Urinary Incontinence in Seniors - The Best Ways to Tackle It
Urinary incontinence in older adults is one of the major reasons behind reduced personal hygiene and other infections. Sadly, many older adults experience this issue as they advance in age. What starts as a frequent and uncontrollable urge to pass the urine becomes an involuntary action. Observed mostly in men than women, urinary incontinence has various triggering factors. In most cases, urinary incontinence is not a condition, it’s a symptom of an underlying condition. If you or your loved one is facing any leakages or difficulty in holding back urine, it is time to seek medical help. Your doctor will help you understand what exactly is causing the issue and what could be the effective treatment solution. Adult Urinary Incontinence - The Early Signs Due to privacy and dignity reasons and lack of awareness, the early signs of urinary incontinence are often ignored. If seniors can observe, here are the early signs of incontinence.
Sensitive or Hyperactive Bladder: Bladder becomes sensitive and you might feel a sudden and intense urge to visit the bathroom. It can happen more frequently. Stress Incontinence: You might leak when there is sudden outburst in the body. This can happen as a result of cough, sneeze, or even laughter. Urinary Overflow: The inability of emptying the bladder. The person might take more than usual time to empty the bladder or sometimes the person might always feel the bladder is not emptied. Functional Incontinence: The person might forget about the urinary function due to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer's disease.
Apart from these signs, sometimes the person might experience episodes of two or more signs as a combination. This is called mixed incontinence. Adult Incontinence - Causes Like other parts of the body, the bladder muscles undergo changes as a result of aging. They might lose the muscle flexibility and elasticity and this is more common in people who have been diagnosed with urinary tract infections. In general, adult incontinence can happen for various reasons such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, enlarged prostate, blocks in the urinary tract, nerve damages, and physical and mental limitations. Age-related Incontinence - What Exactly Happens? Age-ralated incontinence is a result of reduced sense of bowel movements. Nerves must function seamlessly in order to induce the sense of visiting the bathroom. Also, muscles should hold the rectal content till the person reaches the bathroom. Failing in either of these functions can lead to agerelated incontinence. This can happen due to various diseases and conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and stroke. Injuries to the urinary tract, bladder, hip bones, and muscles that control rectal discharges.
On the other hand, it is observed that prolonged constipation, diarrhea, and pain can also be the reasons for incontinence. Upon the diagnosis, your doctor might prescribe medications to address the health issue which has the incontinence as a symptom. The treatment approach for both women and men changes based on the issue. The first-line treatment, typically, includes medications and bowel muscle strengthening exercises. Best Ways to Manage Urinary Incontinence in Seniors Many elders feel uncomfortable talking about their stool or urine even with their doctors, let alone the family members. But talking to your doctor as early as possible is the best thing to do to address the incontinence issue. ❏
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Preparation - Being prepared with the necessary supplies is the key in tackling the incontinence and the issues it brings. Absorbent pads, and incontinence panties will give a better edge for seniors to take care of their personal hygiene. Exercises for Incontinence - Kegels are a great way for women to regulate and take control of their bowel movements. Male adults can practice workouts that focus on improving the coordination between the central nervous system and the bowel muscles. Lifestyle Changes - Slight lifestyle changes that include stress-free environment and promote a comprehensive healthy living experience can be a befitting solution for the seniors who are experiencing incontinence issues. Fixed Bathroom Routine - Try to control your urge to go to the bathroom. If you are visiting it once every one hour, try to increase the gap gradually.
Learn the ways of senior living and how the days are designed for seniors at your nearest assisted living facilities and implement the same in your day-today life.