Incontinence, overactive bladder, bladder control, are all names for a condition where controlling urine leakage is challenging. There are many causes and types of incontinence. While urinary incontinence is a physical condition affecting millions of US adults, it also has a high emotional toll.
Sometimes the emotional toll is far more costly than the physical toll. Some of the common emotional effects of incontinence include:
1. Avoidance of social situations.
2. Avoidance of sexual intimacy.
3. Withdrawal.
4. Depression. Three times as many women with female incontinence have depression compared to those without the condition.
5. Embarrassment.
The more severe the incontinence, the greater the impact on the quality of life and the higher the emotional toll. Those with incontinence often have lower esteem, impaired well-being, reduced sexuality, and more emotional effects. While a common problem, with millions of sufferers, most suffer in silence because of the highly personal and potentially embarrassing nature of incontinence.
It is interesting to note that the emotional toll often changes by the type of incontinence. Urge incontinence may have the most emotional impact. It is unpredictable and thus distressing. The lack of control can impact the emotional well-being of people far more than other types of incontinence.
Stress incontinence, where urine leaks if you laugh, cough, sneeze, or lift due to weakened pelvic floor muscles has less of an emotional toll. This is far less emotionally draining as the situation can be more readily avoided, thus offering the individual a bit more control.
Regardless of what type of incontinence you or your loved one suffers from, the emotional toll is very real, and should not be ignored. So what can be done? One of the best things that can be done is to reinsert some control wherever possible.
1. Get a medical evaluation immediately. Women wait on average 6 years before seeking medical help for incontinence. If you get evaluated at the first symptoms, you can get treatment and eliminate or control the condition much more readily then if you wait for it to worsen.
2. Don't accept it. Many feel that incontinence is an inevitable part of aging. It is not. This is a condition that more readily effect those who are older because their muscles are weaker, or they are on medications that can lead to incontinence, but it is not something that you have to accept. There are treatment options and therapies available that can improve symptoms.
3. Use management techniques. There are many available techniques. The most important include avoiding bladder control triggers such as caffeine, alcohol, acidic foods, and the like. The second is the most important, use absorbent products. When a man or woman with incontinence is able to function in their work and social life without embarrassment, the emotional toll decreases. Choose absorbent products designed for your gender, size, and type of incontinence.
Dianna Malkowski is a Physician Assistant and Mayo Clinic trained nutritionist who helps customers of The CareGiver Partnership with questions to their caregiving questions. She invites you to visit blog.caregiverpartnership.com for more helpful family caregiver information. Also find over 1000 family caregiver resources at http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/resources/categories/.
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