There are many different kinds of incontinence issuses contrary to common belief. Here are just a few.
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence is the other main type of bladder control problem, which may occur in addition to overactive bladder. Stress Incontinence involves involuntary urine leakage due to poor urethral support while lifting, coughing, sneezing, or running. Women who have given birth are especially prone to stress incontinence.
Mixed Incontinence or Mixed Symptoms
Mixed Incontinence or Mixed Symptoms is the name given to a combination of stress incontinence and the symptoms of overactive bladder. Many people who experience problems with both urgency and frequency will eventually experience an urge incontinence episode or wetting accident. Urge incontinence often results in a larger amount of lost urine than stress incontinence and is often unpredictable. While a woman may be able to brace herself when she is about to laugh or cough and prevent loss of urine from stress incontinence, there is little warning with urge incontinence. There are many incontinence products available to help with these symptoms.
Urge urinary incontinence (UI)
The most common bladder problem is Urge urinary incontinence (UI) and this is the unwanted urine leakage that happens shortly after the sudden, intense desire to urinate. It is caused by involuntary bladder contractions that occur as the bladder fills. With urge UI, a person may be aware of the urge sensation but will be unable to stop leakage before getting to the toilet. Urine loss is usually in large amounts that soak underwear and even outer clothing. Sometimes an event will "trigger" the urine leakage. Some common triggers include hearing running water or what is known as the "key-in-the-door" syndrome. The anticipation of urinating can trigger a bladder spasm.
An additional symptom of overactive bladder seen very often - especially in the elderly - is nocturia, awakening more than two times at night to urinate, which will often disrupt sleep. This condition affects men and women of all ages, although its incidence increases significantly with age. Only your doctor can diagnose your bladder control problem and determine the right treatment for you, however we do have a simple test that is used by Doctors and other Healthcare professionals that you can perform at home to help you accurately determine the difference between Urge and Stress Incontinence.
Dealing With Incontinence
Stop Smoking - Save your life and money on life insurance
March the 11th sees the 25th anniversary of No Smoking Day, a day of national recognition and support for those who want to try and give up.
Over the past 25 years the campaign has grown from an awareness day organized by a group of individuals with an interest in health, to becoming a fully registered charity in 1991, and onward to employing a full-time staff and becoming one of the best-known days of its type. In light of the ongoing global economic difficulties and the ‘credit crunch’, this year the campaign is more geared towards how smokers can save money if they give up – alongside the well-known health benefits.
So how can giving up smoking at this time help you save m
oney?
The first financial saving to consider, is what you might save on a day to day, week to week, or year to year basis, if you were to give up smoking now. According to myfinances.co.uk, the average packet of cigarettes costs £5.67 in the UK.
If we assume that the average smoker gets through a packet a day, a week of non-smoking will save you £39.69, a month of non-smoking will save you in the region of £177.75 – yet over an entire year you will be set to save a massive £2,069.55.
It is fair to acknowledge that not everyone who wants to give up smokes £5.67 worth of cigarettes everyday, but during these times of belt-tightening and cutting back, the prospect of saving over a thousand pounds after a year of non-smoking must sound tempting to anybody.
However, savings from giving up smoking don’t stop with the cost of cigarettes. As life insurance companies become more and more competitive whilst frugal customers threaten to cancel their policies, now is the best-time for non-smokers to benefit from slashed monthly premiums in comparison to their smoking peers. Savings of up to 50 percent on payments can be made for non-smokers, whilst comparison website moneysupermarket.com estimate a 30 year-old male smoker will spend over £8,000 more on life cover than a non-smoker of the same age.
The financial benefits of giving up around the 11th March go even further though. With the growth of No Smoking Day year on year, many businesses, including supermarkets and shops, have tried to get a piece of the action. Supermarket giant, Asda are discounting prices of nicotine patches and gum in an offer to help their visitors stop at this time. It certainly seems that, in terms of saving money from stopping smoking, March 2009 may well be the perfect month to give it a try.
