How to Wear Adult Diapers

Adult Diapers
Adult Diapers

Adult incontinence today afflicts millions of people in the U.S. alone. According to Facts and Statistics from the National Association for Incontinence (NAI), over 25 million Americans exhibit some form of urinary incontinence. The numbers could be higher if you consider the number of those suffering from loss of bowel control and the millions of others who cannot come forward for fear of stigmatization. This medical problem is associated with a loss of control of a crucial body function, making it a cause of embarrassment that forces millions of Americans to suffer in silence. The devastating effects that adult incontinence has on an individual’s psyche and a family’s situation call for the use of effective incontinence protection. There are different incontinence management products in the market but adult diapers remain the most affordable, flexible and versatile of them. If you or someone in your care suffers from any form of incontinence, this article will give you more insight about the condition and offer advice on using these specialized diapers.

Adult Incontinence in Brief

If you want to manage adult incontinence effectively, you need to gather as much information as you can find about this condition. For a start, incontinence could refer to the involuntary loss of urine or fecal matter due to a loss of bladder or bowel control respectively. The problem was associated with old age. However, many younger adults now show symptoms of incontinence.

  • Main Causes Of Adult Incontinence

Some of the main causes of incontinence in adults include:

  1. Pregnancy: An increase in body weight and hormonal changes cause stress incontinence.

  2. Vaginal delivery: Can weaken bladder muscles, damage bladder nerves and affect the physical condition of the pelvic floor.

  3. Old age: This decreases a bladder’s capacity to control urine.

  4. Menopause: Hormonal changes affect the health of the bladder and urethra.

  5. Prostate problems in men: Enlarged prostate and complications associated with prostate cancer treatment affect bladder function.

  6. Neurological disorders: These include Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis and brain tumors among others, that affect nerve function in proper bladder control.

Some risk factors of adult incontinence are gender specific (women are at higher risk of adult incontinence). Overweight and obesity, alcohol intake and smoking, a family history and neurological disease or diabetes are other reasons.

  • Types Of Urinary Incontinence

Different causes lead to specific types of incontinences. These include:

  1. Stress incontinence: Associated with sudden pressure on the bladder leading to involuntary loss of urine

  2. Urge incontinence: Characterized by a sudden urge to urinate followed by the involuntary loss of urine

  3. Functional incontinence: Caused by physical or mental impairment

  4. Overflow incontinence: When the bladder cannot empty fully mostly due to some obstruction

  5. Mixed incontinence: Where symptoms of stress and urge incontinence cause adult incontinence

Wearing Adult Diapers Properly for Efficient Management

There are many reasons to start using specialized incontinence diapers. This type of incontinence protection helps you to:

  1. Enjoy an active and more comfortable lifestyle even when suffering from incontinence

  2. Avoid embarrassing incidents at work or in public

  3. Provide better care to the elderly or to an immobile person who is in your care

  4. Maintain hygiene even when suffering from adult incontinence

  5. Prevents skin infections

  6. Give the wearer more confidence in life and boost their self-esteem

For an adult diaper to function effectively, consider the following factors:

  1. Start Wearing a Diaper Sooner Rather Than Later

If you suffer from any form of adult incontinence, it is time to embrace incontinence diapers as they offer the best way to manage the situation. Loss of bowel or urine control in public is embarrassing and forces many people to withdraw from active lifestyles. Millions of relationships fail and many professional opportunities go unexploited.

If you suffer from incontinence, it is important to consider wearing a diaper sooner than later to avoid facing the devastating effects caused by public incidences. You also prevent health complications such as urethra and skin infections. If you withdraw into a sedentary lifestyle due to adult incontinence, there is the risk of growing overweight leading to more health risks including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and others complications.

  1. Choose the Right Diaper

Whether you are buying an adult diaper for personal use or you have someone under your care, it is important to consider the following factors:

  1. Correct sizing: You need to wear a diaper that fits perfectly to avoid a loss of liquid waste through the sides and to guarantee comfort. A very small diaper is uncomfortable while a very large one is ineffective and indiscreet.

  2. Consider lifestyle: What type of lifestyle does the wearer lead? If you are buying one for your own use, consider your lifestyle and buy a diaper based on activities you will want to indulge in on a daily basis. For instance, an immobile elderly relative would require a heavy overnight diaper while an active person would do better with a heavy absorption but lightweight disposable diaper.

  3. Absorbency levels: Look for high absorbency diaper if the wearer suffers from high levels of incontinence. There are different products in the market to suit low, medium and high incontinence levels.

  4. Choose safe/comfortable materials: Check the safety certification of the diaper to guarantee your safety while wearing the product. The material should be comfortable on your skin and should not cause irritations.

  1. Wear the Diaper Correctly

Now that you have embraced these specialized diapers to manage incontinence, you need to learn how to wear them properly. A diaper when worn poorly is not only ineffective but also indiscreet and can be the cause of more embarrassment. Let us see how:

  • Wearing Your Own Diaper

  1. Fold the diaper length-ways carefully as shown in the instructions. This avoids creases and ensures that the diaper wraps comfortably around your body.

  2. Place the diaper front-to-back between your legs

  3. Find the most comfortable position for the diaper before taping

  4. Tape up the diaper using the securing system provided

  5. Adjust again to make the diaper comfortable before wearing your pants

  • When Helping Someone Wear An Adult Diaper

This is more complicated and you need to be more careful in order to fit the diaper comfortably.

  1. Check the condition of the wearer and ensure they are very dry around the private parts

  2. Fold the diaper as shown in the instructions

  3. Move the wearer to lie on their side

  4. Carefully place the diaper between their legs in the folded position and fan out the rear part over the buttocks.

  5. Move the wearer to lie on their back and move their legs slightly apart and spread the front part. Confirm that the diaper rests comfortably between their legs for better functioning

  6. Secure the diaper using the mechanism provided

  7. Adjust the diaper to ensure its fits comfortably

  1. Discreetness When Wearing An Adult Diaper

The last thing you want is for everyone to know you are wearing an adult diaper. As such, consider the following:

  1. Choose the right size of diaper

  2. Get a discreet disposal plan for used diapers (Scented disposal bags prove to be very helpful)

  3. Choose the right clothing through which the diaper won’t show

There you have it; buying and wearing adult diapers is not that hard after all. You just need to find a diaper that suits your incontinence level, choose the right size, wear the diaper correctly, find the right clothing and dispose of used diapers properly.

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