If you or a loved one suffers from incontinence, we’re here to help. In this article, we will review the causes of incontinence and your available treatment options.Then we will discuss products you can wear to control incontinence and how to choose the best adult briefs for your situation.

What Is Incontinence?

Incontinence is a medical term used to describe a lossof bladder control.If you have trouble making it to the bathroom in time, or if urine leaks when you sneeze or cough, you may have incontinence.

What Causes Incontinence?

There are manycauses of incontinence. Some are temporary and others are long-lasting.

Some foods and drinks can cause temporary incontinence. These include coffee and tea, alcohol, soda pop, spicy foods, corn syrup and citrus fruits.

Certain medications, urinary tract infections, and constipation can also cause temporary incontinence.

Persistent incontinence could be caused by:

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Changes that occur with aging and after menopause
• A hysterectomy
• Prostate cancer
• An enlarged prostate
• A blockage in your urinary tract
• Certain nerve disorders such as Parkinson’s disease

What Treatments Are Available?

Fortunately, there are many options available to treat incontinence.

Non-Invasive options to consider include:

• Bladder training
• Double voiding
• Scheduled trips to the bathroom
• Changes in your diet and hydration routine
• Pelvic floor exercises

If these options don’t work, you can then try:

• Electrical stimulation
• Medications
• A urethral insert or pessary
• Injections
• Nerve stimulation
• Surgery

You could also consider using a catheter, which is a tube inserted into your bladder to drain urine.

If you don’t like these options, or if they don’t work, you can use liners or other protective garments to manage the condition.

What Products Can Help?

Many different products exist to help people who suffer from incontinence. In this section, we will describe the options and how to choose the best one for you.

The first option is a liner that youwear inside regular underwear.This product is great for light incontinence, such as when you only have a dribble or small leak when you sneeze.

Another option for socially active adults is the pull-up. A pull-up is a protective garment that you wear instead of regular underwear. To put it on, you stand up, step into the leg holes, and pull it up to your waist.

For people who are bedridden, adult briefs (also known as adult diapers) are your best choice. You don’t have to put them on while standing. They work like diapers for babies in that they have sides that open to remove the garment.

Pull-ups and adult briefs are a great choice for people with light to heavy incontinence because they are more absorbent than liners.

Which Adult Briefs Are Right for Me?

Once you’ve decided to use adult briefs, there are many factors to consider when choosing the best kind.

Cloth vs. Disposable

The first question to consider is whether to choose cloth or disposable briefs. You can wash and reuse cloth briefs. With most disposable briefs, you use them once and then throw them away.

Cloth briefs can save money, they’re more environmentally-friendly, and they don’t build up in your garbage can like disposable ones.

Still, most people prefer disposable briefs for convenience reasons. You don’t have to wash them, and you don’t have to worry about not getting them clean enough. If an elderly person needs help keeping them clean, you’ll have to pay for outside help.

If you are bedridden or have sensitive skin, you’ll want to use the disposable kind. Bed sores happen more often with cloth briefs. Plus, plastic briefs are less likely to cause skin infections if removed right away after they become soiled.

For people with heavy incontinence, it might be a good idea to alternate between disposable and cloth briefs. That way, you’re not using as many disposable briefs, and you don’t have to wash cloth briefs multiple times a day.

You’ll also need to decide whether a cloth or plastic backing is best for you.The most common backing is cloth, as they are better for your skin and are breathable. But some people prefer plastic backing, so the choice is yours.

Comfort and Fit

You’ll want to try out a few different kinds of briefs to find one that fits comfortably.

Consider the size and shape of your body when choosing the right fit. You want the brief to fit snugly to prevent leaks. But if it’s too small, it may pinch your legs. Getting the right fit can help prevent skin irritation and rashes.

You’ll also want to consider the type of incontinence you have to identify the right size. Emptying a full bladder requires more absorbency than a small amount of dribble will.

Also consider how easy the brief is to remove, especially for people with physical or mental limitations and for those who are bedridden. A brief with open sides might work well for these individuals.

Is It Discreet?

You’ll want to look for three factors when it comes to discreet protection: odor control, appearance, and noise.

Many briefs come with built-in odor control. Test out a pair in the comfort of your home to check for odor before wearing them outside.

Slim and thin briefs fit closely around your body and don’t draw attention to the brief. Test out the brief under your normal clothes to see if any lines show through.

Some briefs also make a plastic noise while you walk around. You may want to test this out, as well, before you try the brief for social activities.

Price

Another factor to consider is the price. When choosing the right brief for your needs, make sure it fits within your budget. Sometimes your health insurance can help reduce the cost if you have a flex spending account.

Read customer reviews and compare prices before you buy. Buying briefs in bulk can also save you money in the long run.

We hope this article has helped you decide which products will work best to control incontinence. We carry a wide selection of products and orders of$200 or more qualify for free shipping.