Managing incontinence and Parkinson’s
A new video detailing the management of bladder and bowel difficulties for people with Parkinson’s disease, has been produced by Parkinson’s Australia and the Continence Foundation of Australia in the lead up to World Parkinson’s Day.
New YouTube video screenshot of clinical nurse consultant, Victor McConvey.
The 12 minute YouTube video has a range of management strategies and treatments to alleviate symptoms of incontinence in those living with Parkinson’s.
While the external symptoms of Parkinson’s may be immediately apparent, it’s the unseen symptoms, like incontinence, that can cause the most distress.
Continence management is one of the most confronting and difficult conditions for people living with Parkinson’s and their carers, according to Victor McConvey, Parkinson’s Victoria clinical nurse consultant and health team manager.
In the same way that reduced dopamine production in the brain causes Parkinson’s symptoms such as slowness, tremor and stiffness, reduced peripheral dopamine production in other parts of the body such as the gut causes it to slow down as well, according to Mr McConvey.
In fact, constipation, which is further exacerbated by the person’s reduced mobility, is one of the earliest and most persistent symptoms of Parkinson’s.
“Constipation is the most common difficulty experienced in Parkinson’s. Problems with constipation are a frequent subject for calls to the Parkinson’s Helpline, and the second most common reason someone with Parkinson’s will present to a hospital emergency department,” he says.
Bladder and bowel function are both interrupted in Parkinson’s, but bladder difficulties are significantly exacerbated by constipation.
“Bladder problems are common in Parkinson’s, but often overlooked or considered to be a ‘normal’ part of ageing,” he says.
The most common bladder issues are urgency (having to urinate suddenly), frequency (having to urinate often) and nocturia (having to urinate overnight).
Parkinson’s affects the neural pathway between the bladder and the brain, which can cause the brain to tell the bladder it needs emptying with little warning (urgency), and often (frequency).
Nocturia results from urgency combined with lowered blood pressure and a person’s reduced mobility, both of which are common in Parkinson’s, causing fluid retention that the body excretes as urine overnight.
There are about 64,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s, with about 20% of them of active working age, according to a Deloitte Access Economics 2011 report.
Mr McConvey offers encouragement to people living with Parkinson’s and their carers. “With good management these difficulties can be overcome, and the impact of the symptoms can be effectively reduced.”
World Parkinson’s Day is marked on Friday, 11 April 2014.
Helplines
National Parkinson’s Helpline – 1800 644 189
National Continence Helpline – 1800 33 00 66
View the bowel and bladder management YouTube video. For more information and advice, visit Parkinson’s Australia and the Continence Foundation of Australia.
