What is Continence?
Continence is the ability to control your bladder and bowel.
Incontinence is a loss of bladder or bowel control that may result in involuntary leakage of urine or faeces.
Continence is the ability to control your bladder and bowel.
Incontinence is a loss of bladder or bowel control that may result in involuntary leakage of urine or faeces.
Urinary incontinence is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying problem, sometimes the cause of which is unknown. Over recent years, further research has been done in this area and a wider range of treatment therapies are now available either through the public system or privately run clinics.
More than 1.4 million New Zealanders have experienced the problem at some time, and some may need a referral to a continence professional. There are many things that can be done to manage, control, or improve incontinence. You can call us on 0800 650 659 for a friendly chat.
The most common type of incontinence is called stress incontinence. It is characterised by small amounts of urine leakage, often associated with physical exercise, laughing, coughing, bending, lifting, or sneezing.
Another type of incontinence is overactive bladder, so named because of the strong desire to urinate which can occur many times a day, leading to frequency. Treatment for this type of incontinence is based on a programme of bladder retraining using biofeedback techniques and may include dietary modification and/or medication. You may have urgency and frequency without leakage, but it is still considered a bladder disorder.
Overflow incontinence is more commonly experienced by men and is usually caused by enlargement of the prostate gland with resulting obstruction. Treatment in many cases requires surgery.
A person suffering from incontinence may have more than one type, so-called mixed incontinence, and so it should never be assumed that by treating one the person will necessarily be cured.
