Canadian site gives advice on helping parents with incontinence
Issue Codes Tena Incontinence Products
A Canadian website has provided some useful guidance for people who believe their ageing parents may be experiencing adult incontinence.
According to an article on Canoe.ca, urinary incontinence should not be a barrier to an active life, as it can be “easily and effectively managed” with the aid of absorbent products, such as Tena Comfort Plus, and lifestyle changes.
It can be caused by a number of conditions, such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, arthritis or urinary tract infections, or by certain medications.
The website advises people to discuss any concerns about their parents with their healthcare professional, who can advise them on treatment options for adult incontinence.
It points out: “There is a wide range of treatments available to manage incontinence, including absorbent products (which absorb urine and odour), exercises, lifestyle changes, medical devices, medications and surgery.
“Finding the right treatment can help your parents stay active and enjoy life.”
Physiotherapists can do ‘wonders’ with pelvic floor
Issue Codes Incontinence Products for Women
Women with urinary incontinence need not necessarily resort to surgery or medication, as physiotherapists can now do “wonders” when it comes to pelvic floor problems, an expert has said.
Dr Julia Garcia, a urologist at Franciscan St Anthony Health in Michigan City, US, told nwi.com that traditional techniques only provided a short-term solution to bladder problems.
“Now we understand that the pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles, and those can become strained or inflamed or tight like guitar strings,” the urologist explained.
“If those floor muscles are constantly flexed, there can be pelvic pain, pain during sex, overactive bladder symptoms and lower back pain, which stems from compensating with other muscles.”
Dr Garcia revealed that urologists now send patients to a physiotherapist so that they learn how to control their pelvic floor muscles better.
Meanwhile, Tracy Campbell, a specialist in women’s health and chronic pelvic dysfunction at Dynamic Rehabilitation Services in Valparaiso, told the news provider that physiotherapy can help save money on incontinence pads, such as Lil Form Classic pads, which are shaped to ensure comfort and leakage security.
She added: “Physical therapy can also possibly prevent the need for surgery.”
Hospital event aims to raise awareness of incontinence
Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
A hospital in Surrey hopes to raise awareness of adult incontinence by holding an awareness day next month.
The event, which will take place at Frimley Park Hospital, will teach members of the public about bladder and bowel problems, as well as the treatments that are available.
Many people believe adult incontinence only affects older people, but in fact as many as one in five women and one in ten men will experience problems at some point.
Jane Bibey, urology nurse specialist at Frimley Park Hospital, told the Get Hampshire website that people are often “reluctant” to discuss urinary incontinence.
“Embarrassment is a huge factor in stopping them from seeking help for what is actually a very common but nevertheless distressing problem,” Ms Bibey said.
“Incontinence can be soul destroying but there is a range of treatment solutions available.”
People who wish to find out more are invited to attend the hospital between 10:00 and 16:00 on September 28th, when they will be able to talk to urology nurse specialists and physiotherapists.
Frimley Park Hospital is an NHS foundation trust hospital that serves Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.
Medication may ease urge incontinence
Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
A number of medicines can be taken to relieve symptoms of urge incontinence, a medic has said.
Responding to a reader’s question about urinary incontinence in his column on the STL Today website, medic Dr Paul Donohue revealed that medicines can play an “important” role in treating this condition.
He explained: “They calm the bladder muscles so they aren’t contracting when the bladder is only slightly filled.”
However, medication is less likely to be effective in people with stress urinary incontinence, in which a person leaks urine when they cough, laugh or sneeze.
Dr Donohue also noted that certain foods and drinks should be avoided by those with urge urinary incontinence.
He advised people to “stay away from alcohol, carbonated beverages, milk, milk products, honey, sugar and artificial sweeteners.”
NHS experts also suggest drinking between six and eight glasses of water a day, although a person’s GP may make a different recommendation depending on an individual’s particular bladder condition.
Exercising – particularly pelvic floor muscle exercises – may also be beneficial for those with urinary incontinence.
Men with prostate cancer urged to consider non-surgical options
Issue Codes Incontinence Products for Men
Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer should discuss minimally invasive treatments with their doctor, as surgery could lead to complications such as male incontinence and impotence, an expert has advised.
Dr Bert Vorstman, a urologist and prostate cancer specialist in south Florida, believes that radical and robotic surgery has “single-handedly” increased the incidence of male incontinence worldwide.
He suggested that men who choose these treatments without considering less invasive options are gambling with their quality of life following surgery.
For instance, the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study, which was initiated in 1994 by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute, found that men who had radical surgery continued to experience worse male incontinence five years later than men treated with radiotherapy.
In an extensive article on Hifurx.com, Dr Vorstman said: “For some, these issues are worse than the disease itself.
“Most prostate cancers are slow growing, which means patients and their partners have time to do their research and make a fully informed decision about treatment.”
The expert added that, while aggressive treatment is usually recommended for cancers, prostate cancer patients can often wait and see how their disease progresses before seeking
treatment.
This in turn may reduce their chances of relying on male incontinence supplies, such as Tena Pants Discreet, in the future.