Coffee is Good For Hangovers and Alcohol Damage
A night out on the town...too much to drink...and the morning after needs a few cups of serious coffee. Double espresso's! That's about as far as your thought processes will take you, but when you sober up and the headache disappears, consider this new finding.
"Drinking three or more cups of coffee a day can almost halve the risk of cirrhosis of the liver, according to a Norwegian study, reported Health Media Group Media Watch Services. The protective effect applies even among alcohol drinkers, whose risk of cirrhosis is much higher. However, seven or eight cups a day provide no more protection than three (ok...so who says you can't have some pleasures in life?). Dr Tverdal, from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, suggests that coffee works by protecting the liver cells, since other studies have shown coffee-drinkers to have lower levels of liver enzymes - an indication of liver damage. This study agrees with others. An article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in June 2006, shows that among more than 125,000 people studied for up to 22 years, coffee drinkers were less likely to be diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis."
"Was it the caffeine? No say the researchers, because this study noted that tea also contains caffeine and there was no significant decrease in cirrhosis in tea drinkers. This doesn't prove that it was coffee that reduced liver damage, and so we don't suggest you go wild, but if coffee can reduce damaging liver enzymes, then it could certainly be working in the right direction and indeed against other "unkown" damaging effects. It could be the anti-oxidants in coffee as these have been highlighted as "protective" in other plant material. So it may be best to use freshly ground coffee to avoid oxidation and possible degradation of the anti-oxidants that are thought to give coffee this healing character. An automatic coffee vending machine is simple to use and can turn beans into espresso at the push of a button."
In a world full of preservatives and other food chemicals, it's nice to know that we have a great excuse to have another cup!
Sun Safety on Holiday
You're off on holiday at last! There are so many things to remember, not least your travel insurance and your sun cream. Once you've got your trip covered, here's how to cover up in the sun...
Soaking up the sun can be really relaxing, but sun damage can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer and premature ageing. Even in the short term, sunburn can ruin your holiday - no one wants to cover up all week with painful, lobster-like skin.
How can I protect myself from sun damage?
Choose loose, cool clothing that covers you up. Wear sunglasses with UV protection and a hat to protect your face and neck. Take regular breaks in the shade and ideally keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm.
Make wearing sun cream part of your routine. Cancer Research UK recommends a minimum of sun protection factor (SPF) 15 for most people. You don't have to buy the most expensive brand but check that your cream blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Use generous amounts, reapply after going in the water or sweating and if you're near the water, take extra care as you'll burn more easily.
When do I put my sun cream on?
Put your sun cream on at least 20-30 minutes before you go outside and reapply after 20-30 minutes in the sun and then every two hours. Always put your sun cream on before your moisturiser and make-up and don't forget the areas that are most commonly missed: your hair parting, your ears, nose, lips, feet and skin around the edges of your clothes.
Who's most at high risk from skin cancer?
People with fair skin, red or fair hair, light eyes, or a lot of moles or freckles need to take extra care in the sun. The same goes if you have a family history of skin cancer or a previous bad experience of sunburn. You might want to cover up, stay in the shade or wear sun cream that's SPF25 or more. If you notice changes to your skin or moles, speak to your GP.
Do children need extra protection?
Children have sensitive skin and need extra protection from the sun. Use SPF25 and reapply every two hours and after they've been in the sea, the pool or playing with water. Put them in loose clothing with long sleeves, preferably cotton and check shoulders, backs and necks are covered.
Hats are a must, ideally with a wide brim or a flap that covers the neck, as are sunglasses with UV filters. Babies under 12 months need to stay in the shade.
Can sun cream go off?
Eventually. Sun cream lasts for 2-3 years but check the expiry date on the bottle - you won't be protected if it's out-of-date. Keep your sun cream cool and out of direct sunlight as this can damage it.
For the ultimate relaxing holiday, get your travel insurance sorted before you go.
Buy cheap travel insurance from Post Office®; single trip and annual multi trip travel health insurance offering you comprehensive cover with a range of additional options.