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World Continence Week begins 20 July, and we want to encourage stroke survivors who experience incontinence to speak up and seek help.

Would you believe that 4.8 million Australians struggle with incontinence – that is more than the population of Melbourne!

Incontinence can be frustrating, embarrassing and distressing and can impact a person’s social, work and sexual activities. It can also lead to depression. World Continence week reminds us that people who experience incontinence are not alone, and that there is help available.

After a stroke, poor bladder or bowel control can be caused by muscle weakness, changed sensation or feeling, difficulty responding to the urge to go, issues dressing or undressing, changes in communication, eating and drinking habits or changes in vision.

Many continence issues can be prevented, treated, better managed or cured, but if left untreated, may become worse or lead to other problems.

The first step is to let your GP know what’s happening. They may refer you on to a continence specialist, such as a continence nurse, urologist, occupational therapist or a dietitian.

Your health professional will ask about how well you were able to control your bladder and bowels before the stroke as well as now. They will look at things like what you eat and drink, your medications, how much you exercise and how well you move. The health professional may also recommend tests such as a bladder scan, bladder and bowel diary or a rectal examination.

With all this information, your health professional will work with you to develop a plan to improve or manage your incontinence.

The answer may be as simple as adopting a healthy diet, exercising regularly or wearing clothes that are easy to get undone quickly. There are a number of different strategies, suggestion and products that can manage your incontinence. Your health professional will help you find what works best.

Check out the Continence Foundation of Australia’s webpage for more information, download their fact sheet, or contact the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.

Alana Stewart, Speech Pathologist, StrokeLine
StrokeLine is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST
Call 1800 787 653 or email strokeline@strokefoundation.com.au

Alana incontinence was a deficit of my stroke. It began in hospital,unable to reach a toilet when needed. With help from my GP and incontinence nurse my problem is under control. I had a bladder ultra sound to be sure bladder was emptying. No problem there. The nurse helped with exercises, food and fluids. Wine tends to go right through me. What a nuisance when I take one half glass daily!

Hi Jenny,

It's good to hear that you've had such great success with the continence nurse. They're very holistic in their practice and do a wonderful job at combining treatments to help manage incontinence.

In regards to the wine, unfortunately this happens to all of us.

Wine is a diuretic, meaning that it tells your kidneys to release more water and sodium in your urine. The more you drink the more you urinate.

It's thought that for every shot of alcohol you drink, your kidneys are forced to generate an extra 120 millilitres of urine on top of the normal 60–80 millilitres per hour! That's a lot!!!

Best wishes,

Alana - StrokeLine