As we all know, these are difficult times. With information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) changing daily, it is natural to be anxious, especially when you are dealing with a chronic condition. The team at Holistic Incontinence is taking the matter extremely seriously and are closely monitoring the situation. Our team are following government and WHO (World Health Organisation) advice and guidelines to avoid the spread of the virus.

But our online stores are open as normal and today we are going to discuss some concerns our clients might have during this crisis.

Can I Still Order Incontinence Products Online?

Yes! Online stores like Holistic Incontinence are still open and operating. We are able to ship your orders straight to your door, ensuring you don’t need to run the risk of entering a supermarket. Holistic Incontinence is still accepting orders as normal.

Will My Order Arrive on Time?

At the moment, couriers and Australian Post services around Australia are seeing a huge surge in shipments, which may cause a short delay. You should allow an extra day or two for your parcel to arrive, as delivery times might be longer than usual. While your shipment from Holistic Incontinence might take a little longer to reach you, our team is always here to help.

The Supermarket is Sold Out of Products, How Can I Get Incontinence Supplies?

Unfortunately, in these unprecedented times, it might be difficult to find your usual incontinence products. Buying from reputable online stores, like Holistic Incontinence, can be easier. Products will state whether or not they are in stock, meaning you know what you’re getting when you order. Products can then be shipped to your door, so you can avoid travelling or congregating in supermarkets during this time. It is a convenient and discreet option. However, at times like these, it is important to order only what you need, or your regular amount of products, to ensure you and others remain supplied.

Do I Need to Use Hand Sanitiser?

It is important to ensure you follow proper hygiene routines when you have incontinence issues. And at times like these, hygiene is more important than ever to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as other viruses and bacteria. However we understand that hand sanitiser is often sold out at these times. Please ensure you check online with Holistic Incontinence, regularly, as we are trying to keep hand sanitiser in stock.

Remember to follow the following good hygiene practices:

Hand Washing

Hand washing the most effective way to prevent the spread of infections. Good hand washing requires an adequate amount of soap and rinsing under running water. Wearing gloves is NOT a substitute for hand washing.

When Should I Wash My Hands?

You should wash your hands:

• When your hands a visibly soiled
• After using the restroom or toilet (especially if you have had to change incontinence products)
• Before and after handling food, meat, poultry, fish, or drinking or smoking
• After blowing your nose or sneezing into your hands
• When visiting or caring for sick people
• After handling garbage or touching contaminated surfaces like garbage bins, etc.
• Before preparing or taking medications
• After contact with blood or body fluids
• Before using or removing contact lenses
• After handling pets or animal waste, food or treats

How Do I Properly Wash My Hands?

For effective handwashing, follow these tips:

• Use water and soap – at least 1-3ml – and wet your hands thoroughly
• Lather with soap for at least 15 seconds
• Make sure you wash between your fingers, under fingernails, the front and back of your hands, wrists and forearms
• Use running water where possible
• You should wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds all together or longer if hands are visibly soiled
• Try singing a short song like Happy Birthday or A,B,C to ensure you wash for long enough
• Rinse thoroughly clean using running water and a rubbing motion
• Dry your hands with a paper towel, clean towel or air dryer

Remember to try and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. And liquid soap in disposable containers is best. If dry skin occurs, ensure you use a moisturising lotion.

You do not need to have antibacterial soaps at home. Washing frequently and appropriately will be enough. When out and about, or when accepting take out food or parcels, you should wipe your hands, purchases and bag/wallet/purse with hand sanitisers and wipes. If you do use sanitisers, they should be at least 60% alcohol. They don’t eliminate all germs but they can help prevent the spread of illness.

What About Reusable Incontinence Products?

There are many reusable incontinence products available. These cloth products are able to be cleaned and while a more expensive option, they do last longer than one-use products. However, it is important to remember that reusable products are not suitable for all types of incontinence. It can also be difficult for those with mobility issues to keep these garments properly clean, as well.

Reusable products are best suited for light, urinary incontinence, not faecal or heavy incontinence. Even during this crisis, it is best to use products you are familiar with than to change. This way you will always know you are properly covered and protected.

At Holistic Incontinence, we are all about care. Our site offers a complete support package for families, carers and Australians living with incontinence. We offer the best wholesale prices on high quality incontinence products, and we make the purchase of incontinence supplies easy whether you buy online or over the phone.

Holistic Incontinence’s home delivery is discreet and affordable, giving our customers peace of mind. Contact us today, or explore our range!

We all know we need to eat healthy, with a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, lean protein, water and wholegrains. It helps ward off diseases, maintains body functions and provides you with the right amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

But eating and drinking the right things can also have a drastic effect on your bladder, especially is you suffer from incontinence.

What we put in our bodies has a direct effect on our bladders and bowels. Certain foods and drinks are known to irritate the bladder, so we recommend you avoid them. Typically, foods that are bad for the bladder are foods that are sugary, spicy, acidic or have caffeine in them.

