Christmas Delivery Information
Christmas is our busiest time of year and we encourage all customers to order as soon as possible for delivery before Christmas to ensure that your delivery arrives in good time.
Problems with weather this month could cause unforeseen problems and also our carriers can be busier than expected though we always endeavour to deliver on time.
To offer the best service to our customers we remain open throughout most of the Christmas Period, only closing on Tuesday 25th December, Wednesday 26th December and Tuesday 1st January for the bank holidays. (We will close at 12pm on Monday 24th December and Monday 31st December as well). Our website remains live throughout the entire period.
We recommend that orders ideally need to be received by 12pm on 19th December for delivery before Christmas Day, as we aren’t able to guarantee the service of our carriers over the festive period which is their busiest due to the large volumes of Christmas presents they also deliver during this period.
We will continue despatching orders through the Christmas period and in theory next day orders despatched after the 19th should still be delivered on the next working day but are not able to guarantee this.
Orders received after 12pm on Monday 24th December will be despatched on Thursday 27th December when our warehouse re-opens after the Christmas period.
Please note if your order is under £25 it will be sent by Royal Mail and these deliveries may take up to a week during December.
Marathon runnners warned about potential incontinence risks
Marathon runners may be preoccupied with shin splints, chafing and blisters on race day, but they should also consider bladder health, a U.S. researcher says.
“The added stress on the body that comes with running a marathon can cause urinary stress incontinence problems during the race or down the road,” Dr. Melinda Abernethy of the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, said in a statement. “People who already suffer from incontinence also are at risk for bladder-control issues while running.”
Stress incontinence – the loss of urine from physical activity such as coughing, sneezing and running — is the most common form of urinary incontinence, and affects women more often than men.
Researchers at the Loyola University Health System plan to survey Chicago area runners to study the relationship between long-distance running and pelvic floor disorders, Abernethy said. Until more is known, Abernethy recommends runners monitor their fluid intake and go to the toilet at least every few hours during a marathon.
“Putting off going to the bathroom during the race is not healthy for your bladder,” Abernethy said. “Runners also should avoid diuretics, such as coffee or tea, before the race, because this can stimulate the bladder and cause you to visit the bathroom more frequently.”
Abernethy added pelvic floor exercises such as kegels, may help runners prevent urine leakage during the race.
How a Disposable Incontinence Product Works – New Video
In the past we’ve often been asked how Disposable Incontinence products work. As a result we’ve put together a short video which talks about how disposable incontinence products work and their key features. The Video can be viewed on the “About Incontinence” page on our website and is also featured below.
New research suggest surgical operations to correct urinary incontinence in women are socially viable
Urinary incontinence in women affects 15% of women of adult age, but only one in four requests health assistance and when the disorder is serious. In his PhD thesis, Manuel Montesino Semper, Head of the urology section of the Virgen del Camino Hospital in Pamplona, analysed the financial cost which would be required for surgical operations to be carried out under the local public health service in order to combat the problem. “When costs include the enhancement in the quality of life of the patients” he explained, “one comes to the conclusion that, from a perspective of the economics of health standards, such operations are cost-effective or, stated in another way, they are socially profitable, given that, with relatively low costs, benefits in the quality of life for the patients are obtained”.
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. In the case of adult women it means an important deterioration in their quality of life and a challenge for the urologist and gynaecologist who have to attend to them. According to doctor Montesino, “this problem, at times hidden and even taboo, gives rise to important financial costs for the health services and for the patients themselves, besides the intangible costs involved in the personal insecurity and anxiety that can arise”.
The research undertaken by Doctor Montesino Semper showed that surgical operations for urinary incontinence are effective and provide a clear enhancement in the quality of life of the women affected. “In patients who have been operated on, improvements are manifest in aspects involving anxiety and depression, with mobility and undertaking everyday activities, family activities or free time ones, as well as household chores”, pointed out the author of the research.
Apart from the financial cost this type of surgical operation involves, this thesis also evaluated the enhancement in the quality of life of the women undergoing surgery and, finally, the two parameters were linked. “The conclusion is, from the perspective of the economics of health standards, such operations are cost-effective or, stated in another way, they are “socially profitable”, given that, with relatively low costs, benefits in the quality of life for the patients are obtained”.
The costs computed for this PhD thesis included the health care from the first medical check-up carried out after one year after the operation, the sum coming to 1,250 euros per patient. Most operations are outpatient ones, without any need for patients to spend the night in hospital. Moreover, the operation is relatively simple, being carried out with local anaesthetic.
The research analysed the results from 69 patients through a questionnaire, one specific to urinary incontinence and the other about general health, both internationally recognised and validated.
Factors such as being younger and the type of urinary incontinence (associated only with physical effort, without urgency) are associated with better results in surgical operation, while overweight and obesity are associated with poorer results.
Pelvic Floor exercises effective at treating incontinence
If you are suffering with urinary incontinence, you need to look at pelvic floor exercises and bladder training. You may have read previous articles about these exercises but if you had not taken previous research findings seriously, a July 2012 review by the American based Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) should give you more reason to start pelvic floor (otherwise know kegel) exercises.
