What Is Mixed Incontinence?

September 1, 2015

Incontinence is a condition that is broken down into different types, including urge incontinence and stress incontinence. Mixed incontinence is a combination of the two. Understanding mixed incontinence and what can be done about it can help you learn to live with and manage the symptoms.

What’s the difference between stress and urge incontinence?

Stress incontinence occurs when muscles and movements of the body put pressure on the bladder, causing leakage. For a person who experiences stress incontinence, coughing, sneezing and other sharp, quick, unexpected muscle movements can all cause the bladder to leak.

Urge incontinence is the involuntary voiding of the bladder that occurs after a person experiences a sudden, urgent need to urinate.

People who suffer from mixed incontinence experience both types of incontinence at one time or another, and must learn to live with both.

Who gets mixed incontinence?

People who experience mixed incontinence may have different diagnoses and come from different backgrounds. Incontinence frequently occurs after an experience, disease or condition causes the muscles or nerves in the body to become weakened or damaged. Stroke, pregnancy, childbirth, Parkinson’s, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other health conditions can cause mixed incontinence. Elderly people may experience mixed incontinence as well, because muscles weaken as they age.

How can you combat mixed incontinence?

Treatment of mixed incontinence often depends on the cause of the incontinence and the doctor’s recommendations. However, with thoughtful lifestyle choices and exercise, many people can combat the effects of mixed incontinence. Here are a few suggestions that can help you control your mixed incontinence and avoid embarrassing situations:

• Perform Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are done by tightening the muscles that stop urine from coming out of the body. Kegel exercises are not done by tightening the buttocks or abdomen. Performing Kegel exercises can strengthen the muscles around the bladder and give people who suffer from incontinence better control. People who experience incontinence should perform 10 rounds of Kegel exercises per day, tightening the muscles 5 times per round.
• Wear dark pants and carry a change of clothes. Dark pants hide wet spots easier than other pants. Carrying fresh pants on hand at all times can give you something to change into when an accident occurs. When carrying a change of pants, choose the same pants as the type you’re already wearing so that people won’t be able to tell you’ve made the switch
• Use the bathroom as often as possible. Go to the bathroom at every opportunity to make involuntary bladder voiding less likely. If you’re going to be sitting for an extended period of time and won’t be walking by a bathroom any time soon, set an alarm to remind you to go at regular intervals.
• Invest in incontinence underwear. Incontinence underwear looks just like regular underwear, comes in a variety of styles and colors, and still provides protection from accidents. Customer favorites include: Women’s Cotton Comfort Panties and the Classic Briefs for men!

Following these tips can help you live confidently with incontinence, and control its effects.