Managing continence issues in everyday life

Key points:

• Incontinence affects as many as one in four Australians and these are people of all ages
• There are lifestyle choices you can make to help with continence issues
• There are also many different products available to help with managing incontinence

For some people, incontinence can be ‘cured’, and for many others, it can at least be better managed.

Continence products, such as pads and catheters, can assist people affected by incontinence to lead a normal life.

This does not replace the need to seek professional advice from a health professional which should always be the first step in learning what’s causing the issue and how to manage your incontinence.

What is incontinence?

There are two types of incontinence, according to the Continence Foundation of Australia – urinary incontinence and faecal incontinence.

Urinary incontinence could appear as ‘leaking’ when you are coughing, sneezing or laughing or when you do exercise. More severe cases of incontinence could mean being unable to control your bladder.

Faecal incontinence refers to leakage from the bowel due to involuntary bowel movements. This could range from excessive wind to staining to full bowel movements.

Incontinence can appear at any stage of life, however, many people with disability have increased risk factors.

For instance, people with a physical, sensory or intellectual disability may need another person to help them use the toilet and practice good hygeine, and this can affect a good toilet routine or delay going to the toilet.

Some people may also experience differing bowel changes due to medication side effects.

Conditions, such as spina bifida or spinal cord injury, can also directly impact whether a person has bowel and bladder control.

Managing incontinence

The Continence Foundation of Australia says incontinence can be better managed through something as simple as having a healthy diet and upkeeping good lifestyle habits.

Drinking water is really important in a diet. People who develop a bladder control problem may reduce their fluid intake because they are worried that might be causing the issue, however, it can actually exacerbate the incontinence.

In your diet, you should be eating plenty of fibre through your food, which will complement the fluids you are intaking.

Maintaining a healthy body weight for someone your height can be helpful, as having more body fat can actually lead to strain on your pelvic floor, which impacts your bladder and bowel’s ability to function well.

Similarly, smoking has been known to weaken your pelvic floor muscles if you develop an ongoing cough, so it can be a good idea to quit or reduce your smoking.

Exercise has a good impact on your body, including moving your bowels. Either 30 minutes of exercise most days a week or pelvic floor exercises can be beneficial for healthy bowel movements.

The Continence Foundation of Australia also recommends practising good toilet habits. For instance, going to the toilet when you need to instead of waiting and sitting in the right position on the toilet. This could mean getting a footstool or more complex equipment such as a sling or hoist.

Continence products

There are a lot of products available these days that can help with managing continence. 

Products come in a wide range of sizes and styles and can either be discreetly hidden under whatever clothing you feel comfortable wearing or as covers on beds and chairs.

The types of products you might be able to use include:

• Disposable or reusable pads, underwear and pants
• Mattress, quilt and chair protectors
• Catheters
• Absorbent swimwear

Many of the disposable products can be purchased through pharmacies or supermarkets, or you might like to purchase products wholesale through a provider or from an online store.

Where to go for help

It is best to get professional advice about managing continence so that you know the strategies you use are right for you and will improve your health and comfort.

Continence health professionals you could see include nurses who specialise in continence, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, your General Practitioner (GP), urologist or gynaecologist, geriatrician, or gastroenterologist.

You can talk to your Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator about how your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan might be used to fund continence management services or products.

There is also some financial support provided by the Government through the Continence Aids Payment Scheme to contribute to the cost of consumables.

For continence related free and confidential information or advice, you can also contact the National Continence Helpline on 1800 330 066.

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