According to the review, about 25% of young women and 44% to 57% of middle-aged and postmenopausal women experience involuntary urine loss. Their findings show that age, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, hysterectomy, and obesity put women at a higher risk of suffering from urinary incontinence.
Fortunately, there are several forms of treatment for women suffering from urinary incontinence. An independent team of investigators analysed 889 studies and prepared a comparative effectiveness review. The AHRQ review compared different treatments for urinary incontinence that included doing pelvic floor muscle (Kegel) exercises, bladder training; using medical devices, weight loss, medications and electrical stimulation, among others.
They found that “pelvic floor muscle training, combined with bladder training is effective for treating women with urinary incontinence without the risk of side effects. The drugs for urgency incontinence showed similar effectiveness. However, with some drugs, more women discontinued treatment due to bothersome side effects.”
New guidelines to help family doctors identify and treat incontinence
Millions of women experience a loss of bladder control, or urinary incontinence, in their lifetime. It’s a common and often embarrassing problem that many patients don’t bring up with their doctors – and when they do, it may be mentioned as a casual side note during a visit for more pressing medical issues. New guidelines from doctors at the University of Michigan Health System offer family doctors a step-by-step guide for the evaluation of urinary leakage, to prevent this quality-of-life issue from being ignored.
“I think a lot of physicians don’t realize that this problem can be successfully treated without surgery or other major interventions and there are some pretty simple things they can do in the office to make a big difference for a lot of women,” says lead author Abigail Lowther, M.D., clinical lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine. “We hope to give primary care providers a framework for how to evaluate and treat different many forms of incontinence without the need for referral to a specialist.”
The article was published in the Journal of Family Practice this month (Reference: “Managing incontinence: A 2-visit approach,” Journal of Family Practice, September 2012, Vol. 61, No.9.)
Studies have found that 10 to 40 percent of women older than 18 years old – and as many as 53 percent of those over 50 – are affected by urinary incontinence. Among the long list of culprits are childbirth, aging and obesity. Despite the prevalence of female incontinence, however, busy family doctors may not hear about the problem until well into a visit focused on separate health issues – and some doctors may not feel like they can help.
But the paper suggests three simple, immediate steps a doctor can take to address the problem while keeping the appointment on track: Collecting a urine sample, asking the patient to keep a diary that charts fluid intake and urination and scheduling a follow-up visit. By the second visit, the physician will have more information for further evaluation and a management plan. High-yield questions will also classify the type of incontinence being experienced. Questions may include asking how worried patients are that coughing will lead to a leak, how quickly patients need to find a bathroom when their bladder is full and whether washing hands – or the sound of running water – leads to leakage.
Urinary incontinence of all types can be a great disruption to daily activities, ranging from occasionally leaking urine after a cough or sneeze to having an urge so sudden that patients may not make it to the bathroom in time. For some, bladder leakage may be a symptom of another underlying medical condition.
Lowther says some women don’t broach the subject with doctors because they think loss of bladder control is a normal part of aging. But left untreated, it may get worse with time and lead to more restrictions, she says.
“We want to emphasize to women that this is not something they have to live with, that they should tell their primary care physicians about their symptoms,” Lowther says. “We also want to remind physicians that simple interventions can go a long way towards improving this problem for patients.”
New video about Incontinence types and causes
We’ve just added a new video to our “About Incontinence” website page. The video talks through incontinence and bladder issues and talks about the common types and what causes them including Stress Incontinence, Urge Incontinence, Overflow (or Drip), Mixed Incontinence, Reflex Incontinence and Faecal Incontinence.
The video can also be seen below.
Julie Goodyear talks about continence issues
Julie Goodyear has been causing havoc in the Celebrity Big Brother house.
“I sneeze, I pee,” she announced to fellow housemates, flicking away any embarrassment at suffering from urinary incontinence as if it were ash at the end of her trademark cigarette holder. In doing so she highlighted the millions of Britons who have poor bladder control.
It is estimated 14 million people in the UK have urinary incontinence and although it can occur at any time of life problems are most likely in middle age. One in five women over the age of 40 experience problems although men can also be affected, particularly if they have undergone prostate surgery.
However, as Julie, 70, has shown, there is no need to suffer in silence and there are many ways to deal with the problem.
Professor Linda Cardozo, an expert in urogynaecology at King’s College Hospital in London, says: “There is not one solution for everyone but there is help for absolutely everybody.”
There are four types of incontinence: stress, which causes leaks when you cough, sneeze or laugh; urgency, which is characterised by a sudden compelling need to pass urine; mixed, which is a combination of the two; and overflow, which occurs when the bladder overfills but there is no corresponding urge to urinate.
Childbirth increases the risk of problems. A Norwegian study published in the New England Journal Of Medicine found 10 per cent of childless women experience problems compared to 16 per cent of those who had children via caesarean and 21 per cent who had a vaginal delivery.
Other factors include loss of muscle tone as we age, obesity and lifestyle. Smokers like Julie are more likely to suffer because of their chronic cough. Constipation can also increase pressure on the bladder. White wine, champagne and caffeine-based drinks are the most irritating for the bladder but the fashion for downing copious amounts of water doesn’t help either.“Women often drink far more than they ought to. There is absolutely no need to drink all that sippy mineral water,” Professor Cardozo says.
“In a temperate climate the fluid intake recommended by renal physicians is 24mls per kilogram of body weight. For the average woman that would equate to 1,200 to 1,500mls a day.”
Diet versions of popular carbonated drinks are also more likely to cause problems than standard sugary ones. “The diet drinks are better for teeth and weight but they are not better for your bladder,” Professor Cardozo says.
Some forms of exercise are bad news. “Trampolining is about the worst, 70 per cent of women will leak when they are on a trampoline.” High-impact aerobics and weight training can also cause leaks but exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, the sling of muscles which holds the bladder in place, will help reduce symptoms if you do them regularly. Professor Cardozo says pelvic toning devices may help, if only to identify the right muscles to flex and relax.
If in doubt ask your GP for a referral to a member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health or search their website for a local one.
Incontinence specialists can offer distraction techniques such as sitting on the edge of a hard chair and other tips to minimise the risk of accidents.
If the problem is more troublesome you may be prescribed antimuscarinic drugs that suppress involuntary bladder contractions. A new class of drug which regulates nerve signals to the bladder will be available within a year or two.
Botox and other forms of botulinum A toxins are another option: injected into the wall of the bladder they can prevent for up to a year the muscle spasms which trigger leaks.
Surgical solutions involve slings to support the bladder, procedures to lift the neck of the bladder or placing a tape under the urethra which blocks urine if the pelvic floor drops. “It works like a hosepipe when kinked,” Professor Cardozo explains.
“The most important thing to remember is there is help available. Urinary incontinence is no longer such a taboo because there are so many high profile people who have now admitted to having problems.”
Research Shows Urinary Incontinence Affects Work Life
Work is stressful. But when the added strain of a medical condition keeps you from performing your best, the workday can be even more worrisome.
Stress incontinence is a medical condition caused when the muscles and nerves that hold or release urine fail to function properly. This results in an involuntary loss of small to significant amounts of urine during movement (for example, coughing, exercising or lifting).
Women are much more likely than men to experience urinary incontinence. In fact, incontinence can cause monthly on-the-job, performance-related issues for more than one-third of women in the work-force. According to a study by the University of Michigan, women who indicated that incontinence had a negative effect on their work stated their ability to complete tasks without interruption (34%) and their self-confidence (28%) were affected significantly (see chart).
Negative impact of incontinence on work performance
| Aspect of work | Percent |
| Ability to complete tasks without interruption | 34% |
| Performance of physical activities | 29% |
| Self-confidence | 28% |
| Ability to concentrate | 19% |
Stress incontinence can be embarrassing to the people it afflicts. It can also create feelings of powerlessness. Employers can help by ensuring appropriate access to toilets (this means allowing employees reasonable use of toilets, especially if they have a medical condition) and that these comply with relevant regulations and standards.
Employees with urinary incontinence should have a candid discussion with their manager about their condition. This will help assure he or she understands that frequent trips to the restroom are medically necessary and not performance related.
There are ways to relieve the embarrassment caused by stress incontinence. Several treatments: lifestyle, behavioural and surgical are available, and your doctor or urologist should be able to recommend the ones best for you.
Lifestyle
Use absorbent incontinence pads or incontinence pants. Limit physical activity as much as possible to prevent pressure on the bladder. Also take frequent bathroom breaks.
Your physician will ask you to record the times and frequency of bathroom breaks to determine a pattern. A schedule will be developed so you gain control over your voiding and can extend the time between scheduled trips to the restroom.
Pelvic Floor (Kegel) exercises
Pelvic Floor exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. If done correctly, women could see marked improvement with incontinence in about eight to 12 weeks.
Remember, you’re not alone. Millions of people the world over have daily, severe incontinence, and many more are diagnosed with mild to moderate urinary incontinency. The condition is more prevalent in women due to childbearing, with a 30% report rate for women ages 15 to 64. Men are less affected, about 15%, but the rates are rising as more men undergo prostate surgery. The best news is that it is treatable. If you or someone you know is affected by incontinence, talk with a medical professional about treatments.
A few quick statistics about Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is very a common condition that millions of women silently struggle with. Treatment is available, though most women never talk about their incontinence with their doctor or healthcare professional.
Moderate to severe incontinence, weekly or daily urinary leaking, increases with age but can occur anytime in life. While only 7 percent of women ages 20 to 39 have urinary incontinence, about 17 percent of women ages 40 to 59 and 23 percent of women ages 60 to 79 experience urinary incontinence. The prevalence increases to more than 30 percent in women older than 80.
Only about 50 percent of women with these treatable conditions ever discuss it with their healthcare professional, starting the discussion is the first best step.