Prince Philip succumbs to Bladder Infection
The Duke of Edinburgh may have been more prone to developing his bladder infection because of conditions during Sunday’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant, experts have said. Philip showed his determination to spend the day by the Queen’s side, standing next to her on the deck of the Royal Barge for much of the pageant, which resulted in the couple spending three hours in wet and cold conditions.
Harley Street doctor Malcolm Vandeburg said that stress, potentially brought on by the high-profile Jubilee celebrations could have led the infection to emerge when it did. A specialist in general medicine and male health problems, Dr Vandeburg also said the Duke may not have made enough visits to the toilet while on board the royal barge. Dr Vandeburg said if Philip contracted the infection prior to the boating extravaganza, he might have been in considerable pain as he waved to crowds.
“To think he could have had that and stood up all day makes it all the more remarkable, on the assumption it didn’t just start the moment they announced it,” he said.
“Given his health and the care he will undoubtedly get, I wouldn’t be unduly concerned.”
He added: “If a man gets a bladder infection, it’s usually that something else is going wrong as well.
“In a man of around 90, the thing that you would think of is some form of bladder outlet obstruction which would, at the top of the list, be some form of obstruction around the prostate.
“This would cause urine to remain in the bladder, causing an infection
Consultant urological surgeon Dr Frank Chinegwundoh agreed with Dr Vandeburg saying that bladder infections are caused by bugs already in the system, but the conditions on Sunday may have caused it to develop. Not drinking enough and infrequent visits to the toilet while on the Spirit of Chartwell may have also contributed to him developing the infection, Dr Frank Chinegwundoh said.
Dr Chinegwundoh, from Barts Health NHS Trust in London, said the most likely cause of the infection was something to do with Philip’s prostate gland, but conditions on Sunday would not have helped.
“I don’t think it helps, because he would not have had a lot of fluids nor would he have been peeing to wash out any bugs and all the wet and cold might have reduced his immune system so I think the combination of everything may have led to this.
“Urine infections are generally caused by bugs that are in your own body naturally, so it would not have been that he picked it up from somewhere during the pageant.
“It’s not that it would have caused it but, because of the circumstances he was in, it’s possible that he would not have been able to get rid of it. It might have predisposed him to it.”
He said bladder infections are often caused because of issues with the prostate gland, and when infections are not properly “flushed out”, creating a “stagnant pond” effect.
Dr Chinegwundoh said the best treatment is rest, fluids and antibiotics and the Duke would probably have had an ultrasound as well.
“The first thing would be to make sure he is hydrated and give him antibiotics, probably intravenously at first, and if there’s some prostate problems then that can be dealt with.”
He said bladder infections are usually easily treated, adding: “If you treat it early with the appropriate antibiotics then it should clear up within days so I wouldn’t have thought it a great cause of concern.
“If you left it long enough and didn’t treat with antibiotics then the infection could spread from the urinary system into the blood and that is potentially fatal.
“But it seems like the signs were recognised and he was treated fairly swiftly.”
Botox ‘a viable treatment for overactive bladder’
Issue Codes - Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene
People who suffer from an overactive bladder – a common cause of adult incontinence – may benefit from Botulinum toxin A or ‘botox’ therapy, an expert has revealed.
While most people think of botox as a cosmetic procedure, it actually has a range of medical applications as well.
Dr Ardalan Abdolghafor Ghafouri, a urologist at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, revealed that the organisation’s urology department regularly uses botox injections to assist patients with urinary incontinence caused by an overactive bladder.
He told the Gulf Times: “An overactive bladder is caused by unwanted contraction of bladder muscles and botox works by blocking nerve impulses to any muscles that have been injected – in this case bladder muscle. This causes the muscle to stop contracting.”
The specialist explained that the therapy – which is performed by inserting an endoscope into the bladder in order to inject the dose – is usually recommended after lifestyle changes and drug treatments have failed.
Research suggests that about 80 per cent of patients with an overactive bladder may benefit from botox injections, which can be repeated within six to nine months as required.
According to the Bladder and Bowel Foundation, about a quarter of people experience problems with bladder control at some time during their life.
Pelvic floor muscle training could help tackle incontinence
Understanding incontinence is vital to successfully managing the condition, which is believed to affect millions of people across the globe, including more than 50 million in the developed world.
Many of those who develop the condition, which is characterised by the unintentional passing of urine, use incontinence pads, adult diapers and other products to cope with the situation.
According to the NHS, many people believe that incontinence is an inevitable part of ageing, but there are a number of things they could do to effectively treat it, depending on the extent of the problem.
In addition to making lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, people can do pelvic floor muscle training, which involves squeezing the muscles to improve their strength.
People could also do bladder training by waiting longer between needing to urinate and passing urine, according to the health body, which stated that some studies have shown the conservative methods have been known to work.
Medical options, as well as surgical techniques, are also offering long-term results.
Facts and Fiction about Bladder Weakness
Dealing with bladder weakness is much simpler than many people think. By learning more about it and busting some myths around it you will see that you live a normal life after all.
The term bladder weakness is commonly related to men but women can also have it but other terms like urinary incontinence are used instead.
1. Fact or Fiction: Bladder weakness basically means you’re unclean?
Fiction. No one should have to feel damp or unclean. The most usual way to avoid this is to use a bladder weakness protection product, which ensures dryness by locking urine and odour away from the body for complete freshness and discretion.
2. Fact or Fiction: It has nothing to do with virility.
Fact. Bladder weakness in itself does not affect virility, and leakage doesn’t usually happen during sex. So, unless you’ve experienced nerve damage due to surgery or have other underlying problems, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy a full and happy sex life.
3. Fact or Fiction: If you really try, you can control it.
Fiction. No one is deliberately incontinent. There are numerous causes and types of bladder weakness, and there are protection products especially designed so that men can manage the situation and get on with their lives.
4. Fact or Fiction: No one I know has bladder weakness.
Fiction. Bladder weakness is surprisingly common, with 1 in 8 men experiencing it, so you may well know someone who has it. Perhaps they’ve just chosen to keep it to themselves and have discovered products that provide total security and discretion.
5. Fact or Fiction: Bladder weakness means you can’t drive long distances.
Fiction. With the right protection you can drive wherever and whenever you like. So rip up the map and go explore. There’s no need to worry about unexpected traffic jams or not being near a toilet.
6. Fact or Fiction: Bladder weakness is a sign of old age.
Fiction. Yes, this is false.
Millions of men experience bladder weakness at some time during their life, often when they’re under 50.
As you can see bladder weakness is more common than many people think and above all it is nothing to be ashamed off. Remember, you are not alone.
Sourced from: Tena Information Centre
An In-depth Look at Male Bladder Weakness
Despite what many people think incontinence and bladder weakness is not a women’s only problem. According to the World Health Organization there are roughly forty million men worldwide who are incontinent.
Male incontinence is just as common as any other disease – even though I don’t like to call it a disease. For me incontinence and bladder weakness are a condition that if diagnosed and treated properly it can be cured.
Just like women, men are also ashamed to talk about their condition and end up living with it for the rest of their lives.
“I’d rather admit I can’t get it up than say I suffer from bladder weakness”
I was shocked with such comment but glad because that inspired me to write this article. Bladder weakness is nothing to be ashamed of and in most cases it is treatable.
Types of Male Urinary Incontinence
Like in women, there are different types of male urinary incontinence and they are:
Stress Incontinence
Urge Incontinence
Overflow Incontinence
Functional Incontinence
Causes and Treatment
The causes of male urinary incontinence are many and varied. The same can be said about the treatments available to help men improve and in most cases cure their conditions. Finding out the cause is the first step towards the cure, hence the importance to seek help.
Causes of male incontinence
Bladder Problems
Prostate Problems
Head injury and spinal cord injury
Neurological diseases
Degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease
MS
Infections
Toxins
Medications
Mental State
Treatments
Treatment of male incontinence depends on the underlying cause of it. It is important that your family doctor is consulted. The doctor should give you a complete physical and from the information that you give him/her and the tests that can be carried out (often very simple) a diagnosis and treatment can often cure or minimize signs and symptoms of male urinary incontinence.
With forty million incontinent men around the globe this is a market that can not be ignored and it hasn’t. Proof to that is the evolution of male incontinence products, before they were designed mainly for women and men had to adapt them to use it. Even though they were labelled “Unisex”.
It doesn’t matter what type of incontinence you have; bladder problems that have caused incontinence; urinary tract infection or some other reason, one thing is for sure there are so many new and well designed male incontinence products that will allow you to live a normal life.
