Comedian and movie star Whoopi Goldberg has played many roles in her acting life but her latest perhaps is the most daring and touching of them all.

The star of Sister Act 1 and 2 will be the new face and voice of an American incontinence product manufacturer. Whoopi Goldberg will star in a series of webisodes that will talk about incontinence products and incontinence itself.

In the video below Whoopi talks to Missy Lavender, founder of the Women’s Health Foundation, about light bladder leakage or as Whoopi calls it the “sprits”. You can also see a preview of the webisodes that will be online soon.

American and Canadian researchers are conducting a study that could bring an end to millions of men and women across the globe suffering from incontinence.

For the past 2 years researchers from the University of Toronto, William Hospital in Michigan and now from the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, are experimenting with a new technique that implants the patients own stem cell into the bladder muscle to prevent urinary incontinence episodes.

The stem cells are harvested from a muscle in the tight, these cells are then reproduced in a lab and then injected into the bladder muscle, where they will regenerate and repair the damaged muscle.

Urologists believe the procedure eventually could be used to repair other damaged muscles in the body.

Dr. Melissa Kaufman, assistant professor of urologic surgery at the Vanderbilt University said:

“This is an enormous public health problem that has been put in the shadow for so long. It is a delicate issue and it has been thought of as a normal part of aging, but it can be treated.”

It is to early to jump into conclusions but early results are proving to be very promising and Dr. Michael Chancellor from the Beaumont Hospital in Toronto, started researching this procedure about 10 years ago and stated that 2/3 of the patients saw an improvement greater than 50% and he estimates that another 3 more years will be needed before the FDS approves the procedure.

Those who deal with sudden losses of bladder control usually have more than a challenging time attempting to sleep at night due to the number of trips to the toilet at night. Losing control of one’s bladder often impinges on other areas of life; particularly public recreation sufferers become less comfortable in social situations with time and commonly recourse from society because of they feel a sense of shame because of their condition.

If you suspect yourself that you’re encountering lapses in bladder control, there are certain means you can take in order to treat it. Ordinarily, loss of bladder control is continually triggered by multiple internal factors which may be pushed out of your lifestyle, with relative ease. The solution for shaky bladder control usually requires certain lifestyle changes. Here’s a couple of straightforward tips to help curb the problem.

Steer clear of excess coffee, carbonated liquid (like soda) and alcohol consumption. Caffeine addicts who experience positive symptoms of urinary incontinence should cut down their coffee habits significant since it will exacerbate the condition without fail. And – if possible – avoid drinking coffee altogether because it’s the caffeine which acts as a diuretic that worsens the condition – carbonated beverages and alcoholic drinks can similarly cause a diuretic effect. Add to that, the proven link between coffee and bladder muscle contractions which can, additionally, augment how frequently one urinates.

That said we wouldn’t recommend decreasing your overall water intake. It’s often assumed – quite mistakenly – that decreasing the amount of water you drink invariably prevents loss of bladder control. Inversely, that drinking loads of water encourages incontinence. This is simply a myth. The consumption of water is important for maintaining a healthy body – period. Not drinking water leads to being dehydrated – or on the brink of dehydration – and you should therefore not decrease your water intake ever. We’d recommend drinking a minimum of eight small-to-medium glasses of water every day. This is more a general health tip, if anything. It just happens to be extremely relevant to the issue of taking control of your bladder.

Having a baby is one of the most magic moments a woman can experience in her life. After birth women experience a few unpleasant changes to her body like soreness and incontinence. These changes are in most cases reversible.

Recent studies revealed that by combining Perineal Massages and Kegel exercises – pelvic floor exercises – risks of urinary incontinence are reduced considerably.

To perform Kegel or Pelvic floor exercises first locate your urinary sphincter (muscle that controls urine flow). To do that sit on the toilet with knees as far apart as possible.  Start and stop the flow of urine. The muscle you use to stop the flow is the one you will be working on in the exercises. (Note: Stopping urine flow is not part of the exercise routine)

Now that you identified the muscle tighten it and hold it for 4 seconds and then relax it for another 4 seconds, this is one Kegel. Do 10 to 15 Kegels, 2 to 3 times each day. Kegel exercises can be performed during and after pregnancy.

Recently another technique that is proving to be quite effective to prevent incontinence during and after childbirth is Perineal massage, this technique is used to stretch the tissues around the vaginal opening weeks before delivery.

To perform Perineal Massages first wash your hands and apply lubricant to the area (vagina). Then place your thumbs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches inside your vagina. Pressing downward, gently stretch until you feel a slight burning or tingling sensation. Hold the pressure for about two minutes or until the tissue begins to feel numb. Repeat this towards the right side of the vagina for two more minutes and then to the left. Perform this technique daily starting at 34 weeks of pregnancy.

