Incontinence almost always has a cause, and sometimes that cause is fixable. It is worth understanding the usual suspects before anyone concludes that nothing can be done.
Age and the pelvic floor
Muscles weaken over time, including the ones that hold the bladder closed. Bladder capacity drops a little, and the signal to go arrives later and more urgently. This is the background to most cases, but it is rarely the only factor.
Childbirth and menopause
Pregnancy and delivery stretch the pelvic floor, and several deliveries have a cumulative effect. After menopause, the drop in oestrogen thins the tissue around the urethra. This is why stress incontinence, the kind that shows up with a cough or a laugh, is so common in women in their fifties onwards. Pelvic floor exercises genuinely help here, and a physiotherapist who works in this area is worth finding.
Prostate problems in men
An enlarged prostate squeezes the urethra, so the bladder never fully empties and then dribbles. After prostate surgery, leakage is common for a period while things recover. Both situations should be under a urologist rather than managed quietly at home.
Diabetes
Long standing diabetes affects the nerves that control the bladder, and high sugar levels increase urine volume. Many families notice the leakage before they notice the sugar has drifted. If control has slipped, this is worth checking.
Neurological conditions
Stroke, Parkinson's disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis and spinal injury all interrupt the signalling between the brain and the bladder. In dementia there is an extra layer, because the person may not recognise the signal, may forget where the bathroom is, or may not be able to say what they need.
Medicines
This one gets missed constantly. Diuretics for blood pressure, some sedatives, some medicines for the heart. Nobody should stop a prescribed medicine on their own, but it is completely reasonable to ask the doctor whether anything on the list could be contributing, or whether the timing of a dose could move.
Infection
A urinary tract infection can cause sudden leakage, urgency, burning and, in older adults, sudden confusion. It is treatable and it is common. Any sudden change deserves a test rather than a new packet of diapers.
Constipation
A loaded bowel presses on the bladder and reduces how much it can hold. Treating chronic constipation sometimes improves the leakage noticeably, which surprises people.
Mobility and the layout of the house
If it takes four minutes to get out of a low chair, cross a room and manage a door, a normal bladder can lose that race. A commode beside the bed at night, a raised toilet seat, a grab bar, better lighting. These changes sound small and they can cut accidents substantially.
Meanwhile, protect the skin and the sleep
Finding and treating the cause can take weeks or months. During that time, good protection keeps skin healthy and keeps everyone sleeping, which makes the rest of it manageable. Our range covers the everyday situations, and the skin care guide covers the part people usually get wrong.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. If symptoms are new or getting worse, see a doctor before you decide anything.