When you are living with incontinence it is important that you find the best way to manage the problem, so that you will be able to carry on with your life and daily activities with the least interference. If it is not well-managed, incontinence can have a serious effect on self-confidence and your ability to travel, work and socialise. The appropriate use of good quality and well-chosen products can make all the difference.
There are a lot of products on the market and you may need to try several different methods before finding the best - do not despair if one product does not work for you.
It can be useful to have some idea about the range of products which are available because it is unlikely that one product will suit every situation. You may need several different kinds of products to manage your incontinence. For example, many people use lighter pads during the day and then use a much more absorbent pad at night. A certain type of protection might be suitable for a particular activity, but is not any good for other times.
Disposables
Disposable pads are very commonly used. There are many different makes, shapes, sizes and thicknesses of pads and it is important that you use the correct type and that it fits well.
Pads without waterproof backing
These pads are meant to be used in specially made pants which have a waterproof pouch into which the pad is inserted. There is generally a "stay-dry" fabric between the pad and your skin - the urine passes through this and into the pad. The pad can be changed without taking the pants off and then the pants can be washed at the end of the day.
This sort of system is useful for light or moderate incontinence - if the flow is heavy there is a risk that the pad may be unable to absorb it quickly enough and it may leak. These pads are not suitable for faecal incontinence or for night time use except for very light incontinence.
Shaped pads with a waterproof backing
These pads are held snugly in place by close-fitting pants. They have a "stay-dry" layer which goes next to the skin and a waterproof plastic backing - and between these are layers of absorbent materials.
The pads come in many shapes and absorbencies - the smaller ones can be worn inside normal close-fitting underwear while the larger ones work best with elastic mesh pants specially designed for this purpose.
For light incontinence, small rectangular or shaped pads are suitable for women, worn with normal underwear or mesh pants. Some pads have an adhesive strip to keep them in place. For men there are disposable absorbent pouches which can be worn with normal close-fitting underwear: the penis sits inside the pouch and an adhesive strip holds the pouch in place inside the pants.
For moderate and heavier incontinence larger shaped pads can be worn by men, women and children. These are normally used along with special stretchy mesh pants. There are also all-in-one disposable stretchy pants with a built in absorbent pad with a waterproof backing which are very easily fitted.
General points:
- You will probably need different types of pads at different times - a supply of one type of pad is rarely sufficient. For example, you may need a more absorbent pad at night than you can use during the day.
- Pads and liners designed for sanitary protection are not suitable for managing incontinence - the materials they are made of do not absorb urine well.
- It is not normally a good idea to use one pad inside another. If you do want to do this for extra absorbency, then only the outside pad should have a waterproof backing.
- Most pads are folded the "wrong way" when they are packaged. When preparing to change a pad, you should refold it length-ways, so that a "valley" is formed - this will make it fit better and will help the urine to be absorbed along the length of the pad rather than leaking out the sides.
- Pads should be changed regularly even if they are not wet or soiled, for the sake of the skin. Do not be tempted to re-use a pad which is not wet - pads deteriorate simply through wear.
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