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Living with incontinence can be challenging. But double incontinence is particularly taxing. We understand this condition can affect you and your loved ones, but knowing the potential cause and solutions can make a substantial difference in your management plan and its effectiveness. This article explains double incontinence, the most common causes and how to effectively manage your condition. Discover all you need to know about double incontinence with Attends.What is double incontinence?Double incontinence is where you have leakage of both faecal (bowel)  and urinary incontinence. Incontinence occurs as a result of nerve or muscle dysfunction in the bladder and bowel, which results in loss of control of the flow of urine and the release of stool (faeces).  The approach and management of double incontinence will vary. Healthcare professionals will often ask which symptoms are the most bothersome to you so they can treat it. Products offering minimal protection can be enough for those with light double incontinence. However, moderate to heavy double incontinence requires more robust products that provide heavy protection.  Double incontinence can feel embarrassing, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and there are many ways to manage the condition and regain your confidence.Common causes of double incontinenceNeurological disorders – health conditions, like multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease that affect your coordination, control and brain can decrease your ability to control your bladder and bowels. Other health conditions can include Alzheimer’s disease, birth defects of the spinal cord, brain or spinal cord tumours, encephalitis and spinal cord injury. Pelvic floor dysfunction – men and women can lose strength in their pelvic floor (the muscles controlling bladder and bowel movements). A weakened pelvic floor means it can be challenging to maintain bodily functions. Bladder and bowel conditions – there are other conditions that can affect your bladder and bowel. For example, bowel conditions such as diverticular disease, irritable bowel disease and Crohn’s disease and urinary conditions such as an overactive bladder, urinary tract infections and kidney disease. If you’re severely constipated, your bowel can become overfull and press on your bladder, so neither the bowel or bladder can empty.  Prostate problems (in men) – some men develop double incontinence due to an enlarged prostate or after prostate surgery. Nerve damage, medications or ageing could be the cause.  Menopause (in women) – menopause can weaken women’s pelvic floor muscles, leading to an increased risk of double incontinence. Lifestyle factors that influence double incontinenceIn addition to medical conditions, several lifestyle factors can increase your risk of double incontinence. These can include:  – Being overweight – your pelvic floor muscles are at an elevated risk of weakening the more overweight you are, which can cause double incontinence. – Smoking – smoking cigarettes can cause nerve damage and affect blood flow to your pelvic region, which can make it harder to control your bladder and bowels.  – Being sedentary – lack of exercise can weaken your pelvic floor and potentially cause double incontinence. – Drinking caffeine – caffeine is a bladder and bowel irritant, so drinking it can increase your risk of double incontinence if you have other incontinence factors.  The good news is that you can change many lifestyle factors to manage your risk of experiencing double incontinence.  Solutions for double incontinenceYou can support and minimise double incontinence in many ways, and some solutions can be relatively simple – especially if you have mild double incontinence. Well-balanced dietEating a well-balanced diet high in fibre is vital, particularly for your bowel health. Too little fibre can lead to constipation and hard stools, putting extra pressure on your bladder. The result is an increased risk of urinary incontinence. Similarly, stool build-up due to constipation can weaken your pelvic floor muscles and lead to faecal incontinence. CaffeineAvoiding irritants for both your bladder and bowel is also essential. Caffeine can make you feel the need to urinate or empty your bowels more often. Therefore, it can be problematic in people with double incontinence. Switching to decaf means you can still enjoy the taste of coffee or tea without risking incontinence. HydrationNot getting enough water can cause dehydration and constipation, which increases your risk of double incontinence. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, but be aware that drinking too much can elevate the chance of leaks if you have urinary incontinence.  Keeping hydrated can improve your bladder and bowel function. Speak with your doctor for advice on staying hydrated if you’re unsure about how much water to drink. Regular exerciseRegular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight that may minimise your double incontinence symptoms. Always work within your limits, and do not push yourself too much, as you may do more harm than good. Check with your GP and nurse specialist before exercising.   