Tips Living With Incontinence While Travelling Leave a comment

Living with incontinence should not hamper travel plans

It is estimated that more than a quarter of all Canadian seniors are currently living with incontinence, experiencing some form of bladder control problem. However, incontinence issues are not only confined to the elderly. Stress incontinence (caused by pressure on and unexpected muscle contractions of the bladder), and urge incontinence (which is also known as ‘overactive bladder’) are more common among younger populations than one might think. Women are more susceptible to the various forms of bladder incontinence than men, as are people with excess body fat, smokers, people who play high impact sports, people with a number of chronic diseases, and people who play high impact sports.

Whether you are a long-time, or temporary suffer of incontinence issues, there is no reason they need to interfere with your travel plans, or your dreams of travelling. Below are some tips and considerations to keep in mind while travelling with incontinence.

Plan to take bathroom breaks

While not the most convenient way to plan a trip, knowing when and where bathrooms will be available to you is part of living with incontinence. If you are driving then you are going to want to know where you can stop along the way, and if you’re flying or taking the bus, you should make yourself familiar with the on-board bathrooms as soon as you take your seat.

Keep to your routine diet

Part of living with incontinence and keeping it in check means sticking to what you normally eat and drink as much as possible. There is a tendency to indulge and gorge while travelling, but you should strive to avoid sugary and caffeinated drinks as much as possible (as they can end up exacerbating incontinence symptoms), to consume moderate amounts of water, and to eat a balanced diet.

Pack for a worst case scenario

Incontinence, especially if it is linked to other health issues, or external sources like injury, can be unpredictable. Whether your incontinence issues are constant, or come and go, it makes sense to plan for a worst case scenario. This means packing things like bed pads and incontinence underwear, just in case. You don’t want to get somewhere (a hotel, or a relative’s house) only to wish you had one of these things on hand.

Despite the effort required when incorporating the above considerations and tips into your travel plans, none of them prohibit you from travelling and going where you want to go. Incontinence doesn’t consign you to a life of forgone pleasures, it just means tweaking your behaviour and your planning slightly. If you are planning on travelling in the near future, and would like to consult a comprehensive incontinence resource and product marketplace, visit MedProDirect today and make travelling and living with incontinence easy and comfortable.

References

(2016). “5 Tips for Travelling With Incontinence.” Wearever Incontinence. Retrieved from: https://www.weareverincontinence.com/incontinence-blog/5-tips-for-traveling-with-incontinence/

(2018). “Seniors and Aging: Bladder Control Problems.” Government of Canada. Retrieved from: https://www.weareverincontinence.com/incontinence-blog/5-tips-for-traveling-with-incontinence/

Thompson Jr. D. (2016). “What is Urinary Incontinence?” Everyday Health. Retrieved from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/urinary-incontinence/guide/