We would love to hear your feedback on these techniques and how effective they are to each one of you. So please share your results via our comments section.

Researchers have found that urinary incontinence is more common in caucasian women than in Asian and black women.

Researchers have calculated incidence rates of urinary incontinence by frequency and type in Asian, black, and caucasian women in the US using data from a four year study of 76,724 participants aged 37-79 years.

They found that incontinence was more common in caucasian women compared with Asian and black women.

The reseachers suggest further studies to confirm these results and identify the underlying reasons for these differences.

Source: Nursing Times

Uncomfortable symptoms and menopause are known to go hand in hand. One symptom often credited to menopause is incontinence. However, menopause may not have much – if anything – to do with a person’s incontinence.

If you’ve started to release urine unexpectedly and for no apparent reason you may have either urge incontinence or an overactive bladder. If urine leaks when you laugh, sneeze, cough or any other action that causes internal strain around the abdominal area, then you may have stress incontinence.

Urine leaks are often seen as symptomatic of menopause, genetic make-up and a person’s age are often more accurate indicators of whether a woman will develop urinary incontinence. Being overweight and childbirth (particularly from vaginal deliveries) may be more decisive factors that increase the risk. Mark Walters MD comments that: “Menopause may just aggravate a situation that would have started anyway, but it isn’t the root cause”. Walters – who is head of urogynecology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation – strongly advocates having a physical exam conducted by a doctor and preparing a (if you like) “bladder diary” in the week leading up to your appointment – noting the time and amounts you urinate in that time.

The only way to be sure of the extent to which menopause is causing urine leaks is to make this consultation. Although many are hesitant, the reality is that doctors train to understand and deal with incontinence in women and can determine the appropriate treatment – which is, more often than not, harmless and straightforward internal exercises (known as kegal exercises) and following simple guidelines such as avoiding alcohol consumption.

Hypnosis has been traditionally used to emotional and psychological issues and can help to master state control – i.e. how a person feels within themselves – which is something that people would ordinarily say is out of a person’s immediate control. Hypnosis is also traditionally transmitted onto a person by someone who is well practiced in hypnosis. But there is an emerging process of self-hypnosis, whereby people can use the rules of hypnosis to affect positive and healthy changes in one’s self.

Advocates of self hypnosis describe it as an empowering tool that involves no withdrawal or sedation, prescriptive medication or patches or gum. In sum; hypnosis is both harmless and can be used to deal with conditions such as incontinence that have a psychological element to it.

A misconception about incontinence is that it’s a disease when it’s actually more of a symptom – the stimulus, of which, can be many things ranging from serious illnesses such as multiple sclerosis to a stark case of having a weak pelvic floor muscles. However, that’s not to say incontinence should not be treated directly. In either case, not asserting the incontinence itself can lead to tract and vaginal infections or irritations. Luckily hypnosis has been a proven method for controlling one’s bladder and sphincter muscles and thus, a route back to continence.

So what exactly is self-hypnosis and how does it work? Well, in essence, hypnosis (self directed or externally directed) is a process of accessing subconscious thought and directing it to support an internal goal. It’s rather like finding a holiday spot – a relaxing, safe place – in your mind that you want to be able to visit at will. Tapping into this peaceful state, bringing it to life with imagination, helps the mind to develop unnatural, immersive focus. With this ability, it’s possible to direct what some may call psychic energy towards retaining control of pelvic, bladder, or urinary sphincter muscles.

Many people have achieved continence through self hypnosis. There is little need to be ashamed if you have incontinence because many people suffer from this condition. You should consult your doctor for accurate diagnosis and a proper treatment plan.

We want to hear from you now. Would you try self hypnosis as an alternative treatment for incontinence?

A report studying the effects of obesity in women has recently been published by the New England Journal of Medicine.  One of the key points highlighted in the study demonstrated how weight loss is a decisive factor in reducing the risk of developing many types of urinary incontinence.

338 overweight or obese participants part took in an intensive weight loss programme, between the participants, an average of 8% body weight reduction was achieved which had a medium reduction of 47% in levels of urinary incontinence.

The study also revealed that loss of weight correlates with a reduction in high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, mood and personal satisfaction and chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

In sum, the report concludes that weight loss is one of – if not the – most important treatments for treating urinary incontinence – regardless of the root cause.

