World Health Day is celebrated annually by millions around the world. Find out how you can be a part of a healthier tomorrow through taking simple actions

Support your loved one through continence management - here is what to look out for and how you can provide thoughtful, practical support.

On World Diabetes Day we take a closer look at the connection between diabetes and incontinence.

UTI’S or Urinary Tract Infections are not only irritating but can also severely disrupt your daily life. Many people suffer from UTI’s, but most cases are preventable and easily treatable.

Multiple Sclerosis and Incontinence Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord communication). This can interfere with cognitive and bodily functions including control of the bladder and bowel. MS affects more than 25000 Australian’s and is more common in women than men. For those with MS, more than 50% will experience bladder issues. With research showing that incontinence is the most common symptom, although the severity and longevity varies from person to person. Having the decreased ability to control the bladder for many people with MS means having what’s called Neurogenic bladder dysfunction. A neurogenic bladder may be retentive, meaning it retains urine which could cause infection or other serious problems, or it may be overactive. An overactive bladder is typically caused by spasms of the muscles of the bladder and mainly associated with symptoms of urge incontinence. Some find they need to urinate more frequently and urgently, while others may experience difficulty emptying the bladder or a feeling of incomplete emptying. If left untreated, can be severely detrimental to the course of the disease and impact greatly on the quality of life. Some symptoms associated with MS and incontinence include: Urinary leakage Urgency to rush to the toilet Small or large amounts of urine leaking without warning or without feeling the urge to the toilet Involuntary leaking when sneezing, coughing, laughing or exercise The need to get up and urine 1-2 times through the night (nocturia) Urinary retention is also possible for some people who suffer with MS, symptoms include: Urgent sense to urinate but inability to start the urinary flow Frequent visits to the toilet Weak flow Bloated urinary abdomen Dribble due to overflow incontinence Urinary hesitancy which is difficulty initiating urination It is extremely important to regularly empty your bladder to avoid urinary tract infections as they can have a harmful effect on MS and can contribute to relapse. When the body tries to fight the infection, it triggers excess immune activity and demyelination (destruction to the coating that protects the nerves). Taking care of your bladder must be properly managed to reduce the risks of further serious health issues. There are some simple ways to manage bladder problems. Some very simple changes to your day to day routine can assist and some more extensive treatment options are also available. These include: Pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles. Bladder retraining to help reduce urinary incontinence aims to gradually stretch the bladder so it can hold larger amounts of urine. Lifestyle changes such as changing their diet to reduce constipation and reducing the consumption of caffeinated beverages. Timing your fluid intake to prevent inconvenient times to require visiting the toilet in public and at night. Medication can be used for all types of incontinence but most useful for urge incontinence, particularly when combined with pelvic floor exercises and bladder retraining. Catheters can be used for as an effective bladder management technique based on the regular and complete emptying of the bladder using a catheter. Surgical procedures are available in some cases for the treatment of bladder problems. Deciding which procedure, if any, you use depends on the type and cause of incontinence. Treatment of incontinence will vary from person to person but some simple things like those mentioned above will assist in the prevention of ongoing incontinence and possibly even cure or avoid incontinence in the future. Always discuss your situation and/or concerns with a healthcare professional before implementing any significant changes to your lifestyle. At Confidence Club, we specialize in moderate to heavy incontinence needs products. All our products have been carefully chosen to provide maximum comfort, ease of use, and confidence to anyone who is facing incontinence.

Crohn's disease can negatively impact your self-esteem, confidence, and comfort. It doesn't have to, though.

There's a lot of myths about incontinence, and in this blog we're here to debunk 5 of the most common! Keep reading for more.

There is a known connection between diabetes and incontinence in fact studies have found that women with diabetes have up to a 70% greater risk of developing urinary incontinence than women without diabetes but why is this and what can you do about it?

The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut but because of its location it can cause incontinence problems in men when it gets enlarged

