Multiple Sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system that impairs the coordination and strength of muscles, can also impact bladder and bowel control. Bladder dysfunction is estimated to affect approximately 80% of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Just as Multiple Sclerosis symptoms vary and differ in severity from person to person so too can the symptoms, types, and levels of incontinence.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society “bladder dysfunction develops because MS blocks or delays transmission of nerve signals in areas of the central nervous system that control the bladder and urinary sphincter”. Those with Multiple Sclerosis may experience the need to urinate frequently or urgently, urination hesitancy, frequent need to urinate at night, or be incontinent. Medication side effects, a “spastic” bladder that doesn’t hold a normal amount of urine, or a bladder that improperly empties can all lead to bladder control issues.

The advancements in treatment and management provide many benefits to both those living with incontinence and their caregivers. Disposable products offer effective, affordable, and convenient solutions for light, moderate, and heavy levels of incontinence. Today’s superabsorbent technology eliminates the worry of odor, leakage, and skin breakdown. High performance products comprised of superabsorbent polymers ensure that urine is quickly absorbed into the product’s core thus keeping the skin dry. Polymers also neutralize urine’s harmful bacteria that cause odor and can lead to urinary tract infections or skin breakdown. High performance products provide the security of knowing that they will hold large amounts of urine without leakage and prevent embarrassing accidents.

Diabetes means that your blood sugar is too high. Your blood always has some sugar in it because the body uses sugar for energy; it’s the fuel that keeps you going. But too much sugar in the blood is not good for your health.

Your body changes most of the food you eat into sugar. Your blood takes the sugar to the cells throughout your body. The sugar needs insulin to get into the body’s cells. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin helps the sugar from food get into body cells. If your body does not make enough insulin or the insulin does not work right, the sugar can’t get into the cells, so it stays in the blood. This makes your blood sugar level high, causing you to have diabetes.

If not controlled, diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations (having a toe or foot removed, for example), and nerve damage. In women, diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy and make it more likely that your baby will be born with birth defects.

The three main types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 diabetes is commonly diagnosed in children and young adults, but it’s a lifelong condition. If you have this type of diabetes, your body does not make insulin, so you must take insulin every day. Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump, eating healthy, exercising regularly, taking aspirin daily (for some), and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes — about 9 out of 10 people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. You can get type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. In type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin, but the insulin can’t do its job, so sugar is not getting into the cells. Treatment includes taking medicine, eating healthy, exercising regularly, taking aspirin daily (for some), and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Gestational (jess-TAY-shun-ul) diabetes occurs during pregnancy. This type of diabetes occurs in about 1 in 20 pregnancies. During pregnancy your body makes hormones that keep insulin from doing its job. To make up for this, your body makes extra insulin. But in some women this extra insulin is not enough, so they get gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away when the pregnancy is over. Women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

If you’ve reached a point when you are ready to start using an adult diaper, you will likely find it makes your life a whole lot easier and more comfortable. Can you imagine being a young girl who has gotten her monthlies and yet refuses to use sanitary napkins or tampons? A quarter of her life will revolve around dealing with her “condition.” In your case, the use of something like disposable diapers will have the same effect. It will free you to think about other, more important, things, and not be obsessed by what your bladder is doing.

There is an interesting phenomenon surrounding nutritional drinks. Many people who turn their nose up at an Ensure drink will declare that an athletic drink is nectar from the gods. I’ve tried both, and I can tell you that they taste the same. The only difference is that the nutritional additives are a little different as the body of an athlete has different needs from the bodies of most elders. So why not think of it like that? The next time you go to the cabinet for your Ensure Plus, don’t look at it as simply an “old person’s drink.” Look at it as the nectar for the body that it truly is. This is futuristic stuff – a dense, nutrient-packed wonder.

People who have difficulty with mobility face many everyday challenges. For some, walking may be the problem. For others, steps are a problem. Some may need extra support or a wheelchair, while others may be able to stand and walk but only for a short time.

Space Requirements

Your specific mobility needs determine your living and work space requirements and furniture arrangements. For example, a person using a wheelchair needs about 5 feet to turn. Narrows hallways leading into rooms are nearly impossible for these people to maneuver through, as are doorways less than 32 inches wide. People who use crutches and walkers also require extra room for movement.

Installing sliding doors, which move out of the way and require less effort to get around, is one way to improve your living and work spaces. Removing doors on closets and cupboards is another important improvement if you have difficulty maneuvering.

Ways to Carry Items

If you are on crutches or use a walker, you are likely to have difficulty carrying items. A sturdy cart may be used to load dishes, appliances, or other tools and may serve as support when walking. If this method does not work, try attaching baskets to the crossbar of your walker or, if you are on crutches, carrying a bag over your shoulder. If you use a wheelchair, a lapboard enables you to transport several articles at one time.