You can also do specific pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and perform them more or less anywhere. Pelvic floor exercises involve squeezing, holding and releasing your pelvic floor muscles repeatedly for numerous repetitions. Check out this NHS guide for more information. Pelvic floor exercises aren’t just for women. Men can perform pelvic floor exercises and reap the benefits of a stronger pelvic floor and decreased double incontinence symptoms. Medical and emotional supportYou must speak with your doctor or continence specialist if you’re experiencing double incontinence. They can provide dedicated care and support to meet needs.  You may want to seek emotional support for your double incontinence as well as speak with a healthcare professional. Examples include a support group, speaking with a trained counsellor or therapist or having open conversations with your loved ones.  Remember, you don’t need to deal with your double incontinence alone. Finding additional support can help empower you to manage your condition. Potential treatments for double incontinenceDepending on the cause of your double incontinence, you might require medical treatments like medication, surgery and physiotherapy. Medication and surgery may help if an underlying medical condition causes double incontinence. However, physical therapy may be beneficial if a weakened pelvic floor is the cause. Knowing the suitable treatment for you will depend entirely on your needs, so make sure to speak to your doctor or continence specialist first.Daily management tools for double incontinenceLearning to manage double incontinence daily is integral to your wellbeing. Daily management can differ as each person’s requirements will vary.  We recommend developing a regular toilet schedule to avoid getting caught off guard by unexpected urges and keeping yourself dry and clean for longer. Another tip is to use protective products specially designed for double incontinence.  At Attends, we offer many incontinence products you can combine for complete protection. For example, you can wear our Attends Contours-shaped pads with our Fixation pants. This two-piece system helps keep you dry from leaks and catches any unexpected urinary or faecal incontinence.  Alternatively, why not try a product like our Attends Pull-Ons for heavier double incontinence? This can offer robust, yet discreet, protection and is easy to change. Our All-in-one briefs are another option you can consider. With adjustable tabs for ultimate comfort, these absorbent briefs provide you with complete protection.  Knowing what works for you can take a bit of trial and error but it’s all about learning what suits your body and keeps you feeling comfortable and dry.  Find your double incontinence solutionSeeking advice from a continence specialist or their doctor is crucial if you or a loved one has double incontinence. They can determine their condition’s underlying cause and provide personalised treatment.  Using incontinence products is another way to help manage double incontinence. Our urinary and faecal incontinence products range at Attends supports different flows and anatomies.  Discover our incontinence product range – providing you with complete protection and support, no matter your incontinence type. Sourceshttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-incontinence/ https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/leaflets/title/faecal-incontinence/ https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/toilet-problems-continence https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3952631/ 

  Having an overactive bladder can be difficult to manage. From needing to deal with sudden urges to urinate and potential incontinence, this condition can also impact both your emotional health and overall sense of wellbeing. Stress and anxiety are two common problems you may experience alongside an overactive bladder. However, the two also have a bit of a catch-22 relationship. If you already experience stress or anxiety, for example, you may notice these feelings worsen with an overactive bladder. While at the same time, having an overactive bladder could result in you feeling stressed or anxious. So, what can you do to help? There are various ways you can support your mental wellbeing and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, as we’ve outlined in this blog post. So keep on reading to discover our top tips.Top tips for managing stress and anxiety with an overactive bladderStress and anxiety can really disrupt your daily life, so finding ways to soothe and improve them is important. Here are some of the most effective ways you can find relief from the stress and anxiety that’s caused by having an overactive bladder.1. Give pelvic floor exercises a tryPelvic floor exercises are designed to strengthen your pelvic floor. A weakened pelvic floor can lead to increased symptoms of incontinence which can, in turn, increase feelings of anxiety and stress. Pelvic floor exercises involve tightening, holding and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. Therefore, by reducing your incontinence symptoms, you can feel more confident and less worried about your overactive bladder as you’ll know you have more control.2. Relax with yogaWhen you’re feeling stressed, the last thing many people feel like doing is hard exercise. Instead, taking up something that helps you focus your mind and connect to your body can be much more helpful. Yoga is all about improving your strength, flexibility and balance but, alongside that, it promotes a deeper sense of self, helping to support and reduce any feelings of anxiety or stress. So why not try taking up a yoga class in your local area? Or, if you’re more comfortable at home, there are hundreds, if