Coping with incontinence
Updated: 1/16/2004 5:00:00 AM
By: Kristina Krawchuk


Fresh snow has fallen and now the race is on to hit the slopes--
unless your race is to the restrooms.

Arlene Pericak, an incontinence patient, said, "When I was skiing, I
would use the facilities at the bottom of the mountain, and when I
got to the top, I would realize I would have to use them again."

Arlene Pericak's incontinence problem began after she gave birth to
her third child. But she is not alone. One in four women between the
ages of 30 and 59 will experience bladder control problems.

Cindy Monaghan, director of the Seton Health Incontinence Program,
said, "They're exercising, you cough, you sneeze all of the sudden
you're leaking a little urine. That little urine becomes a moderate
amount of urine, and after many years people will say, 'oh no now
it's a real issue.'"

Risk factors for bladder issues include pregnancy, childbirth,
menopause, aging, especially in men with prostate problems, and
chronic diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and
congestive heart failure.

But Monaghan said there is reassuring news.

Monaghan said, "Surgery is really the exception with incontinence.
It's not the first thing we look to do. Less than 5 percent of our
patients actually needed the surgery to correct it."

The treatment to control the bladder is strengthening the muscles.
They do that with Kagel exercises. How do you know if you can do a
Kagel exercise? Well, if you can't squeeze when you sneeze, then it's
time to come in for some help.

Monaghan said, "With women, we use a vaginal probe, there are no side
effects to this. It's hooked up to a computer screen and the patient
does the Kagels with a nurse practitioner and can see if they are
squeezing the right muscle and how strong it is."

The goal is to have the patient off the biofeedback and doing the
Kagels by themselves within the 12 week program.

Cindy also said you should watch your diet for foods that may
irritate the bladder like caffeine and alcohol. In some cases
NutraSweet, spicy or citrus foods can be a problem as well.

Now that Arlene watches her diet and continues her Kagel exercise,
life is back to normal.

Pericak said, "I even remember waiting in line at the supermarket and
thinking, 'oh jeez, you know maybe I should have gone to the
bathroom, but I just went I should be ok.' And now with the
exercises, I can wait in a long line and it's not a problem at all."

Now, she's just waiting for the white stuff to fall so she can spend
less time in the restroom and more time on the slopes.



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