When her 73-year-old mother-in-law brought sanitary napkins with her for a weekend visit, "Susan" (not her real name) was pretty sure they weren't for their advertised use.
"I'm sure she figured, having had seven children, what else could she expect but loss of bladder control," explained Susan. She added that her mother-in-law would have been mortified to learn Susan had discovered the cache of absorbent products.
Susan, on the other hand, at 49 is of another generation--one that talks about unmentionable topics like episiotomies and menopause and bladder control. Susan's volleyball team takes en masse bathroom breaks in the middle of practice.
Women of all ages share the problem of urinary incontinence--and they may even talk and joke about it among themselves--but not very many of them seek medical help for it.
Women need to know they can do something about urine leakage or loss of bladder control because many treatments--from pelvic floor exercises to surgery--are available. That's the message the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK)--a component of the National Institutes of Health--and a partnership of professional and patient advocacy groups concerned with urinary incontinence are highlighting in "Let's Talk About Bladder Control for Women," a new campaign to make women aware that this costly and embarrassing condition is treatable. About 11 million of the 13 million Americans affected by urinary incontinence are women.
"Urinary incontinence can have a hugely negative impact on the social and economic well-being of people who try to cope without seeking treatment," says Leroy Nyberg, Ph.D., M.D., director of NIDDK's urology and women's health research programs. "They buy absorbent products; they may become reclusive. Some elderly people even become institutionalized unnecessarily because of urinary incontinence."
The odds of improvement are excellent for women who seek treatment. But most women don't. They feel embarrassed about urinary incontinence and are uncertain about dealing with the condition in social situations. Others are unaware that a physician can help improve their condition or believe their problem isn't severe enough to consult a doctor.
The Let's Talk About Bladder Control for Women awareness campaign offers easy-to-read booklets explaining the symptoms, types and causes of poor bladder control as well as treatment options. To get your kit, call 1-800-891-5388. The materials are also online at http://www.niddk.nih.gov.--an NIH HEALTHWise report, February 1997
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