When you undertake a new fitness routine, it’s important to not overlook internal exercises, as they can play a part in curbing ones incontinence. The best of which, are what’s known as Kegal exercises, which – in short – is about consciously contracting the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine: holding the muscles tight for several seconds and releasing. Think of doing these exercises as you would ‘reps’ and ‘sets’ for any other muscles you may work on, such as your biceps.

Repeating these exercises once in the morning and once at night can strengthen perhaps the most significant muscle groups: your pelvic floor muscles – which control the bladder.

One point that’s often overlooked with Kegal routines is that it requires a lot of patience. Because it’s internal and therefore hidden, and because regular exercise may not yield the desired effect for a couple of months, it’s easy to get lulled into a sense of pointlessness. Resist this temptation. Kegal take time to come to fruition, but when they do the improvement is significant and the full benefits with regards to incontinence become apparent.

The Telegraph has reported another shocking news story about elderly people being mistreated by a senior care home nurse so she could have a quite night while on duty.

According to the Telegraph, a 63 year old nurse working at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset was sedating patients, putting call bells out of reach and putting extra incontinence pads on residents so she would not have to change their sheets.

Many of the patients under her care were highly vulnerable and many were dependent on her to meet their basic needs. She was only stopped when a healthcare assistant, Anthony Pitcher, blew the whistle on her.

Mr Pitcher said he often saw Haskings put two incontinence pads on patients at night so she would not have to change the bed sheets in the morning. He also witnessed Haskings taking call bells away from patients.

Jillian Alderwick, chairman of the panel – who worked at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset – said that Haskings had set an “appalling example” to junior staff, commenting that:

“Further the panel considers that the placing of call bells out of the reach of residents was nothing short of abuse and the inappropriate application of more than one continence pad at a time was an assault on the dignity of these vulnerable, elderly residents. Having considered the matter carefully, the panel has come to conclusion that the misconduct in this case was so serious that it is fundamentally incompatible with the registrant continuing to be registered with the NMC.”

The nurse was found guilty of dishonestly obtaining Temazepam tablets, administering unprescribed medication to patients, sleeping on shift, removing their call bells and applying extra incontinence pads. The panel ruled that she should be struck off the register but she was cleared of failing to carry out hourly checks on residents.

Source: The Telegraph Online

If you involuntarily leak urine under internal pressures caused by sneezing, laughing or heavy lifting, it’s more than likely you have Stress incontinence. Embarrassing? Yes. Incurable? No. Unfortunately you will have to consult an expert and this will involve being upfront about the situation in order for them to propose the right treatment. A gynaecologist, while an expert, still needs your input to fully judge the situation. For that reason, it benefits both parties for you to have the essential information prepared before an appointment. Here are 7 questions likely to be asked by an incontinence expert when evaluating you.

Do you leak urine when laughing, coughing, lifting, and so on?

This is a certain indicator of whether you have some degree of stress related incontinence. What varies is the treatment, as the root cause can be different things and requires varying treatment.

Does it hurt when you urinate?

This could mean you have a urinary tract infection that requires antibiotics to treat. That is, until further diagnostics are made. In other words, it may only require antibiotics to kill off unwanted germs.

How often do you empty your bladder in the daytime?

This is an instance where keeping a record can give an expert an accurate picture of what’s going on in your bladder. I can also be used to track your own progress, further down the line.

Are you always aware of the leaking occurring?

An upgraded management plan may be necessary to avoid embarrassing incidence if this happens to you.

Do you wear incontinence pads, and how often doo you need to change them?

This sort of question is aimed at gauging the severity of the condition and helps indicate whether exercises are sufficient, or if more advance procedures such as medication or surgery.

Do you leak urine on the way to the bathroom, when you have a strong urge to pee?

A sign that overactive bladder syndrome is present in conjunction with stress incontinence.

Are you woken up by the urge to urinate in the night-time?

An expert will be keen to know whether you’re woken up by the urge to urinate, or woken up by other things and then need to go – another indicator of severity that will decide a course of action for dealing with the problem.

Do you wear incontinence pads, and how often doo you need to change them?

This sort of question is aimed at gauging the severity of the condition and helps indicate whether exercises are sufficient, or if more advance procedures such as medication or surgery.

Do you leak urine on the way to the bathroom, when you have a strong urge to pee?

A sign that overactive bladder syndrome is present in conjunction with stress incontinence.

Are you woken up by the urge to urinate in the night-time?

An expert will be keen to know whether you’re woken up by the urge to urinate, or woken up by other things and then need to go – another indicator of severity that will decide a course of action for dealing with the problem.

Have you got a question you want to ask about incontinence? Please don’t hesitate to use our comments section below or if you prefer a more discreet way to ask for incontinence advice ask our nurse specialist Shona.