not thousands of videos from yoga instructors online that you can easily follow from your living room.3. Minimise your caffeine intakeAlthough a nice hot cup of coffee is many people’s favourite way to start the day, it may be causing you more anxiety than it’s worth. The caffeine in coffee can give you a good burst of energy but it’s also notorious for causing an increased heart rate and jitters, both of which are common symptoms of anxiety. As a stimulant, caffeine also causes your body to release adrenaline, which can lead to you feeling nervous instead of energised. It can also stimulate your bladder, causing you to urinate more and, if you already have an overactive bladder, this can be potentially troublesome. Switching your cup of coffee to a decaffeinated option instead could help reduce any caffeine-based anxieties you have and allow you to get back to enjoying your mornings free of stress. 4. Build a strong support networkFeelings of stress and anxiety from an overactive bladder are much more common than you realise. Some people with an overactive bladder may feel isolated as they don’t have anyone to talk to who truly understands. However, finding others who are going through the same thing can help with the emotional aspect of living with the condition. Try finding local support groups or join online forums to create a strong support network that can be there for you when times get tough or provide you with someone to talk to at the end of a difficult day. Talking through your emotions and the challenges of having an overactive bladder can be a great stress reliever and help you realise that you’re not alone in your condition. 5. Get enough sleepHaving an overactive bladder means you will most likely need to get up multiple times in the night to go to the bathroom. However, interrupted sleep (or a lack of sleep) can increase feelings of stress and anxiety. To make sure you get enough sleep each night, try to prioritise a healthy bedtime routine. This should involve: -  Going to bed and getting up at the same time – even on the weekends -  Avoiding lots of fluids before going to bed -  Not using your phone or watch TV while in bed -  Partaking in relaxing activities before bed like yoga or reading By getting a healthy night’s sleep each night, your emotional health should benefit and you should wake up feeling a lot more refreshed.6. Aromatherapy and calming smellsSometimes you can’t prevent feelings of stress or anxiety from occurring and it can make you feel worse when you don’t know how to stop them from taking over. However, one handy tip many people like to use is aromatherapy. Certain scents, like lavender, chamomile and jasmine, can have a calming effect on your body and mind. Carrying around your favourite calming essential oil can work wonders when you feel your levels of anxiety or stress building. Taking a few moments to inhale and exhale the aroma can relax your body and focus your mind, allowing any feelings of stress to fall by the wayside.  7. Enjoy the outdoors (even when it's not sunny)When you feel anxious about an overactive bladder, going outside, far away from a toilet can be understandably triggering. However, this again can lead to a bit of a catch-22. Not knowing when you’ll be able to get to a toilet if you need to go urgently can drastically increase your anxiety and stress levels, for example. But not going outside can have a detrimental effect on your emotional wellbeing. Vitamin D is an important vitamin your body needs and studies have found that low levels of it can be linked to depression and anxiety. While our bodies can get vitamin D through certain foods, we also create it when exposed to direct sunlight, which is why getting outside whenever you can is important for keeping your levels topped up. As well as vitamin D, just being outside and connected with nature has been shown to lower your levels of stress and anxiety. Here are some ways you can get outside when living with an overactive bladder: -  Plan ahead and know where your closest bathroom is -  Let a loved one or trusted friend know about your condition so they can support you -  Find places easily accessible to you or close to home to keep your anxiety at bay -  Sit in your garden and enjoy a good book -  Practise yoga in your gardenEasing stress and anxiety on a day-to-day basis with AttendsEasing stress and anxiety can be a great way to help you deal with your overactive bladder daily. From helping you regain your confidence to creating a support system and getting sleep, there are lots of ways you can minimise feelings of stress and anxiety caused by an overactive bladder. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an overactive bladder, be sure to get in touch with your doctor or local continence service for medical support and care. At Attends, we understand the emotional and physical challenges having an overactive bladder can bring. That’s why we offer a wide range of incontinence products to suit a variety of needs. With an additional layer of support and comfort, you can effectively reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety and get back to doing the things you love.Sources●  Healthline - Overactive Bladder & Anxiety ●  Healthlife - Overactive Bladder & Anxiety, Home Remedies ●  Mayo Clinic - Overactive Bladder, Diagnosis & Treatment ●  National Library of Medicine - Caffeine Intake & Anxiety, An Analysis ●  National Library of Medicine - Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression?