Blog Home

Brevard Medical Equipment

Recent Comments

    Archive for the ‘Bladder’ Category

    5 Ways to be Proactive about Your Incontinence

    Posted on: January 6th, 2016 by BrevardBlogger No Comments

    blog-6

    Adult incontinence is not a common discussion around the dinner table. Fortunately, there are some valuable resources that can help you navigate many day-to-day tasks associated with incontinence. Brevard Medical Equipment offers these five tips to help make your days a little bit easier:

     

    • Understand how frequently you may need to change.

     

    Most people need to change their disposable underwear every two to three hours. However, others release small amounts of urine throughout the day, instead of voiding all at once. If this is the case for you, underwear liners may be a better fit than disposable underwear.

     

    • Different sizes mean different absorbency.

     

    A good rule of thumb is to go with the smallest size that fits you, as this is the best way to prevent leakage. The exception to this rule is when you need extra protection, as larger sizes typically provide more absorbency.

     

    • Take the outer shell into consideration.

     

    Adult incontinence products are usually encased in a plastic or cloth-like outer shell. Plastic is more effective at masking odor and preventing leaks. However, it makes a crinkling noise while you move around or upon sitting. The cloth-like outer shell provides a much quieter alternative.

     

    • Superabsorbent is ideal for nighttime use.

     

    Getting up to change in the middle of the night is disruptive, which is why you want to use disposable underwear that’s labeled as “superabsorbent” when you sleep. In general, it can hold twice the amount of urine that regular absorbency can, and it’s designed to pull the void away from the skin.

     

    • An underpad is a great backup in case of leakage.

     

    Unfortunately, leaks do happen from time to time. That’s why it’s a good idea to use disposable underpads on beds, sofas, chairs and even car seats. They can soak up anything that might seep through, saving you from cleaning up your furniture.

    At Brevard Medical Equipment, we know that living with incontinence is not easy. However, having the right products can make all the difference. Our team can assist in picking out the right products for you and your specific needs. Stop by today, or check out our online catalog for all our adult incontinence products.

    Bladder Health and Urinary Incontinence- Part 2

    Posted on: December 19th, 2013 by BrevardBlogger No Comments

    Brevard Medical Equipment is talking about bladder and incontinence this month. Why? Because as we age, our bladders tend to become much more of an issue than they were when we were younger. We would like to offer some more tips and techniques so you can enjoy better bladder health.

    Our bodies age a bit every day. And just like the rest of our muscles and body parts, the bladder is not what it used to be.  Urinary incontinence happens when muscles are too weak like in the case of stress incontinence.  Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles in your bladder are too weak to properly close and stay closed. This type of incontinence happens when we sneeze, have a hardy laugh or lift a heavy object.

    On the other end of the urinary incontinence coin is overactive bladder.  Overactive bladder is when your bladder sends an “I’m really full!” message to your brain even when it’s not. You may experience a strong urge to urinate even when there is little urine in the bladder. There are many reasons for overactive bladder including prostate problems in men and nerve or spinal cord damage in either gender.

    What are some basic bladder rules to remember?

    Don’t smoke and if you do, quit now. Smoking affects more than your lungs. Cigarette smokers have a much higher rate of bladder cancer than non-smokers, up to three times higher!  More than 50,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year, many of those cases are in smokers.

    Get your eight glasses of water a day. Sixty-four ounces or eight 8ounce glasses a day will help to keep your balder flushed and clean. If you aren’t a water drinker, start slow and work your way up. Warning: you will be making many more trips to the bathroom. That’s the point. If you have limited mobility, won’t be near a bathroom or if it’s close to bed time or a commute, you may want to cut that back, but try to always stay fluid.

    If you have bladder leakage or incontinence issues, see Brevard Medical Equipment for a variety of liners and adult briefs.

    Bladder Health and Urinary Incontinence- Part 1

    Posted on: December 17th, 2013 by BrevardBlogger No Comments

    Brevard Medical Equipment thinks that bladders don’t get the credit they deserve. Bladders may be small, but they work very hard, are often abused and we really don’t think about them until they are full or painful.

    The human bladder is the last stop for urine before it leaves the body. It’s a hollow holding tank for urine that comes from the kidneys. The bladder itself is made up of muscles that both keep urine in and push it out. These muscles are what children learn to control when they are potty trained.

    For many people, the bladder is not much of a concern after we are potty trained until we suffer bladder infections or problems with urination.

    As we age, so do our bladders. Those aging bladders can cause us problems with incontinence.  If you have bladder issues like incontinence, you are certainly not alone.  Studies show that 1 out of every 6 adults have some type of issues with incontinence. About 30 percent of women experience some kind of incontinence, with woman suffering more than men.

    Modern medicine and advertising have brought this problem into the light more than ever before, and that is a good thing. It’s time that we talk about it and seek better treatments and care of bladders. Reports say that around $15 billion is spent on incontinence in the U.S. alone. That’s BILION with a “B”.

    Urinary incontinence is the big term for the loss of bladder control. Urinary incontinence can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. What causes it? There are many reasons from the basic aging, to damage suffered to the bladder, to injuries to the spinal cord, brain tumors and brain injuries. In the case of spinal or brain injuries, it’s not the bladder that is malfunctioning, it’s the message between the brain and bladder causing the issues, but the results are the same.

    There are many treatments for incontinence, depending on age, gender and the type of bladder issues you experience. If you or a loved one are experiencing urinary incontinence, see Brevard Medical Equipment for a variety of protective overnight underwear and adult briefs.