Management of incontinence
Management is how you deal with the problem day to day.
Multiple options for stress urinary incontinence exist to help you manage leakage from day to day.1
Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels)
These exercises can strengthen the urethral sphincter and pelvic floor muscles. Learning how to tighten and relax these muscles can help with bladder control.1
Pads/diapers
Absorbent products come in many shapes and forms and are available both as pads or pull-on briefs. They can be used in the short or long-term depending on the severity of your incontinence.1
Clamps
Clamps can be used as a stand-alone therapy or with pads/pull-on briefs to manage leakage. Using clamps can decrease the number of pads required during active periods, resulting in lower pad cost. It is important to know that clamps should be released every two hours to allow for circulation regardless of the need to void and clamps should not be left on overnight due to risk of constant pressure.2
External catheters
This is an external collecting system rolled over the penis that collects urine in the drainage bag.3 This option can also reduce the number of pads needed depending on the severity of the leakage. External catheters have demonstrated higher patient satisfaction compared to absorption products like pads, as long as the product is sized correctly.2
Stress urinary incontinence can be treated
If you are tired of changing multiple pads per day in the management of your SUI, there are long-term treatment options available.4
References
1 Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). Urology Care Foundation. https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/s/stress-urinary-incontinence-(sui). Accessed September 2024.
2 Sandhu JS, Breyer B, Comiter C, Eastham JA, Gomez C, Kirages DJ, Kittle C, Lucioni A, Nitti VW, Stoffel JT, Westney OL, Murad MH, McCammon K. Incontinence after Prostate Treatment: AUA/SUFU Guideline. J Urol. 2019 Aug;202(2):369-378.
3 Urinary Incontinence. Urology Care Foundation. https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/u/urinary-incontinence. Accessed December 2023.
4 Data on file at Coloplast.
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