Foods and Drink That Can Contribute to Incontinence

Below is a list of food and drinks that can irritate the bladder, and may contribute to bladder leaks, overactive bladders and incontinence

• Coffee and tea
• Alcohol
• Carbonated beverages like soft drink, sparkling water or seltzer water
• Honey
• Sugar and artificial sweeteners
• Corn syrup
• Citrus foods and juices such as oranges, limes, grapefruit and lemons
• Tomatoes and tomato-based products
• Spicy food
• Chocolate
• Milk and milk products

While this is not an exhaustive list, many of these foods could be contributing to your incontinence or overactive bladder conditions. These foods and drinks won’t effect everyone the same way so it is best to document what you eat ad drink to find your specific triggers. Once you start to see a trend in what you’re eating and your incontinence, you can learn what to avoid in the future.

How Much Water Should I be Drinking?

Many people with incontinence feel like they need to limit their fluid intake. This is because they assume that drinking too much of anything, including water, may be causing their incontinence or increase the risk of an accident. In general, you shouldn’t limit your water intake. Ensuring you stay hydrated is important for your overall health. Your body needs water to function properly and limiting your water intake may cause things to get worse.

Not only can you risk dehydration – that has its own side effects – you run the risk of your urine becoming ultra-concentrated. This means it is more likely to smell bad if you have an accident, as well as causing unwanted odours. Concentrated urine can also irritate your bladder, leading to more leaks and accidents. For a long time we have been told to drink 8 glasses of water a day. But in reality, everyone’s water intake needs are different. You should be drinking enough to quench your thirst, while listening to your body to know the right amount of water intake for you.

How Restricting Fluids Can Cause Further Health Issues

Dehydration is one of the biggest risks when you restrict your fluid and water intake. Our bodies need water to function properly. Without water, you will become dehydrated and you can experience symptoms like:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Fatigue/lack of energy
• Dark yellow, strong smelling urine
• Irritability
• Fainting

In the case of mild dehydration, drinking water, Gatorade or broth can help. Two to three cups should do the trick and you’ll be feeling better within the hour.

However, in the case of severe dehydration, you may require hospitalisation and even intravenous hydration for 24 hours in order to recover.

Further, drinking fewer fluids during the day can irritate the bladder leading to more leaks. By trying to avoid fluids, you are actually making the situation worse. As we said before, when you drink less water, your urine becomes very concentrated and can irritate the bladder, leading to bladder leaks. This concentrated urine can also lead to bladder infections and urinary tract infections, which we all want to avoid.

Finally, by avoiding water, when you do have an incontinence leak, the accident will smell more. Which means you are going to need to cover up unpleasant odours, as well as deal with the urine leak.

How Can I Tell If I’m Drinking Enough Water?

How do you know if you’re drinking the right amount of water for your body? There is an easy way to test. It is called the skin pinch test.

How to do a Skin Pinch Test

To test if you have enough water in your system, you can pinch the skin on the back of your hand. Pinch it and then let the skin go. If your body is fully hydrated, your skin should bounce back immediately. However, if it takes time for the skin to return to normal, you may be dehydrated. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on your water each day. If you’re finding it hard to fit in all the water you need, try adding in a little cucumber or some berries.

Need some help managing your incontinence? Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of products to help you manage urine leaks throughout the day. Explore our range now or chat to one of our helpful staff members to find the right product for your needs.

Cancer patients battle a variety of conditions during their treatment. Not only are they dealing with the cancer symptoms themselves, but also the side effects of radiation treatment. Whether as a symptom of cancer or of treatment, many patients find themselves dealing with incontinence. In the case of men, prostate and bladder cancer can be at the root cause of incontinence.

Bladder cancers are less common in women, but far more aggressive. Both of these conditions affect continence. Most cancer treatment require chemotherapy or radiation therapy, the side effect of which is incontinence.

How Does Radiation Cause Incontinence?

Cancer treatment requires repeated radiation sessions. This repeated use of radiation causes inflammation of the bladder, which in turn makes urination painful. Radiation therapy also causes more frequent urinary urges, which also intensifies pain.

As a result, many people require incontinence pads to manage their symptoms.

Dealing with Bladder Cancer

A cancer diagnosis is a scary and shocking moment. It can leave you uncertain about your future and your health. Prostate and bladder cancers are less aggressive than other forms of cancer and, when discovered early, can result in a full recovery.

It is important to regularly visit your doctor and share any concerns or symptoms you may be experiencing. Early detection raises your chances of recovery.

Types of Incontinence Pads for Cancer Patients

Incontinence caused by radiation treatment is not completely uncontrollable. Rather than full voids, it is often drips or dribbles. This can be controlled with simple incontinence liners. However, if you are experiencing full voiding of the bladder, then you will need something heavier. Explore the list below to see what type is right for you.

Incontinence Pads

Personal care pads, or incontinence pads feature a shape that is form fitting to the body. You insert the pad into regular underwear through adhesive strips. Incontinence pads are fairly small and individually wrapped. This makes them good for use on the go, as they slip easily into a bag or purse.

