Bowel incontinence affects about 5 million people in the US and bladder incontinence about 13 million in the US.

Treatment of fecal incontinence depends on the cause and the degree of severity of the problem. Treatment options fall into four main categories:

• Dietary changes
• Medications
• Bowel training
• Surgery

Sometimes more than one treatment may be necessary to successfully address the issue. Mild problems could be treated with dietary management, simple home exercises such as Kegel exercises and some medications.

Urinary incontinence also known as bladder incontinence, is by far the more common problem. This affects loss of bladder control, where the voluntary control over the urinary sphincter muscle is either weakened or lost. In simple terms, it can be defined as the accidental leakage of urine. Urinary incontinence ranges from leaking small amount of urine to having a strong urge to urinate that are difficult to control. Urinary incontinence is more prevalent in women than men.

There are seven types of urinary incontinence which include:

1. Stress incontinence: This type of incontinence is common among women who have given birth or gone through menopausal stage. Stress incontinence may be due to weakened pelvic muscles in the wall between the bladder and vagina or may be due to a change in the bladder position.

2. Urge incontinence: This is also known as urge incontinence. It is the frequent, but sudden urge to urinate having little control over the bladder. This occurs due to the damages of nerve passages along the pathway from the urinary bladder to the brain. Diseases like stroke, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease causes urge incontinence.

3. Mixed incontinence: In this type, the symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence may be present but the symptoms of one type of incontinence may be severe than the other.

4. Functional incontinence: It is one of the most common types of incontinence among elderly suffering from arthritis, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. It may be due to the physical disability of these people like moving, thinking or communicating that prevents them from reaching the toilet.

5. Overflow incontinence: People with this type of overflow incontinence cannot empty their bladders completely. A constant full bladder signal triggers frequent urination or urine dribbling or both. This may be due to blocked urethra or weak bladder muscle and very common among men.

6. Gross total incontinence: The person leaks urine continuously throughout the day as the bladder is unable to store urine. Gross total incontinence may be due to birth defect, injury to urinary system or spinal cord, or the presence of fistulas. The various signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence include:

• Strong urge to urinate followed by loss of urine • Reduced urinary stream • Waking in the midnight to use bathroom • Loss of urine when changing positions like lying or sitting to standing. • Leakage of urine which is often triggered by coughing, laughing, sneezing, exercising or lifting heavy objects • Continuous leakage in the bladder • Not able to hold the urine long enough to make it to the bathroom

The most common treatment options for incontinence dysfunctions include behavioral therapies and exercise. Common treatment includes:

1. Habit training establishes regularity in urination

2. Electronic devices are inserted into the vagina or rectum to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles

3. Kegel exercises - Pelvic floor exercises

4. Changes in life style by cutting down caffeine consumption, weight loss and maintaining the right amount of fluid consumption.

5. Medications like are used in combination with exercises and other techniques.

6. If other therapies are not useful, surgery would be the last option to treat urinary incontinence.

Incontinence is one of the most common as well as most embarrassing problems faced by many. By learning coping strategies and talking with a physician, urologist, pharmacist, nurse, or medical supplier about the products available in the market to manage incontinence may be more helpful to tackle the problem of urinary incontinence.

Incontinence Products

Stress Incontinence