Hospital event aims to raise awareness of incontinence
Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
A hospital in Surrey hopes to raise awareness of adult incontinence by holding an awareness day next month.
The event, which will take place at Frimley Park Hospital, will teach members of the public about bladder and bowel problems, as well as the treatments that are available.
Many people believe adult incontinence only affects older people, but in fact as many as one in five women and one in ten men will experience problems at some point.
Jane Bibey, urology nurse specialist at Frimley Park Hospital, told the Get Hampshire website that people are often “reluctant” to discuss urinary incontinence.
“Embarrassment is a huge factor in stopping them from seeking help for what is actually a very common but nevertheless distressing problem,” Ms Bibey said.
“Incontinence can be soul destroying but there is a range of treatment solutions available.”
People who wish to find out more are invited to attend the hospital between 10:00 and 16:00 on September 28th, when they will be able to talk to urology nurse specialists and physiotherapists.
Frimley Park Hospital is an NHS foundation trust hospital that serves Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.
Clinical trials show long-term effectiveness of incontinence therapy
Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
Women who undergo a therapy called percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) often benefit from long-term relief from overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, clinical studies have found.
Scientists will present two new trials at a meeting of the International Continence Society in Glasgow later this month (August 29th to September 2nd).
According to David Kaysen, president and chief executive officer of medical device company Uroplasty, the ongoing studies demonstrate the “long-term efficacy” of PTNS in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.
He revealed: “The studies build on a growing body of evidence that validates the treatment protocol, usefulness with both young and elderly patients, and the durability of the improvements with continued PTNS therapy.”
During PTNS, a fine needle electrode is inserted into the leg near the tibial nerve.
An adjustable electrical pulse is then delivered through the nerve to the sacral plexus, which regulates bladder and pelvic floor function.
The technique can be used to treat symptoms of urgency, frequency and urge incontinence in patients with overactive bladder syndrome.
NHS managers restrict access to incontinence ops
Issue Codes Incontinence Products for Women
Hospital bosses in NHS Suffolk have published new restrictions on surgery for female incontinence, meaning that some women will have to rely on incontinence supplies for longer than planned.
According to an investigation by Pulse magazine, the primary care trust (PCT) has added five new restrictions to its ‘low priority procedure’ list since last month.
The news provider revealed that female patients with urinary incontinence will now only have access to NHS-funded surgery if they have already undergone pelvic floor muscle training with a physiotherapist for three months.
The revelation comes after a recent article in Pulse magazine stated that two-thirds of PCTs had added new procedures to their ‘low clinical priority’ lists since April 2011.
NHS Suffolk is also trying to save money by restricting access to hip and knee replacement revision surgery and hernia operations.
According to the PCT’s leaflet on funding decisions, it has to prioritise funding of treatments because of its limited resources.
The PCT says: “We use a transparent mechanism of decision making to develop the list of low priority procedure policies.
“Policies are developed and reviewed regularly, based on latest research evidence and guidelines – along with views of local hospital doctors, GPs and patient representatives.”
Soy tablets ‘do not ease menopause symptoms’
Issue Codes Incontinence Products for Women
Women who use incontinence supplies as they approach menopause may be disheartened by the news that soy supplements are unlikely to ease their menopausal symptoms.
Scientists at the University of Miami studied a group of women, aged 45 to 60, who were within five years of menopause.
Half of the women were given soy isoflavone tablets to take each day, while the other half received a placebo (dummy treatment).
Two years later, bone density tests revealed no differences between the bone health of those taking soy tablets and those taking the placebo.
In addition, women who had been using soy tablets did not report any noticeable improvement in symptoms such as hot flushes.
Lead author Silvina Levis, whose findings are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, said: “The consumption of soy foods and soy supplements has dramatically increased in the last few years, particularly among women who start taking various over-the-counter products around the time of menopause.
“Our study showed that soy phytoestrogen tablets do not provide any benefit.”
Levels of the hormone oestrogen drop significantly around the time of menopause and this can affect the pelvic muscles and result in female incontinence, according to the WebMD information website.
Inspection reveals ‘appalling’ standards at Darlington care home
Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
A care home near Darlington could face further action unless immediate steps are taken to improve hygiene.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) discovered “appalling cleanliness and hygiene” during an unannounced inspection of Middleton Lodge in June.
Inspectors found that the needs of one resident who needed incontinence supplies were not being met, and that the lounge furniture was soiled and stained.
Jo Dent, regional director for the CQC, said that further inspections were planned to see whether owner Potensial Ltd had made the necessary improvements.
She told the Darlington and Stockton Times: “What we found at Middleton Lodge was unacceptable.
“This warning sends a clear and public message that Potensial Ltd needs to address these issues as a matter of urgency or face serious consequences.”
A spokesman for the care home said that it tried to meet the highest standards at all times.
He added: “Since the CQC visit, immediate and decisive action was implemented at Middleton Lodge to make improvements and to address the concerns raised.”
Continence is an important concern in nursing homes, as research suggests that around 70 per cent of residents are not fully continent and may require incontinence supplies or urinary catheters.