Incontinence is Common in Men too
Around 5% of men under 65 have urinary incontinence, and that rises to 10-15% of men over 65.
The incontinence can vary from a few small leaks, to extensive leaks which cause huge distress, turning some men into recluses because they worry about visible leaking, or starting to smell.
Urinary incontinence can be caused by many things including prostate problems, dementia, or an over-active bladder which contracts uncontrollably.
More commonly though, is incontinence that can occur after a radical prostatectomy to treat cancer. Roughly 4,000 men each year have this operation to remove the prostate gland, and about 2% of these will have incontinence afterwards severe enough to need further surgery.
Patients can be referred to specialist bladder clinics or a urologist to find the cause of the leak and determine the best treatment, which may include pelvic muscle exercises. Men can also use pads for small leaks.
For more information about Allanda’s male range, please visit our our incontinence products for men page.
Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Injections can Cure Incontinence
A new study using botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNTA), conducted by the Department of Uro-Neurology at the University College London Hospital, revealed impressive results in patients with mixed cases of incontinence.
The botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNTA) is a variation of the commonly known Botox.
Seventy-four patients (51 women, 23 men) with refractory IDO incontinence were treated with intradetrusor injections of 200 U BoNTA, they were then evaluated in a non-randomised, open-label, cohort study.
Patients with urinary frequency, urge incontinence and stress incontinence were assessed using the condition-specific Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI 6) before and 4 weeks after the BoNTA treatment.
The outcome of complete continence was 51% (38 of 74) 4 weeks after intradetrusor injections of BoNTA.
In patients who were not completely continent, the scores show their conditions of urinary frequency, urge incontinence and stress incontinence were all reduced significantly. The inclusion of patients with mixed incontinence may have resulted in underestimation of the complete continence rate.
50% of patients reporting complete continence 4 weeks after BoNTA treatment reveal the effiency of this emerging treatment for patients with refractory IDO incontinence.
Furthermore, in those whom complete continence was not achieved, there was a notable and significant reduction in reported urge incontinence, stress incontinence, and urinary frequency.
Story source http://www.urotoday.com/
Incontinence Study Which Focuses on Natural Solutions
A new study shows that therapy based on natural and ancient meditation techniques can train the brain to control the bladder without medication or operations.
The research which includes meditation-based deep breathing, relaxation and visualisation techniques is an effective management strategy for urge incontinence.
Study investigator Aaron Michelfelder, said: ‘The mind-body connection has proven to be particularly valuable for women suffering from incontinence. Cognitive therapy is effective with these women, because they are motivated to make a change and regain control over their body.’
10 patients with an average age of 62 who had been diagnosed with overactive bladder were used for the study. The research subjects listened to an audio recording with a series of relaxation and visualisation exercises at home twice a day for two weeks.
By tracking the number of times they experienced incontinence before and after participating in the meditation-based therapy, most of the research subjects were able to see a dramatic improvement in symptoms.
Loyola study investigator Mary Pat FitzGerald, MD, said: ‘Nearly one in four women suffers from a pelvic floor disorder, which includes incontinence. Cognitive therapy may play a vital role in a comprehensive approach to treating this disorder.’
Allanda provide all the help, advice and products you need, to deal with your incontinence condition. For more information please click here.
State Allowance for Carers
It is estimated that Britain has 6 million carers – usually unpaid relatives and friends who look after an ill, frail or disabled person and the majority of these people do not realise that they are carers and are entitled to help from the State and other sources, reports Carers UK.
Any person over 16, who cares for someone that receives a disability payment for at least 35 hours a week and does not earn more than £95 a week in other work.
The State Allowance can only be claimed by one carer per person, and the same amount is paid regardless of the number of people that a carer looks after.
Besides the monetary help, the government is launching a new initiative to help carers throughout the UK, the initiative has been named Caring with Confidence and provides free group advice sessions for carers.
Sessions will be starting over the next few weeks in areas where information for carers is most lacking, exact locations haven’t yet being revealed. More information can be obtained via the phone number 0800 8492349.
The initiative’s website offers online study sessions for carers, and carers can order a series of free self-study workbooks on 01223 400393.
Caring for a relative can be a stressful, life consuming task which can make an alternative career very difficult to manage; we would be interested in your views on the state allowance for carers.