Incontinence Liners

Similar to incontinence pads, incontinence liners are wider and flatter. This allows for a bigger surface area for absorption. Liners also feature an adhesive strip that allows them to be inserted into regular underwear.

Male Guards

These guards are designed specifically for male anatomy. The guards are cup shaped and have a higher rise in the front. This means it absorbs urine as it leaves the body.

Adult Diapers

Adult diapers are designed to be used as underwear. Common features include side tabs, absorbent cores and stretchy waistbands. Adult diapers also come with leg cuffs and are ideal for both urine and faecal incontinence. They are generally not gender specific and come in a wide variety of sizes.

Pull Up Underwear

Pullup incontinence underwear are designed to look like underwear. They feature elastic waistbands, making wearing them more comfortable. Breathable and absorbent, they generally have standing leg cuffs to prevent leakage. They fit perfectly under your clothing and are gender neutral as well.

Are You Experiencing Incontinence?

Do you suffer from incontinence? Whether it is a symptom of cancer or a condition on its own, Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of helpful products. We offer discreet online shopping and shipping to your home.

We also offer product trials so you can find the item that works best for you. If you are coming off radiation treatment or are approaching the beginning of radiation therapy, why not try a sample from Holistic Incontinence, today. Give yourself the freedom and confidence to manage your symptoms through this difficult time, and begin retraining your bladder and pelvic floor!

Explore our range today or chat with one of our helpful team members! Don’t let incontinence slow you down. Find the protection and support your deserve from Holistic Incontinence.

Incontinence can take an incredible emotional toll on the one suffering from it. Aside from physical distress, people often feel depressed, withdrawn and ashamed of their incontinence. In fact, over 90% of incontinence patients surveyed say they have felt depressed, hopeless or isolated due to their condition. And this is partly due to the social stigma surrounding incontinence. Most patients keep their condition a secret, even from their family, which reduces their ability and willingness to participate in everyday events. This, of course, makes feelings of isolation even worse.

But there are ways to build up your confidence, face down your incontinence and move past it to live a full and happy life. Today we are going to discuss 5 ways to manage the emotional burden of incontinence.

1: Find the Right Incontinence Products

Finding the right incontinence products for your needs is one of the most important parts of managing your incontinence. By using the right product, you have the confidence to do day-to-day tasks and activities without worrying about leaks. There are a wide range of solutions available to help you stay leak-free throughout the day. From incontinence pads to pull up underwear, your options are endless.

Modern incontinence products, like those from Holistic Incontinence, have come a long way from older, traditional products that were bulky and uncomfortable. Modern products mean you can wear the right protective solution throughout the day, without anyone else being the wiser. While it may take some time and experimentation to find the right product, you won’t regret it when you enjoy the freedom of the right incontinence product.

2: Pursue Long-Term Treatment

If you’ve been living with incontinence for a while, and still haven’t seen a doctor, now is the time to go! You should never be ashamed to seek medical help. Your doctor is a highly trained professional and they will treat you with kindness and professionalism. People suffering from incontinence can take up to 7 years before they speak to a doctor regarding their incontinence concerns.

But seeking treatment is on of the most empowering thing you can do for yourself. Incontinence is like any other health problem – you don’t know if it can get better until you speak to a professional. By actively doing something about your problem, you are standing up for yourself and making a positive move. Speak to your doctor as soon as possible. There are a wide variety of treatment and management options available for incontinence, which can make a huge difference in your life.

3: Find Someone to Confide In

Talking to a friend or family member can be daunting, especially with personal issues like this. You might already be avoiding them so the topic won’t come up. But talking to someone can help when it comes to managing incontinence. They can  be a sounding board to your problems or a shoulder to cry on, so you don’t have to carry the emotional burden on your own. Most people say that opening up to someone is an enormous relief and takes the power away from the incontinence.

But if you simply can’t open up to a family member or friend, at least not yet, then look online for support communities. Talking to fellow incontinence patients can help you, from sharing and commiserating, to finding new tips and techniques for managing your incontinence. Online communities often allow you to post anonymously, so you can find support without exposure.

4: Daily Gratitude

Daily gratitude is probably something you’ve heard about, whether it is on social media or on TV. And while it can be difficult to find things to be grateful for when you have health issues like incontinence, it can help you find the good things in your day, rather than focusing on your incontinence.

By practicing daily gratitude mindfulness, you can find new ways to look at your life. You can practice this by keeping a notebook and writing down as few as three things you’re grateful for, each day. You can expand on these as little or as much as you like. What is important is that we focus on all the things in our life that we are grateful for, and each day you will see more good things over those that upset you, like your incontinence.

5: Taking Up a New Hobby

If you’ve done all the above, then you’re well on your way to conquering the hold incontinence has on your life. Another technique is taking up something new, a new passion or new hobby. From art classes to musical instruments, to dancing or gardening or cooking, there are hundreds of hobbies you can take up that incontinence can’t take away from you. Whatever you have an interest in, go for it!

By showing yourself you can conquer new goals and learn new skills, you are giving yourself a confidence boost throughout the day. Which makes it easier to manage your incontinence and your long term treatments.

Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of products available to help you win back your life. From pads to pull ups, and every absorbency range, we have the right product to improve your life. Explore our range today or contact our helpful team to find the right products for your needs. We also offer discreet home shipping, so you never have to worry about others discovering your incontinence before you’re ready to tell them!

Kegel exercises have long been associated with women for pregnancy and post-childbirth to tone up the pelvic floor and to prevent or ease incontinence symptoms. But kegels are also beneficial for men. They can help men ease bladder leakage, as well as improve sexual function. Today we are going to discuss the benefits of kegel exercise for men.

What are Kegel Exercises and What Muscles Do They Affect?

Kegel exercises are basically the contracting of the muscles in the pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor is comprised of a tightly woven web of muscles located in the base of the pelvis between the pubic bone and tailbone, it has three functions:

1: To support the pelvic organs including the rectum, bladder and intestines

2: They are involved in sexual function

3: To help control bladder and bowel function to prevent or ease symptoms of bladder leakage

Just like other muscles in the body, if the pelvic floor muscles get weak, they can no longer perform their job properly. Over time, these muscles can naturally stretch and become weaker. With proper exercise they can remain strong to ensure good bladder health and function.

How Can I Benefit from Kegel Exercises?

There are a number of issues men fac that kegel exercises can address. These include:

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a condition that affects up to 13% of men between 15 and 64 and can be caused by a number of health conditions. The most common reasons for incontinence in men is due to issues with the prostate. However, there are other conditions that can affect bladder function, too.

Male incontinence can range from a small amount of leakage to more substantial leaking when performing physical activities or placing stress on the bladder by coughing, laughing, lifting or working out. A Kegel exercise regimen can help tone the pelvic floor muscles to help prevent leaks from happening.

Faecal Incontinence

Like urinary incontinence, a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles can also affect the rectum and anus, causing a low of bowel control. And like urinary incontinence, Kegel exercises can help tone and strengthen this area to prevent bowel leakage.

Overactive Bladder/OAB

Overactive bladder is the urgent and frequent need to empty your bladder. When you have OAB the muscles of the bladder contract involuntarily, creating an urgent need to urinate. Performing Kegel exercises can help improve your control over these muscles, which in turn improves or even eliminates the chance of bladder leakage.

Urinary Retention

Men often complain about the difficulty of starting a stream of urine. They also have concerns about weak flow and the feel to urinate right after they’ve finished urinating. This is often known as urinary retention. This can be caused by a blockage in the urinary tract or a nerve problem that is interfering with the signals between the brain and bladder.

Bladder retraining can help with this issue, while Kegel exercises can also help the nerves and muscles you use to empty the bladder, ensuring they work better.

How Do I Practice Kegel Exercises?

The first step is locating the right muscles. This can be the hardest part. The next time you’re urinating, try stopping the flow mid-stream. If you can do it, that means you’ve found the right muscles. This should only be done when trying to locate the right muscles. There are two types of Kegel exercises than your can perform to strengthen and tone your pelvic floor muscles.

Short Contractions

Short contraction Kegel exercises work the fast, twitch muscles that work quickly to stop the flow of urine. This can also help prevent leaks. To perform a short contraction, tighten your muscles quickly and then release. Repeat this cycle.

Long Contractions

Long contraction Kegel exercises work on the supportive strength of the pelvic floor muscles. To perform a long Kegel contraction, tighten your pelvic muscles and hold for at least 5 seconds. This may be difficult at first, so don’t worry if you can’t hold the contraction for the full 5 seconds. With practice you’ll be able to work up to this. Overtime you can work your way up to 10 seconds per contraction. Make sure you rest for at least 10 seconds between contractions. Knowing how to relax your muscles is as important as knowing how to contract them.

How Often Should I Practice Kegel Exercises?

Like conditioning any muscle, you don’t want to do too much too soon. Aim for around 5 reps of both short and long contractions, three times a day, on your first day. As you gain more confidence and strength, you can work your way up to ten reps, three times a day, of each contraction type.

It might take time to see the changes, but consistency is key. Continue practicing your Kegel exercises and you should see improvements in three to six months. If you need some help with your Kegel exercises, it is important to talk to your doctor or physical therapist. They can provide you with more personal instructions, including biofeedback therapy.

Do you have issues with urinary incontinence or urine leakage? Holistic Incontinence offers a wide range of products to help you manage your condition. From pads to pull ups, you can find the right product for your needs.

Faecal Incontinence and Romance – How to Have a Discussion with Your Partner

Faecal incontinence can be difficult to live with at the best of times. It is even harder when you are single and looking to date. Are you single and avoiding meeting new people, dating or sex? Are you married and worried your partner no longer finds you attractive?

