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Managing The Stress ~ Making The Decisions ~ Discovering The Meaning |
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Caregiving |
Solutions To Your Caregiving Situations Throughout Your Caregiving Years |
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About Incontinence Incontinence is the loss of bladder or bowel control. There are five basic types of incontinence: 1. Stress incontinence occurs when pelvic muscles have been damaged, causing the bladder to leak during exercise, coughing , sneezing, laughing, or any body movement which puts pressure on the bladder. 2. Urge incontinence, the urgent need to pass urine and the inability to get to a toilet in time, occurs when nerve passages along the pathway from the bladder to the brain are damaged, causing a sudden bladder contraction that cannot be consciously inhibited. 3. Overflow incontinence refers to leakage that occurs when the quantity of urine produced exceeds the bladder's holding capacity. 4. Reflex incontinence, the loss of urine when the person is unaware of the need to urinate, may result from an abnormal opening between the bladder and another structure, or from a leak in the bladder, urethra, or ureter. 5. Incontinence from surgery follows such operations as hysterectomies, caesarian sections, prostatectomies, lower intestinal surgery, or rectal surgery. Classes of Drugs Which May Contribute to Incontinence --Diuretics (water pills): Examples: Esidrix(r), Lasix(r), Maxide(r) --Sedatives, muscle relaxants, alcohol: examples: Valium(r), Librium(r), Ativan(r) --Narcotics: Examples: Percocet(r), Demerol(r), morphine --Antihistamines: Examples: Benadryl(r) --Anticholinergics: Examples: Pro-Banthine(r) --Antipsychotics/Antidepressants: Examples: Elavil(r), Prolixin(r), Haldol(r) --Calcium channel blockers: Examples: Calan(r), Procardia(r), Cardizem(r) Retraining possible In 1991, a gynecologist, Dr. Andrew Fantl, announced the success of a bladder retraining program conducted at the Medical College of Virginia. More than 100 healthy women, 55 years and older, participated in the program. 12% were cured of their bladder leakage, and 75% were greatly improved. Some women had stress incontinence; some had urge incontinence; and others had symptoms of both types. (Only women tested this program in Virginia. Men with urge incontinence in other centers have benefited by it too.) Source: National Association for Continence, www.nafc.org Caring for an Older Adult's Skin |
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