Dementia And Incontinence - What You Need To Know In this blog, we discuss dementia-related incontinence. How people with alzheimers disease's and dementia may experience incontinence issues and strategies to manage. Dementia And Incontinence - What You Need To Know In this blog, we discuss dementia-related incontinence. How people with alzheimers disease's and dementia may experience incontinence issues and strategies to manage. Causes of Dementia-Related Incontinence Confusion is the main reason why people with dementia may develop incontinence and the confusion can make existing bladder and bowel problems worse. However, even though many people with dementia develop incontinence as their condition worsens, not all will experience the problem. Many people with dementia can’t always recognise their need to pass urine or faeces and some are not able to hold on long enough to get to the toilet. Many have trouble identifying the toilet and forget to remove their clothes when they get there. These issues can be even worse when the person is not in surroundings which are familiar to them because they may not be able to identify where a toilet is. This can result in them toileting in places which are inappropriate. Further problems can also occur if the person has an underlying depression, anxiety, stress or illness. While people with dementia may not be able to completely participate in bladder treatment programs such as pelvic floor exercises or even bladder training there are some strategies which can assist to provide some comfort and dignity. Management Strategies The first step is to diarise the person’s toileting behaviours. To do this carers need to watch and write down the person’s bladder and bowel habits and look for any patterns which identify toileting needs (eg. pulling at their clothing, restlessness, pacing). If these signs can be identified the person can be taken to the toilet before they have an accident. Many people with dementia do not always know they need to go to the toilet so they should be taken at regular intervals. A very common time for people to have their bowels open is after meals, particularly breakfast so this is a good time for them to be taken to the toilet. A bladder and bowel diary will assist carers to assess if the toileting program assists. Sometimes particular signage can assist people with dementia to identify a toilet (eg. a picture of a toilet, a sign with familiar language – toilet, even ‘dunny’ may be language familiar to the person. It’s a good idea to ask their family members if they know what the person used to call the toilet. Sometimes the toilet door can be painted a bright colour rather than the same as other doors – this may assist the person to identify where the toilet is located. Although some people with dementia might need to have toilet paper and other distractions removed while they are sitting on a toilet, others may need something to do (eg. a book or magazine). This is also a topic which may need to be discussed with family members who may be able to suggest the person’s individual toileting habit (eg. some people used to read the paper – or particular sections of the paper such as the racing guide while they were sitting on the toilet while having their bowels open). Ensure the areas the person with dementia frequents are not too cluttered. This can make the identification of the toilet easier. Keep the area around them uncomplicated and familiar and consider the use of a night light which might make the toilet door easier to see. The reduced clutter and light also makes it safer for them to negotiate their way to the toilet when lighting is reduced. Always listen to their conversation and respond to their concerns while showing respect and care. Do not dismiss the person’s concerns as this will only make them more frustrated. Bladder and Bowel Assistance Fluids are important. Ensure the person with dementia drinks sufficient fluids each day. It is generally accepted that most people need 1½ to 2 litres of fluid per day (unless otherwise instructed by their doctor). Although water is the best, other fluids such as milk, juice, jellies and liquid soups are helpful. Fluids are helpful for helping bowel management. Good fluid intakes ensure faeces remains soft and easier to pass. They also help to keep the bladder healthy by keeping the urine well diluted and good fluid intakes assist in the prevention of bladder infections. The intake of caffeine should be minimised because it can irritate the bladder. Caffeine is mainly found in coffee and cola drinks but there is some, in lesser concentrations, in chocolate and tea. Constipation can cause pressure on the bladder and reduce bladder size. When a person has constipation they often try to bear down to have their bowels open and this can adversely affect their ability to hold on to their urine. To avoid constipation ensure the person eats regular amounts of fruit and vegetables. Nutritional specialists suggest the intake of 2 pieces of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables daily. The person should also be encouraged to drink well (see above) and be encouraged to be as mobile as possible through walking. Encourage good toilet posture – sitting straight while on the toilet and, if agreeable, place their feet on a foot stool. Each continence management product will have a fit guide, as well as a guide on how to measure against their product sizing accurately. Elements such as hip and waist circumference play a key role in ensuring the appropriate fit. Should constipation occur it should be treated promptly. Watch for signs that the person needs to toilet and record them on a chart along with any regular times, whether they successfully toilet of if they experience any wetting or soiling. These records can also be useful for establishing an individualised toileting program which is aimed at avoiding accidents. Clothing - If the person has trouble removing their clothes to toilet look for ways to modify their clothing. This can be through the use of tracksuit pants or trousers with elastic or Velcro rather than zips and buttons if the person has problems with them. Women who like to wear panty hose may be better with stockings. Further Assistance If these suggestions do not help there may be a need to seek further assistance from a qualified health professional such as the person’s doctor, a continence nurse, a physiotherapist familiar with continence issues, an occupational therapist or even a dietician. The person’s doctor can review the person’s medications and health issues. Other health professionals can assist with things like mobility, mobility aids, diets and products to assist with the management of incontinence. Many of these products can improve the person’s quality of life and reduce the carer’s burden. A comprehensive bladder and bowel control check-up should include a physical check and the health professional should ask about when, where and why problems happen. The carer is often needed to give the required information as he/she may be able to provide information about when the person is more likely to use the toilet or have accidents. They can usually give an idea about how much incontinence occurs, when and how often the person has their bowels open, and, where this may occur (e.g. toilet, pad etc.) Many people are eligible for assistance to purchase continence products so should also be discussed with the health care professional. Medications Any medications need to be discussed with the person’s doctor. Antibiotics can be used to treat bladder infections and there are medications for people with overactive bladder or bladder storage problems. The medications for overactive bladder may reduce the number of times the person goes to the toilet (normal is about 4-6 times/day and once a night during an 8 hour sleep). Men who have large prostate gland problems, with can squeeze the urethra (urine tube), can often have medications to which can assist. However, doctors will usually only prescribe any of these medications for people who have mild dementia because some of these medications can cause increased agitation and confusion. As always, many medications can also cause unwanted side effects or cause new problems such as a dry mouth, constipation, poor balance or a lack of energy. There are also many medications which can worsen bladder and bowel control problems so all medicines should be checked and reviewed by a doctor as some may need to be changed. Much of the information in this article has been obtained through the Continence Foundation of Australia – Dementia and Bladder and Bowel Control

Faecal incontinence is more common than you might think. Here, we discuss causes of faecal incontinence, related bowel conditions and ways to manage symptoms.