Diet May Play a Role in Causing Incontinence
Many studies show incontinence is strongly linked to obesity, due to increased pressure within the abdomen.
The good news is, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year, an average weight loss of 17lbs was enough to cut incontinence episodes by almost half.
So it could be a good idea to cut a few hundred calories a day to promote weight loss and in a bid to reduce your incontinence.
For people with uncontrolled diabetes, changing your diet may also affect incontinence. Years of this sort of diabetes can create nerve damage that affects bladder control.
A healthy diet that supports better blood sugar control is clearly advisable to reduce further damage, but it’s not obvious whether normalising blood sugars will allow you to regain bladder control.
Smoking and lack of exercise may also inhibit bladder control, so there’s one more reason to avoid tobacco and get exercising.
For more help and advice about incontinence please visit our website.
Cognitive Therapy Treatment for Urge Urinary Incontinence
Last week was marked by the American Urological Association’s Annual Meeting, the meeting was held in Chicago and a series of studies to treat incontinence and bladder conditions were presented and one in particular was under the spotlight.
A clinical trial using cognitive therapy to help patients manage overactive bladder, the study was conducted by the Loyola University Health System. Cognitive therapy employs deep-breathing and guided-imagery exercises that train the brain to control the bladder without medication or surgery.
Study investigator Aaron Michelfelder, MD, vice chair, division of family medicine, Loyola University Health System, and associate professor, department of family medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, stated:
“The mind-body connection has proven to be particularly valuable for women suffering from incontinence, Cognitive therapy is effective with these women, because they are motivated to make a change and regain control over their body.”
Patients were introduced to cognitive therapy in their first consultation, then they took home a CD with a series of relaxation and visualization exercises to listen at home twice a day for two weeks, patients then registered the numbers of incontinence episodes pre and post therapy.
The Study evaluated 10 patients with a mean age of 62, all patients had to be diagnosed with overactive bladder and also had to be stable on all OAB treatments for the past three months, the data revealed that the numbers of urge incontinence episodes per week decreased from 38 to 12.
Another study investigator, Mary Pat FitzGerald, MD, urogynecologist, and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, concluded:
“Cognitive therapy may play a vital role in a comprehensive approach to treating this disorder.”
Carers Angry Over Plans to Privatise Care Service
Plans to privatise Warwickshire’s home care service have angered carers and those they help.
Last week it was revealed that the County Council intend to change the service to cut costs.
Now, the authority has confirmed that private care is due to replace its own service and it will instead focus on enabling people to live independently.
But vice chairman of Kenilworth’s disability action group believes the vulnerable and elderly will suffer.
He said: ‘I’m very concerned that people are going to be transferred into the private sector whether they like it or not.’
‘The care staff are stressed. They might have to re-apply for their jobs.’
A social services carer said staff had also been “left in limbo”.
She added: ‘We were not told any of the options due for consideration, timescales involved or even if we would be directly affected. Carers are still unsure if we will have jobs.’
The county’s cabinet was asked to agree to the changes last week, but may have to reconsider after its decision was ‘called in’ by the committee for further consideration.
The authority intends to set up a reablement service that will give the ill or hospitalised the skills they need to live in their own home.
People living longer and budgetary pressures are the reasons given for the changes.
Topical Gel Treatment for Urge Urinary Incontinence
The results of a new study presented last week at the 2009 American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting, proved that a topical gel treatment considerably improves the occurrence of urge urinary incontinence episodes for women with overactive bladder.
Overactive Bladder or urge urinary incontinence is the second most common type of incontinence; basically this condition is caused by a problem with the messages between the bladder and the brain.
The bladder may tell the brain it is full too early, the bladder muscle squeezes and empties the bladder completely – often before you have a chance to get to a toilet.
The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a treatment using an oxybutynin chloride topical gel applied once daily to rotating sites on the abdomen, upper arm/shoulder, and thigh.
Since January 2009, Oxybutynin chloride gel was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of urge urinary incontinence in men and women.
Lead researcher Roger Dmochowski, MD, from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee, presented the study results on April 28th and noted:
“Significantly more women achieved complete urinary continence with oxybutynin gel than with placebo — with ‘complete continence’ defined as no urinary incontinent episodes recorded in the 3-day urinary diary at any time after the study began.”