Incontinence during intimate moments can be frustrating for all involved. Most of us have trouble talking about sex at all, let alone discussing other intimate issues. However, it is important to discuss your issues with faecal incontinence with your partner in order to gain support and understanding – as well as enjoy your sex life again.

What Causes Faecal Incontinence?

There are many causes of Faecal Incontinence (FI). These include:

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Weakened muscles in the anus or rectum after childbirth

In most cases FI and urinary incontinence are not permanent conditions and will often improve when the root cause is treated. When incontinence is a long-term issue, dealing with the problem and how it affects your romantic life is even more important.

Talk to Your Doctor About Faecal Incontinence

Your first step to dealing with FI and your sex life, is to discuss your issues with your doctor. All too often people are too embarrassed to discuss incontinence issues with their doctor. But it is important to remember your doctor is a professional and has heard – and seen – it all before. You should never be afraid to discuss health issues with your doctor. Use words you are comfortable with, but don’t shy away from the discussion.

By making your doctor aware of your FI issues, you can find ways to treat or manage the issue. The treatment of your FI is largely dependant on the cause. You might find your doctor has a wide range of suggestions to help you.

Talking to Your Partner About Faecal Incontinence

While this might be a difficult conversation to have, it is very important you discuss your issues with your partner, especially if they are not yet aware of your condition. Together you can discuss how FI is affecting your life, from your job to your medical concerns. It is important your partner understands the stress and difficulties you face with FI and how it is affecting your relationships.

Once you both have the whole picture in front of you, you can discuss how FI affects your intimate moments. Discuss how your sex life can be improved. If you are avoiding intimacy, you’ll obviously want to get back into it. Work together with your partner to make your romantic moments more fulfilling for both of you. It is also important to discuss when your incontinence causes the most issues and how you can improve those times. From changing sexual positions to discussing your symptoms and emotional stress, there are solutions you can find together.

If needed, there is always counselling available for you and your partner.

Bowel Retraining to Help Treat Accidental Bowel Leakage and Faecal Incontinence

One option your doctor might give you is bowel retraining. This involves retraining your bowel and body to pass a stool at a regular time of the day. Before you begin bowel retraining, your doctor will likely keep a symptom diary where you will record:

• Times of voluntary bowel movements
• The times of involuntary bowel movements
• Associated symptoms
• Foods you’ve eaten
• Drinks you’ve consumed

This diary will help you determine if something you’re eating or drinking is affecting your bowel habits. It can also help you identify the best time of the day for bowel retraining.

While your doctor will make recommendations based on your particular condition, your program will typically consist of:

• Choosing a regular time each day in which you try to have a bowel movement
• As a general rule, it is best to pick a time that falls between 20-40 minutes after eating
• Spend 10-15 minutes on the toilet to see if you can have a regular bowel movement
• Do not strain as you try to go
• If you can’t pass a stool, resume regular activities
• It can take time to train your bowels so don’t worry if it doesn’t happen at first
• You can also use an enema, suppository, or prune juice to try and stimulate the bowels
• Ideally you only have to use these methods until your body adjusts to the retraining

Within several weeks of starting your retraining program you should find yourself having a regular bowel movement every day to 3 days

Struggling with faecal incontinence? Working on bowel retraining, or just want some extra protection? Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of products available to help you manage your incontinence discreetly. We also offer skincare products to help guard your skin from infection. Explore our range today and enjoy our discreet, to your door, shipping!

Accidental Bowel Leakage – also known as ABL – is a condition few like to discuss. Like urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence is often considered a taboo subject. Both carry a stigma that’s hard to shake. Yet millions of people around the world struggle with ABL regularly. Today we’re going to discuss the 4 common myths about accidental bowel leakage as well as bowel retraining.

1: Accidental Bowel Leakage Only Happen When You Have Watery or Loose Stools

While issues like diarrhea can cause a strong sense of urgency, and can lead to leakage, other factors may be in play. Constipation can also cause ABL, as when large stools get stuck in the rectum, watery stools can leak around them. Further, regular bouts of constipation can stretch and weaken the rectum, making it difficult for you to hold stool long enough to reach a bathroom.

As a result, any damage to the muscles or nerves around the anus can create ABL issues. This includes things like:

• Childbirth
• Diabetes
• Haemorrhoid surgery
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Stroke

2: Only Older People Suffer from ABL

As with all incontinence, age does play a factor in ABL. However, leaking stools can happen to anyone with muscle or nerve damage to the anus. In fact, it can occur in people 40 and younger. Accidental bowel leakage is more common in the elderly due to decreased tissue and muscle elasticity, making it harder to hold a stool.

3: Accidental Bowel Leakage Isn’t Affected by Diet

Diet actually plays a huge role in how and if you experience accidental bowel leakage. Triggers for ABL are different for everyone. Spicy food, fatty food, and food or drinks with caffeine in them, and eating large meals can cause issues for many, not just sufferers of chronic ABL.

You can try to use a bowel diary to track your food intake and any associated bowel problems. This way you can see a tend between what you eat and instances of ABL.

4: There’s No Way to Treat ABL

Accidental Bowel Leakage can and should be treated. Methods can be as simple as watching what you eat, getting proper exercises and modifying your behaviour, to medications and surgical intervention. The important thing is to remember there are options for you. Your doctor or specialist might even discuss bowel retraining.

What is Bowel Retraining?

Controlling your bowels can be an issue for many. But there are different techniques to help you manage this condition. Bowel retraining is exactly what it sounds like – the process of training yourself to have more regular bowel movements. This can aid with ABL, faecal incontinence and even some nerve problems.

Preparing for Bowel Retraining

Before you start bowel retraining, it is recommended you keep a symptom diary. You will need to record:

• Times of voluntary bowel movements
• The times of involuntary bowel movements
• Any associated symptoms you’ve been having
• Foods you have eaten
• Drinks you have consumed

By reviewing this diary you can work out whether what you’re eating and drinking and if it is enough to have regular bowel movements. It can also help identify what time of the day is best for bowel retraining.

What Should I Expect from Bowel Retraining?

Your bowel retraining program will involve addressing all the factors that might be affecting bowel elimination. Your doctor will have a specific program for you, based on your symptoms, but retraining programs usually follow these steps:

1: You will choose a regular time, each day, to try and have a bowel movement. As a rule, it is best to choose a time between 20-40 minutes after eating

2: Spend 10-15 minutes on the toilet to see if you can have a bowel movement

3: Ensure you don’t strain as you try to go

4: If you don’t pass a stool, resume regular daily activities

It can take time to train your bowels, so don’t worry if you don’t have any bowel movements at first. You can also use an enema to stimulate your bowels. Other try using prune juice or a suppository to trigger a bowel movement. You should only need to use these methods for a short time while your body adjusts to the bowel training. It is ideal if you are able to have a bowel movement every day within a few weeks of starting your bowel retraining program. However, some may find they are only able to have a normal movement every three days.

While you are working to treat your ABL or faecal incontinence, you need protection for peace of mind. Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of incontinence products available to suit your needs. We also offer discreet shipping, straight to your door. Unsure of what you need? Ask the helpful team at Holistic Incontinence for advice!

There are millions of people, worldwide, living with incontinence. Not all incontinence conditions are the same. There is urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, bladder incontinence and stress incontinence.

There are also different levels of incontinence, as incontinence will affect everyone differently.

As a result, treatments, products and supplies won’t be the same for everyone. And it can be difficult to work out the right supplies for your needs. Today we are going to discuss what incontinence supplies available to make managing your condition.

What are Incontinence Supplies?

Incontinence supplies refers to the products you can use to manage your incontinence condition. They also help protect clothing, bedding and furniture. Incontinence products include:

• Absorbent products (adult diapers, protective underwear, disposable and reusable pads)
• Wipes
• Odour eliminators
• Bed pads
• Sanitisers

What Incontinence Products Do I Need?

Incontinence supplier greatly improve the quality of life for those suffering with incontinence, their family or carers. While every situation is different, there are a number of products everyone will use to manage their condition.

Absorbent Products

Absorbent products include a range of incontinence products that accommodate your needs, incontinence type, and incontinence level.

Adult Pull Ups

Pull up incontinence products encompass everything from pull-up style nappies to underwear style incontinence wear. Pull up products feature elastic waistbands, making them more comfortable. With leg cuffs to prevent leakage, they are breathable and absorbent. They fit well under clothing and you can add a “booster” pad inside to protect yourself.

All-in-One’s

Adult nappies have been around for years and have common features, including side tabs, stretchy waistbands and absorbent cores. They are generally gender neutral and come in a variety of sizes, with leg cuffs. They are used for both urine and faecal incontinence.

Pads

While similar in look to menstrual pads, incontinence pads feature far more absorbent polymer fibres. This ensures liquid is quickly wicked away from the skin. They also work to neutralise odours and have specific designs to properly absorb liquid. They can also be added to adult pull-ups.

Bed Pads

Bed pads are designed to protect beds, chairs and furniture. These highly absorbent sheets are laid down between you and your furniture. They are used in conjunction with other absorbent products for more reliable protection, especially at night. Some brands are washable, but many are disposable for easy, safe clean up.

Skin Care

Incontinence can cause skin problems that need treatment and care. Exposure to urine or faecal matter can cause problems for the skin. When your skin is exposed to caustic materials and moisture, it can cause maceration, dermatitis, bacterial infections, and fungal infections. As a result, you need reliable skin care.

Barrier Creams

Barrier creams are designed to calm skin irritations, like rashes. These products prevent skin break down by creating an impermeable or semipermeable barrier on the skin. They are vital to prevent infections such as dermatitis.

Adult Wipes

Wipes are enriched with Aloe Vera and gentle on the skin. They are premoistened wipes ideal for quick pick ups and cleaning. They are large, thick, unscented and silky soft to protect the skin.

Odour Elimination Sprays

No matter where you are, you may need an odour eliminator spray. They work to remove all urine stains and smells from carpets, fabric, wood floors, cement, tiles, porcelain, mattresses, and other surfaces.

Most cleaners only remove the water-soluble components of urine, but leave behind the non-soluble uric acid crystals. These crystals are what retain the urine stain and odour. But products like Holistic Incontinence’s urineFREE have bio-enzymatic formula that “eats” both the urine and uric acid crystals. This eliminates both the urine stain and odour.

Sanitizers

Hand sanitisers are a necessity when dealing with incontinence. Holistic Incontinence recommends an alcohol-free sanitiser to protect the skin. There may be times when you need to clean your hands, but soap and water are not available. An antibacterial sanitiser is quick and easy to use, without even the need for towels.

Where Can I Buy Incontinence Supplies?

Mail order and online services, like Holistic Incontinence, are the best services as they allow you to discreetly buy products from home. This means you aren’t standing in the supermarket or in the incontinence aisle, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Online shopping also allows you to explore the best options for your needs, and then buy immediately. Further, there are more options available online than are stocked in traditional stores. And online stores often have a friendly, anonymous staff member who can help answer your questions about products and features.

And, finally, it is discreet. Products can be shipped directly to your home, rather than standing in a supermarket or chemist with your items.

No matter our age, our background or our professional situation, we can all suffer from urinary incontinence. While the risk of incontinence increases with age, it doesn’t occur only in older people. It can happen at any time of life and it can be a frustrating and embarrassing condition to deal with.

Incontinence Statistics in Australia

The statistics regarding incontinence might surprise you!

Urinary Incontinence

• Urinary incontinence affects up to 13% of men and up to 37% of women
• 30% of men and 65% of women in a GP waiting room report some kind of urinary incontinence
• Only 31% of these people will seek help for their incontinence
• In fact, 70% of people with urine leakage do not seek advice or treatment for their condition
• In a 3-month period up to 50% of women between 45-59 experience some degree of incontinence
• The prevalence of urge incontinence is strongly associated with prostate disease
• It is fairly low in younger men but increases to 30% for those aged between 70-84, and 50% for those over 85 years old

Faecal Incontinence

• This form of incontinence affects up to 20% of Australian men and up to 12.9% of Australian women

Incontinence in the Elderly

• Faecal incontinence is on the three major causes for admittance into a residential care facility
• Up to 77% of nursing home residents in Australia are affected by incontinence
• 40-60% of people in nursing homes will wet the bed tonight

What Factors Influence Incontinence?

There are a range of different factors throughout our lives that can contribute to bladder weakness. These include:

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can interfere with the way your urethra normally relaxes and contracts. Further, hormone changes during pregnancy, as well as added pressure on the bladder from the uterus, can cause stress incontinence. When you have stress incontinence you can urinate when you sneeze, cough or laugh, as well as walking, running or exercising.

Childbirth

Also known as postpartum urinary incontinence, involuntary leakage after childbirth can occur when laughing, coughing, sneezing, or performing a strenuous activity. More than a third of new mothers will experience incontinence.

This is due to the fact that the muscles around the bladder and pelvis are weakened from delivery. This makes it harder to control the flow of urine. Further, as your uterus shrinks in the weeks following childbirth, it sits directly on the bladder. This compresses the bladder and makes it difficult to stem the flow of urine. Hormone changes can also occur during and after pregnancy.

Sport

Known as athletic incontinence, this specific form of urinary incontinence results from engaging in high-impact or strenuous activities. Unlike stress incontinence, athletic incontinence occurs exclusively during exercise.

It is thought to be the result of decreased structural support of the pelvic floor due to increased abdominal pressure during high impact exercise. As a result, it is recommended that you ensure you practice pelvic floor exercises, in conjunction with your normal sport, to prevent weakening of the pelvis.

Menopause

The reduced levels of estrogen start around menopause, which can cause a thinning of the lining of the urethra. Further, the surrounding pelvic muscles also may weaken with age, which is known as pelvic relaxation. Women in midlife and beyond are at increased risk of urinary incontinence. This risk raises if the woman has delivered children vaginally. While urinary incontinence is common during perimenopause and beyond, it is not an inevitable part of aging. It should not be considered normal or accepted.

What is the Link Between Incontinence and the Pelvic Floor?

Whether you suffer from urinary or faecal incontinence, it is a very frequent pathology. It affects 1 in 4 women in Australia. Urinary incontinence involves involuntary urine leaks and is often due to the pelvic floor loosening or weakening.

A weakened pelvic floor can also be the source of faecal incontinence. This leads to the inability to hold back urine or faecal matter before reaching the bathroom.

How Can I Improve My Pelvic Floor?

By now, you have probably heard of pelvic floor exercises. Also known as Kegels, these exercises help you tighten up or contract your pelvic floor muscles. This helps strengthen them and prevent incontinence or improve your symptoms. In some cases, it might even reverse them.

