How To Pick the Right Incontinence Pads
You’re probably only reading this article if you or someone you know is experiencing a couple of drips and dribbles in their underpants. No matter why you’re here, let’s clear the air right away — plenty of incontinence products help you get back to the things you love the most.
It’s just a matter of choosing which one is the perfect fit. And while it might take a little bit of trial and error, you’ll feel more comfortable than ever in no time. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the right incontinence pads.
What Are Incontinence Pads?
Incontinence happens when your bladder is just unable to control itself anymore, leading to some unwanted urine in your underpants. It’s embarrassing, uncomfortable, and pretty much everything in between.
But it’s also very common. Over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence. It’s more common in women, but it affects guys too.
While there are ways to help prevent incontinence from happening in the first place, the main thing you probably want to do is stop people from knowing that you have incontinence to begin with. That means protecting your underpants or shorts from getting little urine patches on them if you ever leak.
Incontinence products are a great way to do this. Incontinence pads are a common example that works by adhering to the inside of your underpants to catch and absorb leakage when it happens. These are often discreet and comfortable.
However, most incontinence pads don’t quite fit exactly how you might want them to. This makes them uncomfortable as they slip and slide around inside your underpants. Plus, they might move around so much that they don’t even catch your urine in the first place.
To get the most out of your incontinence product, it can be helpful to understand what exactly you’re looking for from your product.
How Do I Choose the Right Incontinence Product?
When choosing the right incontinence product, there are three main areas to consider: the product's comfort, the capacity of urine that it can hold, and the size of the product itself.
Comfort
The purpose of wearing an incontinence product is to get back to what you love without worrying about leaking everywhere. And that means wearing it throughout strenuous activities like golfing, tennis, running, lifting weights, and more.
If your product is slipping around, chafing your groin, or feeling weird in your underwear — it’s probably not the right fit for you. You’ll want to make sure that the material used is barely noticeable. Plus, many incontinence pads make it feel hot and sweaty.
Many incontinence pads put comfort secondary to capacity. And while this isn’t always a bad thing, your penis is one place where comfort is necessary.
MDP is a revolutionary product for light male incontinence that uses a breathable, moisture-wicking fabric for ultimate comfort during any activity. It’s so comfortable that you’ll probably prefer to have it on even when your incontinence starts to let up.
Capacity
But it might not even matter how comfortable your incontinence product is if it’s unable to withstand the amount of leakage coming out. First, you need to know how severe your incontinence is.
If you have just some light dribbles now and then, especially during strenuous activity, you might not necessarily need to see a doctor. But if your incontinence happens frequently, or if bouts of incontinence include excessive urine loss, it might be time to speak with your physician.
But after that, it’s time to see which incontinence product might be best for you. MDP is great for light incontinence of up to two ounces. That’s about the same amount of liquid in a shot of bourbon. While that might not seem like much, know that most instances of incontinence are usually just around an ounce or so.
If you tend to leak a little bit more than that, other products support up to four ounces of liquid loss at a time. These might be more your speed.
But once you start to control some of your incontinence, you can move back to MDP to experience the comfort, convenience, and security that it offers.
Size
The final aspect to consider when it comes to picking out the perfect incontinence product is the size of the piece itself. To put it bluntly, this is entirely dependent on the size of your penis.
And while it’s easy to let your ego get the best of you, this is one of those times when you really need to be honest with yourself. Getting an incontinence product that’s too big can fall off throughout the day, requiring you to find a private place to refit it at inopportune times. And getting one that’s too small will definitely feel a little bit more uncomfortable than you’d hope.
Eliminate the worry of finding the right size by getting one that fits anyone. MDP uses a two-strap design that can be tailored to nearly any size.
Just gently pull the blue tabs to extend the straps, insert your penis into the opening with the straps underneath, and then pull the straps tightly for a secure fit. You can even tighten or loosen the straps as needed throughout the day.
It also fits inside boxers, briefs, or any other type of underwear that you prefer. Larger isn’t always better, especially when you want your product to stay nice and discreet.
How Can I Manage Incontinence?
Incontinence products are your best friend when it comes to preventing incontinence leaks from showing up outside your pants or inside of your underwear. However, you can work to reduce your urinary leakage to make these products even more effective.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
The pelvic floor muscles are located between the tailbone and pubic bone. It’s responsible for your ability to control your bladder. Weakened pelvic floor muscles can make incontinence more severe.
One of the simplest and most effective pelvic floor exercises just requires you to sit comfortably for 10 to 15 minutes, squeezing your pelvic floor muscles for three seconds at a time. After a few months, you should notice that your ability to hold in your urine is a little bit better than it used to be.
Consult your doctor before beginning any pelvic floor exercise program to ensure it is the right choice for you.
Stomp Out Smoking
Smoking a cigar now and then isn’t a terrible thing, but making a habit of smoking can be tough on your health. Not only can it increase your risk of oral and lung cancers, but it can also make incontinence worse. Why?
Because when you smoke, you tend to cough a lot more — and coughing strains your pelvic floor muscles. Try to lessen at least the number of times you smoke throughout the week, especially if you’re trying to lessen your bouts of incontinence.
Drink Plenty of Water
Many people with incontinence drink less water throughout the day because they don’t want their bladder to be full. However, drinking fewer fluids can worsen your incontinence because it reduces your bladder’s capacity. Aim to drink at least six to eight glasses of fluid daily unless your doctor advises differently.
Cut Back on Caffeine
A cup of coffee is one of the finer things in life, and while you definitely don’t need to get rid of your morning cup o’ joe completely, you might want to try to avoid that second cup in the afternoon. Caffeine irritates the bladder and can make incontinence worse.
Try switching to decaffeinated coffee to keep up with your ritual without worrying about the negative effects that caffeine can have on your bladder.
In Conclusion
Incontinence products are a great way to help prevent some of the embarrassment associated with urine loss, but picking the right one can be a challenge. When it comes down to it, you should pay attention to the product’s comfort, capacity to hold urine, size, and how it fits up against your anatomy.
Everyone is different — but a one-size-fits-all solution can save you the time and energy of needing to try out different products. MDP is a revolutionary product for light male incontinence that keeps you worry-free throughout the day and night.
Give it a try today to finally get back to doing the things you love without the stress.
Sources:
Urinary incontinence - Symptoms and causes | The Mayo Clinic