Incontinence and Menopause

It is estimated that women are twice as likely as men to experience incontinence in their lifetime – and the most likely reason for this is that pregnancy, childbirth and menopause can make women far more prone to urinary incontinence.

But it’s tricky to get accurate statistics or information for this, as quite understandably, people are reluctant to talk about incontinence, even to their GP. So while we are all reasonably familiar with some of the symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes, weight gain and mood swings, incontinence is one of the symptoms which is very much under-reported and, therefore, less well known and, as a result, under-treated.

That’s really bad news because we know how distressing any bladder condition can be. It can impact your lifestyle and emotional health and, when coupled with the menopause, which for some women can be debilitating both physically and mentally, this results in a truly challenging time.

However, there is support and treatment out there – you just need to know where to start.

Why should the menopause cause incontinence?

There are various trains of thoughts on this, the most common being that the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, can become weakened with time. When the muscles which support the urinary tract are weakened, the muscles in the urinary tract work harder to hold back the urine. This extra stress or pressure on the bladder and urethra can cause urinary incontinence, or leakage.

Some researchers believe incontinence during menopause to be the result of hormonal changes, reporting that low levels of the hormone oestrogen may weaken the urethra, which is what helps keep urine in the bladder until you are ready to urinate.

Equally, other factors may play their part, whether that’s diet and exercise, lifestyle or medications.

What can you do?

Whatever the reason, it’s important that you feel you can chat to your healthcare provider about these changes, as they may be able to prescribe treatment. Treatment could range from specific exercises, to medication and/or hormone treatments.

There are also some excellent online forums as well in which you can gain information and support – here are just a few we recommend:

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/

https://bladdermatters.co.uk/

https://www.bladderandbowel.org/

https://www.bbuk.org.uk/

Products to help manage incontinence

There are a number of products which can help you manage incontinence during the menopause, whether on a temporary or long-term basis.

Many of our customers choose our washable briefs, which are great for coping with the lighter or stress type of incontinence that often occurs with menopause. These are eco-friendly and cost-effective; we stock them in sizes ranging from XS to XXXL. There is also an option for women experiencing a more moderate incontinence.

Another option is pull up disposable pants. We stock some of the leading brands including Tena and Abena, which are suited for light, moderate and severe incontinence, again in a broad range of sizes.

You might choose to wear disposable pads. We offer a wide range of shaped pads including those for larger sizes, as well as rectangular pads.

Finally, we have a wide range of washable and disposable bedding and seat and mattress protection products you may find helpful.

If the choice is overwhelming, call us on 0800 389 3597 or email us at info@arelle.com for professional and friendly advice. We may even be able to send you a free sample to try out. But the most important thing is not to suffer in silence, as getting advice early on can significantly improve the impact of incontinence.