cause urine leakage—definitely not something you want to happen at the big Christmas party.

Have a Healthy Bladder This Holiday Season
The key to preventing urine leakage accidents this holiday season is to stay away from two categories of food and drink. Avoid foods and drinks that:

– are acidic
– contain arylalkylamines (tyrosine, tyramine, tryptophan, aspirate, and phenylalamine)

Foods and drinks in these two categories both tend to irritate inflamed areas of the bladder and urethra, and cause leakage.

Acidic Foods and Drinks to Avoid
There are lots of acidic foods and drinks out there, but during the holiday season these are the ones that you are most likely to encounter:

– alcoholic or carbonated drinks
– spicy food
– citrus fruits or juices
– other fruits including apples, cranberries, grapes, pineapples, strawberries and plums
– tomatoes
– anything that contains vinegar
– caffeinated drinks

Foods and Drinks Containing Arylalkylamines to Avoid
Don’t even bother trying to pronounce the word “arylalkylamines.” Just try to avoid eating or drinking the following at holiday parties:

– Drinks: champagne, beer, wine
– Vegetables: avocados, fava and lima beans, onions
– Fruits: bananas, figs, cranberries, pineapple, prunes, raisins
– Other Goodies: cheese, chicken livers, chocolate, corned beef, mayonnaise, nuts, sour cream, soy sauce, and yogurt

Everything in Moderation
If the list of food and drink to avoid this holiday season looks horrible, don’t panic. Your holiday food doesn’t have to be limited to bread and water. Just avoid overdoing when it comes to eating or drinking the items on the lists above.

Plus, there is help if you overdo it. If you find yourself stuffing down Christmas chocolates because they are too good to avoid, you can dilute the effects of your overindulgence by drinking plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water may reduce urine acidity and dilute any effects of these specific irritants. Another option you can try is an over-the-counter supplement called Prelief. Taking Prelief at mealtime may help reduce bladder irritation and leakage accidents.

The bottom line is this: having dry panties this holiday season just means being a little choosier when it comes to what you eat and drink. You should definitely eat, drink, and be merry during the holidays. If you do all of that with a little discretion, you’ll see more of your friends and less of the bathroom!

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Embarrassment

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

If you are a woman suffering from urinary incontinence, here are three things you should know:

1. Only about 50% of women with urinary incontinence ever seek help
2. Embarrassment is one of the primary reasons preventing these women from asking for help
3. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases

Does this sound crazy to you?

Why Urinary Incontinence is Embarrassing
Despite the fact that urinary incontinence affects more people than conditions like diabetes or Alzheimer’s, half of all women with urinary incontinence won’t seek help. Those who do seek help wait, on average, almost seven years. Why?

In a recent seminar co-sponsored by the National Association for Continence, experts discussed how cultural taboos prevent people from talking about this topic. These experts explained how shame is associated with bathroom issues from an early age, during the potty-training stage. Young children are taught that they are either “good girls” or “bad girls,” depending on whether they “performed” well in potty training.

Years later, the same “good girl” and “bad girl” language subconsciously haunts women, and keeps them from discussing their problems of urinary incontinence with healthcare providers.

How to Overcome the Embarrassment
While discussing urinary incontinence is embarrassing for many women, there are ways to overcome that emotion. After all, most of us have learned to overcome embarrassment about other situations in our life, why not about urinary incontinence? If you are ready to get over your embarrassment and get help, here are two simple steps you can take:

Discuss Your Situation with the Right Person
Chat with a close woman friend who has had urinary incontinence and sought help. Not only will she understand and sympathize with your situation, but she will be able to offer you guidance and advice based on her own experiences. You need not feel embarrassed talking to someone who has had the same experiences as you.

Learn More About Your Condition
Knowledge is power. Learning more about urinary incontinence gives you the knowledge and power you need to ask for help from a healthcare provider. Learn more about the different kinds of urinary incontinence and the available treatment options. Knowledge about your condition helps you understand that there are solutions available, and gives you the words you need to comfortably discuss your condition with your doctor.

People say that it’s never too late to have a happy childhood. We say that it’s never too early to seek help for your urinary incontinence. The earlier you address your condition, the faster you will see positive results with the right treatment.

Stress Urinary Incontinence: Is Transobturator Tape Surgery Right for You?

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

“Don’t touch me with that knife!”

That is the instinctive response many women suffering from urinary incontinence have when they think about surgery to correct their symptoms. But for women with stress urinary incontinence, minimally-invasive surgery can be a real boon when conservative therapies are not enough to significantly relieve or cure their symptoms.

The Transobturator Tape and Urinary Incontinence
One of the most common surgeries to correct stress urinary incontinence is the transobturator tape. With this surgery a mesh tape is inserted around the urethra to support it like a hammock. This hammock helps the urethra close more tightly during times of stress, such as when you cough or sneeze. The tape is permanent, and the body’s natural healing process anchors it into place.

This surgery requires only three tiny incisions, and can be performed as a day surgery. Success rates are high with the transobturator tape. A recent study published in a urology journal reported that 90% of women who had this surgery to correct stress urinary incontinence were completely cured. A further 5% reported that their symptoms were improved.

One Woman’s Experience with the Transobturator Tape
If you’re not sure whether conservative surgery, such as the transobturator tape, is right for you, discuss your concerns in detail with your healthcare specialist. Also, consider the interview below with a patient who has recently undergone this procedure for her stress urinary incontinence. Her experience and excellent results may help you feel more comfortable about exploring this procedure for yourself.

Are you pleased with the results of your TOT?
Oh, yes, this has changed my life.

How so?
I can exercise again without fear of leakage, and I am losing some weight. I can sit through a movie and through church. Maybe best of all, I can have sex with my husband without fear of peeing on him.

Are you sorry you waited so long to have the surgery?
Absolutely. I tell all my friends to go see their doctors if they share this embarrassing problem. 

How was your recovery?
It was virtually painless. I think I took two pain pills the first night, and after that, only Tylenol.

What else would you like to tell the women out there who are still leaking urine? 
Get help! You don’t have to live this way. Do it now. Life’s too short to be running around with wet underwear.

Words of Wisdom and Resources for Urinary Incontinence
We hope the words of wisdom and experience above help you better consider your treatment options for urinary incontinence