Don’t put up with incontinence
During World Continence Week, held from 20 – 26 June, the Continence Foundation of Australia is asking Australians to ‘improve their bottom line’ by adopting healthy bladder and bowel habits and seek professional help to treat incontinence.
This World Continence Week the Continence Foundation of Australia is asking Australians to ‘improve their bottom line’.
New research shows that more than three quarters of Australians experiencing bladder leakage prefer to put up with the problem than seek professional help.
Figures released by the Continence Foundation of Australia ahead of World Continence Week also show that more than two thirds of people did not consider it a serious health issue, and almost 20 percent of people are too embarrassed to talk about it with anyone, including their GP.
One in four Australians aged 15 and older is incontinent and it’s not just the old and infirm who deal with it. Those most at risk are pregnant women, men with prostate disease, women who’ve had babies, overweight people and elite athletes.
Certain illnesses like Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, diabetes, spina bifida and arthritis can also increase the likelihood of incontinence.
Incontinence is very treatable condition that can be prevented, cured or better managed in most cases, often through simple lifestyle changes.
Continence Foundation chief executive Rowan Cockerell says it is disappointing that those affected did not think the issue serious enough to seek treatment for, mistakenly considering it a normal part of having a baby or ageing and something you have to put up with.
“Incontinence might be common but in most cases it can be prevented, cured or better managed. Any bladder or bowel leakage, no matter how light, is classified as incontinence, and should be addressed by a health professional specialised in this area. Leaving the problem won’t solve it and can result in the problem becoming worse,” Ms Cockerell says.
“People don’t consider it a serious health issue but these same people are restricting their lifestyle to accommodate the problem, avoiding social situations or activities that could result in unwanted leakage.
Ms Cockerell says community conversation and raising expectations about better bladder and bowel health outcomes should be encouraged, and people need to recognise they have a legitimate health complaint that requires specialised treatment.
“The common perception that incontinence is an issue restricted to the elderly population is wrong and it’s time people took their head out of the sand and stopped ignoring their problem just because they don’t feel they fit the age bracket,” Ms Cockerell says.
This year the Continence Foundation is focusing on giving people with disabilities better access to continence information and resources.
The organisation has introduced Easy English fact sheets, assistive technology for accessing the Foundation’s website, and website modifications to assist people using adaptive technologies.
Ms Cockerell says the project recognises the significant barriers people with disabilities faced every day when accessing health information.
“This is something we are doing to ensure all people, regardless of their personal limitations, have access to our information and resources,” Ms Cockerell says.
“And our message is the same for everyone; incontinence is, in most cases, preventable and treatable,” she says.
Ms Cockerell says the key steps to maintaining good bladder and bowel health were to eat well, drink well, be as active as possible, daily pelvic floor muscle exercises and practise good toilet habits.
For more information about the prevention and management of incontinence visit continence.org.au, or speak to one of the continence nurse advisors on the National Continence Helpline at 1800 33 00 66.
