How Ageing Affects the Bladder 

It is not an uncommon problem and yet, of the 200 million people worldwide who suffer from incontinence rarely discuss or seek help. 

Figures for the number of people who suffer from incontinence in the UK are estimates – it is thought that up to 6 million people are living with incontinence. 

Any Age, Any Gender 

Incontinence does not discriminate – and that means it can affect anyone, no matter how young or old, no matter their gender. 

There are factors we can control that reduce the likelihood of incontinence, such as maintaining a healthy weight and eating a varied, healthy diet. 

Myths about incontinence 

Slowly, we are beginning to talk about incontinence and people are seeking help. There is some good news in all this too – the majority of incontinence problems can be treated, and in many cases, the effects reversed completely. 

But there are still many myths about incontinence that may prevent some people from seeking help and treatment for it. One is that urinary incontinence is a sign of ageing.  

How ageing affects the bladder and bowels doesn’t necessarily mean that as you age, you will become incontinent.  

keeping an eye on what you eat, living a healthy, active lifestyle and keeping on top of pelvic floor exercises all help to keep some types of incontinence at bay. 

There is help available 

There are solutions and treatments for managing incontinence, such as using female or male urinary incontinence products, such as catheters, pads, and pants, to seeking help from your doctor or nurse.

Getting clued up with all the latest information and options is the first step. The infographic from HARTMANN Direct is a great place to start. It looks at common causes of urinary incontinence as well as fantastic hints and tips for keeping bowels, bladder and your digestive system in good shape. 

 

** This is a collaborative post **