When you think of incontinence you may think of elderly individuals but it is important to know that incontinence can happen to anyone and at any age. Males can experience incontinence as much as women but it is common for men to try and hide their issues with incontinence as they are embarrassed about it and do not talk about it with their healthcare providers. If you are caring for a loved one with incontinence you need to focus on helping them to properly manage their condition using a series of incontinence supplies. One common method of controlling male incontinence is using an external catheter.

What is a male external catheter and how does it aid in controlling male incontinence. The male external catheter will be attached to the penis using a sleeve that looks quite similar to a condom. The sleeve will have a very small drainage tube that is attached to it and it is attached to a bag that will collect the urine. The bag can be fastened to the leg without having leakage concerns. When it gets filed, you simply change out the bag. One of the main reasons for using a male external catheter is to help control incontinence for a long period of time or for patients that have limited mobility. Changing a urine bag is much easier than trying to lift a person out of bed and change out their adult diapers. Many caregivers prefer the male external catheter because of this.

Depending upon which type of male external catheter you choose you may have to change out the sleeve when you change out the bag. The sheath or the sleeve could be disposable or it may be reusable depending upon the brand. You need to make sure that you are getting the sizing correct in order to have proper protection. If you get a sleeve that is too large it can easily leak out urine, causing a big mess for you to take care of. The same thing can happen with a sleeve that is too small as it can have a hard time staying in place but it can cause a rash and can be very uncomfortable to wear. Check to see if the male external catheter requires some type of adhesive material or not in order to stay in place.

How long can the external catheter are worn? It varies on the size of the bag but usually they can last for 12-24 hours. This is nice for caregivers as you do not need to change them out often and it’s great for individuals that have limited mobility since they have a hard time getting up and down to change out their incontinence supplies. It really does reduce the dependency on caretakers and gives the patient back some of their freedom along with helping the caregiver to have some freedom as well.

Using a sheath system is great not only for elderly individuals that have limited mobility but they are beneficial for younger men as well. If you have dealt with surgery to the penis, you likely will experience incontinence in one way or another. It is nice to use the catheter system for awhile as your muscles start to rebound and gain control again. This also helps you to still go out in public and enjoy your day without dealing with frequent trips to the bathroom.

When you are working on getting the right fit you need to consider the brand of the male external catheter. There are a lot of sizing issues across the board and not every brand will fit the same. Try out several different brands until you are able to find one that fits securely without causing pain or irritation.

Dianna Malkowski is a Board Certified Physician Assistant and Mayo Clinic trained nutritionist specializing in diabetes, cancer, wound healing, therapeutic diets and nutrition support. Also good at guiding right male incontinence products.
Visit the Care Giver Partnership for more info on
Adult diapers.

Incontinence is not a normal part of the aging process. Seniors are more at risk of developing incontinence from a variety of different factors.
Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/ for more details.

Author Bio: Dianna Malkowski is a Board Certified Physician Assistant and Mayo Clinic trained nutritionist specializing in diabetes, cancer, wound healing, therapeutic diets and nutrition support. Also good at guiding right male incontinence products.
Visit the Care Giver Partnership for more info on
Adult diapers.

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: Incontinence products, Incontinence supplies, Adult diapers, Male incontinence pads