If you or anyone close to you is experiencing urinary incontinence, you likely stress a lot about any ‘accidents’ that might occur or even avoid discussing ways to help with your condition due to the stigma surrounding it. But you’d be surprised to know that as much as about 38% of Australians experience incontinence, so you’re definitely not alone!
Knowing to manage urinary incontinence hygienically while at the same time not having to worry about leaks can go a long way in keeping you comfortable without interfering with your everyday tasks. That’s why we have compiled a list of common urinary incontinence products – from incontinence bed pads to liners – so you know all the options you can choose from!
Incontinence Liners And Pads
Generally used to protect from light to moderate incontinence, incontinence liners and pads are used as inserts, and protective or regular underwear is used to hold them. These pads and liners can be secured to your underwear using the adhesive strips on them. Incontinence pads and liners help absorb urine and keep your skin dry to not experience discomfort from dampness or irritation. Note that incontinence pads and liners come in many different sizes and absorbencies.
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Incontinence Underwear
Incontinence underwear is very similar to regular underwear and is usually reusable. This type of underwear has a built-in waterproof liner and pad, which helps absorb urine in a way that relieves your skin of moisture and controls odour. Incontinence underwear comes in colors and in different styles (overnight underwear is designed to hold more urine) and can be a great choice to help manage your incontinence without feeling like you are wearing a diaper.
Incontinence Underpads
These incontinence products can be placed on furniture to protect them from leaks and allow the easy cleaning of any leaks. Incontinence bed pads fall under this category, and using them will allow you to sleep comfortably without having to stress about dirty sheets in the morning.
Incontinence Guards
Guards are often designed to cater to men specifically. Incontinence guards are similar to liners and pads, the only difference being those guards are contoured to snugly fit the male genitals. Guards can be attached to the front of briefs and generally provide light to moderate protection.
Pessaries
Pessaries are designed for women and fit into the vagina to help support the bladder and compress the urethra to prevent leaks.
Pessaries are often reusable. It helps to note that pessaries come in many different shapes and sizes, so it might take a few tries to find the best fit for you (your doctor will decide what to fit you with). You can learn to remove the pessary yourself and clean it using soap and water. If you would like to know more pessaries and use and maintain them, this site can help.
There are also other incontinence products designed specifically for either men or women.
Some male incontinence products include:
- Condom catheters
- Penile clamps
- Portable toilets
Some female incontinence products include:
- Urethral inserts
- Vaginal inserts
That’s all we have for you! We hope this list we’ve put together gave you a better idea of which product you think might best suit your needs and helped you learn of all the options you have in the market. We will leave you with one last tip: it’s always a good idea to meet with a healthcare provider to discuss the best incontinence product depending on the level of protection you require, amongst other factors!