When people stumble into old age, some of them can end up with urinary or fecal incontinence. Sometimes, no matter how hard a person tries to control their bowel movements, they can still experience bowel movements with little or no warning. And if one of these accidents happens during work or on the street, the results are sure to make them cringe in embarrassment!
There are ways to avoid these embarrassing accidents and prevent future ones from happening. This article will help you understand some of the factors that can cause incontinence, and at the end of it, you will be armed with a wealth of knowledge that you can use to help yourself or your loved ones avoid accidents.
Amniotic Fluid Embolism
Amniotic fluid embolism is a condition in which amniotic fluid enters an individual’s bloodstream, it can cause brain damage and other complications because it can be poisonous. This may also be triggered by a condition known as hypertonic pelvic floor muscles, which can additionally cause loss of control of the bladder and bowels among other disorders. It is important to meet with a medical provider if there is a possibility of these conditions.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which a person’s body cannot control its sugar levels. As a result, their blood sugar level rises too high, and they end up passing out. This can also happen when they eat a lot of sugar or drink a lot of fruit juice because the sudden increase in blood sugar levels causes this to happen.
There are other kinds of diabetes, but we will focus on diabetes mellitus (DM) in this article. When they have diabetes, it is not just that their body takes too much sugar, but it also loses the ability to absorb the sugar they have taken in. This means that a lot of their blood does not have much sugar to be absorbed, and it also creates a lot of waste products within the body. A high blood sugar level is a leading cause of urinary incontinence.
Aging
Many people who are already in their 70s or 80s are diagnosed with diabetes. Once they develop diabetes, they are more likely to develop other problems, including incontinence. Aging plays a big role in incontinence. When it comes to incontinence, what is the main problem? It is the bladder. The group of muscles or bands that hold miso up their bladder are starting to weaken due to aging, and this can trigger incontinence.
As a person ages, the skeletal muscle groups in their body start to weaken as well. This is due to a lack of elasticity in it. If they have a high sodium diet or do not drink much water, this can trigger incontinence. They will experience swelling in their legs because their muscles lose some fluids that help them stay hydrated. The result is that they will not be able to stay hydrated, and the result would be the build-up of wastes in their bladder. This can trigger incontinence.
Anesthesia
Anesthesia affects not only the individual’s body but also their bowels. After surgery, your loved one may have a hard time controlling their bowels. This happens because the surgical procedure brought their body into shock, and it is so great that their body could not handle it. When this happens, there is a risk of incontinence. It may take some time before the anesthesia wears off enough that your loved one can regain control of their bowels.
Artificial Spinal Cord Stimulation
A person with a spinal cord injury is at risk of incontinence. After their surgery, they may try to control her bowels and bladder again, but not be able to do it. This is because doctors sometimes place a device in the body to help stimulate the spinal cord like before the accident. If this device is adjusted correctly, there is a chance that they will regain their bladder and bowel control.
Incontinence is a common problem for people over the age of 70. This can be caused by diabetes or other conditions that affect blood sugar levels. When they are over the age of 70, it is essential to drink lots of water because their body loses moisture more quickly. It is also important to avoid constipation by eating lots of fiber. They can also prevent incontinence after surgery by doing Kegel exercises for their pelvic muscles to strengthen them.