You wouldn’t believe, products like incontinence underwear, incontinence plastic pants, incontinence briefs, bladder control products, incontinence diapers, incontinence pads, incontinence bed pads, disposable incontinence diapers, portable urinals, Cunningham clamps, internal and external catheters, and this is just a short, short list of what is available for you guys.
Prostate Cancer and Bladder Weakness
For men prostate cancer is like breast cancer for women, many are concerned when they hear these words. Currently prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in men here in the UK. According to the NHS 35,000 men are diagnosed with it every year and one man dies every hour of the disease.
I must confess I was baffled when I first read these figures. To be honest I was more scared than baffled. Why? For the simple fact that it is also the second most deadliest cancer, behind only lung cancer.
In most cases cancer is a hereditary disease, but there are ways to prevent this malignant menace.
1. Healthy Diet based on anit-prostate cancer foods
2. Healthy sex life
3. Aerobic Exercises
4. Eat more Cereal high in Flax
Source: Ask Men
A common side-effect of prostate cancer is bladder weakness; currently the condition affects 3.6 million UK men, making it just as common as asthma or arthritis.
With both disease and condition closely related Tena Men made a partnership with The Prostate Cancer Charity. The partnership is aimed to support men with prostate problems, whilst highlighting possible side effects, such as bladder weakness, and encouraging them to seek help and advice.
Tena is also using the partnership to promote the re-launch of its Tena Men incontinence products range. The product range remains the same, with Level 1 and Level 2 available, but packaging has been changed to become more masculine, more discreet and more consumer-friendly.
We will be discussing Tena Men incontinence products range in more detail in future posts. For now, all of us here at Allanda we wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Sacral Nerves Electric Stimulation a Surgeon’s View
Nearly 30% of adults in Britain have experienced some degree of incontinence, be it men or women. The worst part of all this is that the majority are ashamed to seek help or to bother about their condition.
There are many treatments and therapies available and some times cure incontinence completely. Today we bring you an extract from an article published on The Daily Mail Online.
The article is about a patient’s and surgeon’s view of a procedure used to treat and sometimes cure urge incontinence or if you prefer overactive bladder. In medical terms the treatment is called sacral neuromodulation for us mortals it is the stimulation of the nerves surrounding the bladder via electric pulses.
The Surgeon’s View
Jeremy Ockrim, consultant urological surgeon at University College Hospital and the Wellington Hospital, London.
Bladder problems can range from a sudden urge to go to the loo, which people are able to control, to cases where the urge is almost immediate — the patient passes urine before they can find a lavatory.
These conditions are caused by an overactive bladder — when the bladder fills with urine, it spasms, causing the urgency and, if the spasms continue, leakage of urine.
This is an embarrassing and debilitating condition.
Research shows sufferers are also at higher risk of depression and falls in older age, as they become anxious and rush to get to the loo. The cause is largely unknown, although it is linked to hormones (it’s more common in women after the menopause), childbirth and nerve problems.
Although men and women suffer equally, women are more likely to be wet because men have two sphincter muscles and the prostate to help control the bladder, rather than just one partial sphincter in women.
The condition also gets more common with age, affecting between 15 and 20 per cent of women in their 30s and 40s, and 30 per cent by 60 to 65.
Traditionally, there have been only two ways to treat the condition: physiotherapy, medication and bladder training for mild cases, and reconstructive surgery for severe cases, with nothing in between.
In the past ten years, Botox has been used to paralyse the bladder muscle, but there’s a 30 per cent risk of over-paralysing the bladder.
Sacral neuromodulation is a new treatment and works on the nerves rather than the bladder itself. It’s a bit like a pacemaker for the bladder.
In babies, passing urine is a reflex, which is why they do it every ten to 15 minutes. Adults normally have greater control because nerve messages from the brain stop this reflex. But in people who have bladder problems, this blocking signal from the brain doesn’t work properly, so they revert to reflex control.
This new technique ‘tickles’ the nerves with an electric current to reset the system back to adult setting.
Before a patient goes ahead with the full treatment, we test they are suitable (it won’t work in around 30 to 40 per cent of people).
To do this we insert a tiny wire in the sacrum (the lower part of the back), alongside the nerves leading to the bladder. This wire can be placed using local anaesthetic or sedation.
The patient then carries around a small generator for three weeks. If the treatment works, then we permanently implant a stimulator.
Here we place a small battery device under the skin in the lower back and then patients are given a remote control so they can change the settings if they need more or less control over their bladder.
Some have also reported a big improvement in their sex lives! This is because the nerves that supply the bladder also supply the genitals. This has been a surprising, but welcome, benefit for many.
In about 20 per cent of patients, the wire slips out of place, stops the device from working and needs to be replaced.
However, the latest devices have new leads, which hopefully will reduce this problem.
Although the treatment is approved by NICE, it is not widely used in this country because there are not many doctors trained to carry it out and the costs are high.
Last year, I performed 70 cases — mostly women between the ages of 40 and 60 — and currently have another 70 people on the waiting list.
The operation costs between £10,000 and £12,000 privately and has the same cost to the NHS.
Living with Incontinence a Patient’s View
It is not part of our work philosophy to scrap articles from other websites, we are always looking to provide our readers with unique and informative content about all types of incontinence and incontinence products. But while researching for a new article I came across a very interesting article on Nursing Times where a patient shared its experience of living with urinary incontinence for 12 years, so I decided to share it with our readers.
“I have been suffering with Bowel Incontinence since December 1998 when I started having MS related spasms (although I did not know at this time that I had MS and what the spasms were!). I remember having one of these horrific spasms in the kitchen during the Xmas break and sensing the urgency to get to the toilet!
Over the months from being diagnosed in March 1999 with MS I started having bowel accidents! They are a complete evacuation of my bowel, which is very distressing, embarrassing, disgusting and I worried about leaving the house every day for 11 years in case I have an ‘accident’.
I moved house in 1999 and registered with a new Doctor’s practice. I explained about my bowel incontinence and the following year I was referred to see another gastroenterologist. He did a colonoscopy and took a biopsy but found nothing wrong. He decided to refer me to see a professor of anal physiology who carried out all sorts of tests and the diagnosis was that I have nerve damage in my rectum from the MS, and a tear in my sphincter muscle from childbirth.
My incontinence has got worse over the years. I was diagnosed with diabetes in December 2003 and was put on metformin. These tablets worked fine for quite a while but then in the summer of 2005 I started having the most horrendous bowel accidents. So my tablets were changed and everything was back to ‘normal’. Normal for me meant that I would have a bowel accident at least once a month or more frequently! My tablets were changed to gliclazide and everything settled down again.
I have had contact with a continence nurse since 1999 (in fact she is the one who first diagnosed me with diabetes following a urine sample I asked her to check! She sorted out my bladder incontinence for me by introducing me to intermittent catheters which I have been using since about 2003 and are absolutely brilliant! I also take solifenacin succinate to stop the urgency problems I have with my bladder. She has tried to help me with my bowel problems and asked me to try an anal plug! Well, I did try this one day as I was going to a meeting some distance away and inserted it at 10.00am. At 5.00pm I went to the toilet and something shot out. I felt very sore and uncomfortable and phoned the doctor’s surgery for an urgent appointment.
I explained to the doctor what had happened and took him a sample of a plug. He examined me and fortunately it had come out! I was very relieved! It took a few days for the soreness to disappear and I will never use them again!
My continence nurse then introduced me to transanal irrigation in January 1998. This was difficult to do initially but once I got the hang of it I think the longest I went without a bowel accident was 19 weeks! It was brilliant because my confidence increased and I could relax because I was confident I wouldn’t have a bowel accident. Unfortunately over the months things changed again with my bowels.
I began to have a problem that every time I went to the toilet to pass urine I check myself and found I had leakage from my bowel. I went to see my GP who gave me Picolax and I took the first sachet at 8.00am and four hours after taking it I had a bowel movement which was ok. I was supposed to take another sachet four hours later but decided against it as I felt ‘comfortable’. At 4.00pm I was cooking the tea when I had a huge bowel action and it went everywhere including my shoes!
I didn’t have any kind of bowel movement for eleven days after that! Since then I went back to having bowel leakage every time I go to the toilet to pass urine. I went to see my GP and he told me he had read my notes and should not have given me oral laxatives!
In mid October 2009 I had to visit my GP and he said he had seen a consultant from the Maelor Hospital, Wrexham who had really impressed him with what he does to help people with bowel problems and that he had mentioned me to him. My GP asked me if I wanted to be referred to him so of course I said yes!
I went to see my new consultant and he examined me and realised that I have no muscle control in my rectum at all and he said he would preform a colostomy.
I saw a stoma nurse and she explained to me what will happen if I choose to have a colostomy, what it looks like how I would have to look after it, what I can and can’t do (physically and eat and drink to start with). She gave me lots of information and samples of ‘the bags’ I would use. I asked her lots of questions which she answered and so I was able to make a fully informed decision there and then.
Since surgery I feel really well and wish it had been offered to me a long time ago because it is life changing for me! I no longer have to worry whether I will have an accident either at home or more importantly when I leave the house!”
Source: Nursing Times
Overactive Bladder Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatments
Overactive bladder also known as urge incontinence is the second most common type of incontinence. When someone can’t control the urge to urinate or urinates involuntarily, this person has an overactive bladder.
An overactive bladder contracts involuntarily, leading to the release of large amounts of urine. This 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 first thing to do when you notice the above symptoms is to seek help; this condition is treatable if diagnosed early.
Common questions asked by the doctor include:
• How many times do you urinate during the day?
• How often do you urinate after going to sleep?
• Are you awakened by the urge to urinate, and if so, how often?
• When you have a strong urge to urinate, do you leak urine on the way to the toilet, and if so, how often?
• Do you use incontinence pads, and if so, how many do you use daily?
• Does the problem prevent or affect any activity?
Don’t’ be surprised if your doctor asks you to keep a dairy of your urinating habits.
There are different ways for managing OAB. They include medicines, behavioural interventions and surgery.
Treatment methods will depend on the severity of the condition, and the extent to which it affects the patient’s quality of life.
In general patients with an overactive bladder are treated with a combination of drugs and behavioural interventions like pelvic floor exercises.
Above all, overactive bladder or urge incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of and it is treatable, so stop suffering in silence.
Incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of
Women are the talkative sex, but when it comes to certain topics, especially health related like incontinence, they have the strange habit of sealing their lips. Recently Tena sponsored a survey that was conducted by Haris Interactive.
The survey took place in Canada and findings were rather intriguing. One in three Canadian women as young as 35 have or had bladder control issues, yet nearly 70% of those women have never discussed their condition with anyone. Similar findings to surveys done here in the UK.
As you can see Canadian women have identical concerns about incontinence as do British women. Suffering in Silence is nowadays one of the biggest issues regarding bladder control. Amazingly 52% of women who acknowledge they have incontinence would rather talk about menopause than bladder control issues.
“Women often try to cope with private or embarrassing issues such as bladder control issues on their own, but they should know that they are not alone,” says Claudia Brown, physiotherapist specializing in managing incontinence and a member of the Canadian Continence Foundation. “It’s important for women to discuss the condition with their doctor so they can learn about their options.”
Tips and Solutions
To help women regain their confidence and reduce bladder control issues, Claudia Brown recommends:
• Welcome a New Workout Routine: Pelvic floor exercises are not like your usual routine. These exercises strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and help to prevent urine leakage. And since these muscles are not visible to other people, no one can tell when you’re exercising them.
• Friendly Food Choices: There are some foods that can irritate the bladder and some that can support bladder health. Stay away from acidic foods like citrus and anything that contains caffeine, like coffee and chocolate. Also steer clear from diuretics like alcohol. To avoid pressure on the bladder and constipation, choose foods that are high in fibre. Berries are also a great choice since they have UTI preventing tannins.
• Drink Water: Reducing the amount of water intake can make urine more concentrated which will in turn irritate the bladder causing more frequent washroom visits. Instead, drink six to eight glasses a day. Drinking excessive amounts, however, is not recommended either because it could lead to abnormal bladder distension.
• No need to go…before you go: Train your bladder by avoiding visiting the washroom just in case. Try to go to the washroom between five and eight times per day. It will also help increase a smaller bladder capacity.
• The Power of Protection: With the help of TENA pads and/or underwear, women can regain the confidence they might have lost and feel comfortable exercising again or taking long trips – especially since TENA pads are designed for discreet protection.
Stop suffering in Silence, incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of and most importantly it is treatable.