Adult diapers may be a $16-billion industry, but there are signs that aging baby boomers are looking for far better ways to address the very common problem of incontinence.
And medicine isn't letting them down. With the help of simple exercises, medication and surgery, many people are overcoming incontinence and finding their way back to nice cotton underpants (or even sexy lingerie).
More than 15 million Americans have incontinence, and 85% of them are women--and not just elderly women. In younger women, incontinence can be a problem after childbirth. While men tend to have incontinence associated with prostate problems, female incontinence tends to be more insidious.
Many women are embarrassed to tell their doctors about it, and many doctors still hesitate to ask.
"It's a significant problem. But most of the effort goes into diapers and so forth, and not enough goes into proper treatment," says Dr. Michael Tahery, a Beverly Hills urogynecologist who has pioneered one of the many new surgical treatments used to address incontinence. "Everyone deserves an explanation for the cause of their problems and treatment options to help them enjoy life more."
More than half of all women in the U.S. will suffer from incontinence at some point in their lives, but only one in five will seek help, according to the American Urological Assn. On average, a woman with incontinence will wait eight years before seeking medical help.
Diapers aren't the only consequence of living with incontinence. The disorder contributes to depression, social isolation and inactivity. And half of all nursing home admissions are due to incontinence, according to the urological association.
But the old idea that people have to live with incontinence is changing, experts say.
It's never too late to address the problem, experts say. Lucile Toole, 86, had been struggling with incontinence for several years. In 1997, she almost backed out of a cruise to Norway because of her incontinence. She decided to go and survived the trip without any embarrassing accidents. But her worries over incontinence clouded the experience, and upon returning home, Toole decided to do something about her problem.
After discussing her incontinence with Tahery, Toole made weekly visits to his clinic to learn exercises, along with biofeedback, to retrain her pelvic muscles. Her problems abated.
