It’s World Continence Week, a time to When dealing with the stress of urinary incontinence, it’s essential to remember you’re not the only one. However, we understand it’s easy to feel anxious or ashamed of incontinence symptoms like bladder leakage. Living in fear of your next urinary incontinence accident can cause a lot of stress. It can even keep you from enjoying your everyday activities and social gatherings with your loved ones.
180 Medical, one of the largest suppliers of home-delivered urinary catheters in the United States, cares deeply about each one of our customers and what they’re going through. We know how hard it can be when urinary incontinence starts impacting your emotional and mental health.
Tips to Help Reduce Stress from Urinary Incontinence
Here are some of the most popular and easy methods that may help reduce the effects of stress caused by urinary incontinence.
Tip 1. Try Talk Therapy.
First, consider trying out talk therapy for symptoms of stress, depression, or anxiety. When it comes to dealing with emotional and mental health issues, talk therapy is a great course of action. It can be an essential part of healing to discuss with a licensed professional what you’re feeling. Plus, you can learn several different styles of coping mechanisms that may help reduce the stress of living with incontinence.
Tip 2. Find a Urinary Incontinence Support Group.
Next, why not join an online or local support group specifically for urinary incontinence or bladder health issues? Support groups can be an excellent resource for dealing with the stress of living with urinary incontinence. Whether locally or online, participating in groups can introduce you to other people who are experiencing the same issues. Also, knowing other people are also dealing with similar feelings and symptoms can be reassuring.
Tip 3. Use a Bathroom Finder App.
Leaving the safety of your home, whether for a vacation or even just to run errands, can be an anxiety-inducing ordeal if you’re not sure where the nearest restroom is. Bathroom finder apps, such as Bathroom Scout, can be essential smartphone apps for anyone living with urinary incontinence.
Knowing where the closest public bathroom is can make all the difference between a successful outing and a stressful situation caused by urine leakage.
Here are some more smartphone apps that you may find helpful.
Tip 4. Pack an Accident Bag to Prepare Ahead of Unexpected Urine Leakage.
Being prepared in advance can help many people overcome the stress and anxiety of wondering when the next accident may occur. If you’re traveling, visiting friends, or going out, having a small bag with some essential items packed can be a great tool to lower stress and help in case of bladder leakage.
So what should your accident bag contain? It can consist of anything you feel you need to clean up and feel fresh before or after urine leakage due to urinary incontinence.
However, here are some helpful ideas for packing your accident bag:
- Personal wipes (also known as skin wipes or incontinence wipes)
- Several pairs of Attends or your favorite brand of incontinence adult briefs
- An extra pair of pants
- A few extra pairs of underwear
- Your favorite fragrance to spray if you’re concerned about the smell of urinary incontinence
Tip 5. Prepare yourself by managing your symptoms with the best incontinence products for you.
One of the top ways to help reduce your stress and regain confidence is by finding the right incontinence supplies to manage issues like bladder leakage. However, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms first. They can diagnose your issue and come up with a proper treatment plan, which may include the use of incontinence supplies.
For light to moderate urine leakage, you may want to try discreet panty shields, male guards, or urinary bladder pads. These are convenient incontinence products that adhere to the inside of your underwear to stay secure while providing discreet protection.
For moderate to severe urinary incontinence, incontinence supplies such as adult diapers or disposable underwear may be right for giving you more peace of mind. Innovative technology such as liquid-locking cores, breathable fabrics, and leg cuffs may help keep you worry-free about when an accident happens.
Additionally, backup options like underpads (chux) can help catch nighttime bedwetting.
180 Medical is Ready to Help You
It can be a maze to navigate which incontinence supplies on your own. Let 180 Medical be your trusted partner in finding the right incontinence products and catheter supplies covered by your health insurance.