If you suffer from urge incontinence, and don’t feel you can get to a bathroom in time, stop and perform a Kegel exercise. Wait until the urgency subsides before going to the bathroom. If you try to make it to the bathroom without doing an exercise, you will likely not make it without a leakage. While improving bladder and pelvic floor control can take months to see improvement, it is worth it in the long run.

Suffering from stress incontinence? Kegel exercises can also help. When it comes to stress incontinence the key is perform a Kegel exercise before pressure hits the bladder. This means, if you are about to sneeze, you should perform the exercise right as you inhale. This will help you stop a leak during the exertion of sneezing. Like urge incontinence, it takes practice but you will see the difference I the long run.

Need help managing your incontinence? Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of products available to help you stay leak free. We also have accessories for furniture and skin health. Explore the range today or contact our helpful support team to find out what product is right for you!

Thankfully incontinence is not a life-threatening medical condition. However, it can significantly affect your quality of life. Those suffering from incontinence often stop traveling, visiting family and friends, and exercising. Basically, incontinence stops people doing the activities they love.

However, approximately 70% of urinary incontinence can be significantly improved simply be changing behavioural habits. Behavioural therapy, either alone or in combination with medication therapy, was more effective than medication alone.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence, like many conditions, exists on a spectrum. It can either be very minimal, leaking only a few drops, or very severe, soaking clothing and furniture.

There are two common types of urinary incontinence. These are stress incontinence or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge incontinence or urgency urinary incontinence (UUI).

SUI leakage occurs when you cough, sneeze, lift, exercise, or exert yourself. UUI is the urge to urinate, and leak before you make it to a bathroom.

Thankfully, there are a number options when it comes to treating and managing incontinence. Not only are there medications, non-surgical and surgical interventions, as well as incontinence pants, behavioural modifications also play a significant role.

These 4 behavioural changes can help you improve your bladder control and better manage your condition – or reverse it altogether!

1: Drinking the Right Amount and Kinds of Fluids

Many people don’t realise that what you drink, and how much you drink, can affect your incontinence or cause incontinence. Too much fluid, from water to soft drinks, to coffee and juices, can increase the likelihood of urinary incontinence. Soft drinks, coffee and other dinks often contain caffeine or similar diuretics, which makes you need the bathroom more often.

Too much fluid, even water, can lead to an overactive bladder or OAB. OAB symptoms include the need to urinate frequently and urgently. Many people with OAB need to get up through the night to use the bathroom.

Drinking too much fluid can also increase stress incontinence. Think of the bladder like a balloon filled with water. There is a rubber band wrapped at the neck. If the balloon is really full, however, and you squeeze it, water will leak out.

As a result, it is best to work out the right fluid intake for your body. While it is often recommended that we have 8 glasses of water a day, that can be too much or too little for some people. Work out what works for your body and ensure you spread your fluid intake throughout the day.

2: Limit Caffeine

As discussed above, caffeine is a diuretic. Caffeine stimulates the kidneys to make urine at a faster than normal rate. Your bladder does not like to be filled rapidly. As a result, they react by becoming overactive or squeezing down (or spasming) when they should not. This makes it more likely that you will experience UUI.

Try to minimise or stop your daily caffeine intake. If you absolutely have to have some caffeine, try to limit it as much as possible.

3: Train Your Bladder

If you feel the need to urinate frequently, you can utilise bladder training. Bladder training involves spacing out your trips to the bathroom. If you urinate every hour, try to make yourself wait at least an hour and a half before your next trip to the bathroom.

Once you are comfortable waiting for an hour and a half, try extending it to two hours and so on. Try to make your goal 3-4 hours between urinating. While it may take several months to achieve, it is worth it for your quality of life.

4: Pelvic Floor Exercises

Performing pelvic floor exercises, or Kegels, helps you tighten up or contract our pelvic floor muscles. You should feel the contraction more to the back than the front.

Kegels can help with both SUI and UUI but you can time the exercise differently depending on the type of incontinence you are trying to control.

If you feel the urge to urinate and don’t feel like you can make it to the bathroom, stop and do a Kegel. Wait until the urgency subsides then walk to the toilet under control. The more you do this, the more your bladder control will improve. It may take months, however, to see significant improvement.

If you suffer from stress incontinence, Kegel exercises can help pull tissue up under the urethra, helping keep the urethra closed when pressure hits the bladder. The rick is to Kegel before pressure hits the bladder. This means if you feel a sneeze coming, you need to tighten at the moment of inhaling. This will take practice, but you will see a difference.

If you are suffering from incontinence, speak to your GP or gynaecologist. Not only can they help you find a solution for your incontinence issues, they can also refer you to the appropriate specialists.

Need help managing incontinence? Holistic Incontinence offers a wide range of incontinence products to help you improve your quality of life. Explore our range today or speak to our helpful representatives to find the right products for your needs.