It may not be the most serious of medical diseases and conditions, but it’s certainly high on the list for quality-of life issues. More often than not, the cause of urinary Incontinence is an underlying treatable medical condition. Unfortunately, it’s grossly under-reported to physicians.

• Stress incontinence is caused by weakness of the pelvic floor muscles. Symptoms are loss of urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or exercise. This kind of incontinence usually results from some kind of event that weakens these muscles, such as a prostatectomy in men or pregnancy in women.


• Urge incontinence is loss of urine for no apparent cause whenever there is an urge to urinate. This is usually the result of involuntary muscle contractions.


• Functional incontinence happens when a person can’t make it to the bathroom in time. This can also be caused by underlying medical conditions such as dementia, poor mobility, or anxiety.


• Overflow incontinence is when there seems to be a constant leak, even when a person has just urinated. This is often the result of weak bladder muscles or a blocked urethra.


• Structural incontinence is caused by some impediment such as a fistula.

No matter which of these categories your incontinence fits into, you need to discuss the situation with your doctor, who may be able to find a solution for you. The underlying cause might be a threat to your health—a tumor, for instance. At any rate, the compromise to your quality of life makes it worth trying to find a solution.

Fortunately, there are many products on the market nowadays to help you deal with your incontinence, no matter the cause. For example:

• Drainage Bags. These come in urine bags, disposable bags, wearable ones (leg bags and bedside bags), and travel devices.


• Penis Clamp. These are placed around the penis to control male urinary incontinence. They are tightened halfway down the shaft of the penis to compress the urethra. Two major devices on the market include the Cunningham Clamp and the Squeezer Klip.



• Drip Collectors. These devices are placed over the penis and absorb dribble. Two of the best sellers include the ActiCuf Compression Pouch and the Jackson Medical Male Urine Guard.


• Briefs. Incontinence briefs come in reusable and disposable versions. The reusable ones use pads to absorb the urine and often look just like regular underwear except that they’re designed to hold a pad.


• Pads and Shields. Incontinence pads and shields are vastly improved over even a few years ago.


• Underpads for the Bed. Disposable underpads as well as reusable bed pads are especially useful for the caretaker of an incontinent patient.


• Urinals and Bed Pans. These are a mainstay at hospitals. Urinals and bed pans are also useful at nursing homes and for homecare for the incontinent patients who also suffer from mobility. A new urinal called the EZwee is particularly helpful for individuals in wheelchairs.



• Disposable Wipes. Incontinence disposable wipes are useful for cleanup and personal hygiene.



• Deodorizers. The smell of urine is a signal to everyone you meet that you are either incontinent or in lack of personal hygiene. Incontinence deodorizers are very useful for personal dignity.

Vitality Medical has a wide range of products to help you deal with incontinence. With the appropriate tools, you can live your life normally and no one need ever know that you have this embarrassing problem. Go to Vitality Medical’s website and click on “incontinence” in the left column.