Bladder Weakness More Common Than Hay Fever

Bladder Weakness More Common Than Hay Fever

55.9% of Australian females think it's normal to leak a little urine every now and then, according to a new survey of over 1,000 Australian women carried out by lights by TENA®. 46.7% of respondents believe bladder weakness is an issue that only women over the age of 40 suffer and only 5.7% believe it to be a problem women aged 20-29 encounter.

18% of Australian women aged 25-29 and 40% of women aged 30-34 have experienced bladder leakage.

Although little is known about it and it's viewed as an -older female problem', bladder weakness affects millions of Australian females of all ages each year and is more common than hay fever. In fact, 1 in 4 females experience bladder leaks at some stage in their life, and 1 in 3 Australian females over the age of 35 suffer from light bladder leakage.

59.6% of Australian women feel too embarrassed to talk or do anything about bladder weakness.

Acknowledging the fact that Australian females are highly reluctant to talk about the' little problem they don't have,' lights by TENA® have today launched a first of its kind educational campaign to help women understand the problem, and empower them with the tools to overcome it without the need to share or discuss the issue far and wide.

Jane Le Fevre, Physiotherapist Expert for lights by TENA® says, 'This is a modern day issue that modern day women have to deal with. It is more common amongst younger women than most people think. It's important to understand that if this is something you are experiencing, it's OK to admit it. But you don't have to accept it. There are several ways to regain control and in many cases, prevent leaks happening altogether."

The campaign will aim to teach women about their pelvic floor muscles and how they can strengthen these to stop bladder leaks. And in the interim, while women are addressing the problem, they can use the new lights by TENA® range of liners as a full solution to the problem.

'If you experience an uncontrolled leak from time to time, you have light bladder leakage. Women have so much going on in their everyday lives, it's easy to ignore light bladder leakages and pretend it's not happening. But by acknowledging the problem, women can seek a solution and take control of their situation," continues Mrs. Le Fevre.

The causes of bladder weakness are multiple and include childbirth, exercise, weight issues, irritations, and some genetic or medical issues can also contribute.

Mrs. Le Fevre has the following tips for females experiencing bladder weakness to take their first steps to combat the problem:
Find your Pelvic Floor:
The Pelvic Floor runs from your pubic bone at the front of your pelvis to the coccyx at the back. Imagine this sling of muscles is like two elevator doors. As you lift it, imagine the doors closing together and then lifting towards your head. The rest of your body should stay still.
Practice gentle lifts throughout the day: Practice lifting during the day at your desk, or at the sink while washing your hands, not just lying down at the end of the day. Work on connecting with it and then seeing if you can hold it for 5 seconds. As it is an internal exercise, no one will know you are working out.
Combat coughs and sneezes: Strong contractions are needed to resist higher loads on your pelvic floor, such as coughs or sneezes. So if you feel a cough or sneeze on its way, lift your pelvic floor as strongly as you can and try and keep it lifted while you sneeze. If at first this is a bit difficult, scrunching your toes in your shoes can help you to get a little bit more oomph!
Practice practice practice!: If you don't use it, you will lose it! Imagine a hose flowing with water lying on a trampoline. If the trampoline is floppy, when a foot comes and steps on the flowing hose, the flow will continue as there is no resistance from the trampoline. Now imagine the trampoline is strong, a foot stepping down on the flowing hose will be met with some resistance so the hose will be bent and the flow will stop.
Use the right product while dealing with the problem: Use a correct liner such as one from the newly launched lights by TENA® range to handle the leakages while you're dealing with the problem. The liners will keep you drier, fresher and odour free. And much less stressed.

For more expert tips and video demonstrations on how to strengthen the pelvic floor, visit www.lightsbyTENA.com.au

Research has shown that four out of five people with bladder weakness do not use the purpose made products. This equates to approximately 1.8million females. Using the wrong product such as a sanitary pad or toilet paper can result in discomfort and a bad odour. New lights by TENA® are specially designed to provide a discreet, thin and reliable liner to hold leaks, while keeping odour at bay.

'Bladder weakness is not something women simply have to put up with. This campaign will seek to educate and empower Australian females to take control and manage the issue, and in the meantime they can confidently rely on lights by TENA® liners," concludes Mrs. Le Fevre.

For further information on lights by TENA® and an opportunity to receive a complimentary sample liner, visit www.lightsbyTENA.com.au