World Continence Week
Did you know that -
- 1 in 3 women will wet themselves over the course of their life?
- 50% of women will suffer from a prolapse and
- 6-8% of men will suffer from incontinence following prostate surgery
If you hadn’t already concluded, then it’s pretty clear to see that continence is a problem that can affect everyone, and it’s certainly not just an issue for the elderly or after having a baby. Whilst the topic is sensitive and often taboo in some circles, we should all learn a little more about that area of ourselves to ensure we are not suffering unnecessarily.
Incontinence is when you leak from your bladder or bowel and also includes the inability to hold on to wind. In most cases, it is caused by a dysfunction of our pelvic floor muscles, the mechanisms with which we are able to hold on normally; our sphincters and prostate; and an inability to manage the resultant pressure or force eg. a cough or a sneeze. It can be embarrassing and upsetting for many, and in most cases is suffered in silence.
Importantly, incontinence is common, but it is not considered normal but it is very normalised in our society.
Having good bladder and bowel habits are really important in keeping up our pelvic health. Here are some tips to help keep this area functioning well
- Drinking 1.5-2L fluid/day, preferably water
- Restricting your caffeine intake as this can give you bladder urgency
- Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of fibre, which includes green leafy vegetables, legumes, protein and grains
- Avoid emptying your bladder “just in case” as this can create bad bladder habits and reduce its ability to fill correctly
- Avoid straining to pass a bowel motion as this can create long term issues resulting in haemorrhoids, prolapse and poor bowel filling function
If you follow these above tips, you should find yourself emptying your bladder around 6-8 x day and moving your bowels every 1-2 days with minimal straining and minimal wiping. Other tips to assist in health habits include exercising regularly, and doing pelvic floor exercises. If you are unsure what these are or how to do them correctly, then we would strongly suggest you ask one of our physios. Googling exercises for these conditions can sometimes lead to you doing the exercise incorrectly which can cause more problems so we would advise that in this instance, it’s really best to leave it to the experts!
Brooke, our Director, has Post Graduate qualifications in this area and is our health group resident expert. She has over 10 years’ experience working in this area specifically so is well placed to give you friendly advice and recommendations. She is available M-F for appointments and is currently taking on new patients.