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The Canadian Continence Foundation and the Powder Room launch Canada’s first Bladder Care Campaign
Keeping in better shape below the belt
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Toronto, November 24, 2008 - Many Canadians do their best to keep themselves in good health. They pay attention to their oral health, heart health and mental health. All too often though, people ignore the warning signs of poor bladder health. According to The Canadian Urinary Bladder Survey (CUBS 2003), over 20 per cent of Canadians, 18 or older, have bladder problems – costing Canadians over $1.5 billion per year – but are not seeking proper medical help.
November is Incontinence Awareness Month in Canada. Together, the Canadian Continence Foundation and the Powder Room – a national online community for individuals with an overactive bladder (OAB) - will launch a national Bladder Care Campaign to educate Canadians on bladder health.The campaign will promote the importance of seeing bladder health as a vital component of an individual’s overall quality of life.Canadians can test their bladder knowledge at www.powderroom.ca.
“This campaign will help to raise awareness and demonstrate the importance of knowing and understanding how to keep your bladder healthy,” explains Jacqueline Cahill of The Canadian Continence Foundation.
Long wait times for care
The Canadian Continence Foundation estimates that over 3.3 million Canadian men and women of all ages experience some form of incontinence. It can take six to nine months before a patient can see a specialist once properly diagnosed, increasing the risk of added health concerns. Recent studies continue to cite that 74 per cent of those with any bladder problem do not seek the advice of a doctor or healthcare professional.
Many patients are embarrassed to talk about incontinence issues. Most often, patients believe it has something to do with the aging process and are not aware that help is available.”Recognizing symptoms and understanding your body is important,” says Fran Stewart, Nurse Continence Advisor, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “See your physician, have a checkup and discuss lifestyle changes for better bladder and overall health.”
There are many kinds of incontinence and it is sometimes difficult to determine what your symptoms mean. Some symptoms can include the sudden and overwhelming need to urinate, involuntary leakage when sneezing or coughing and the feeling that your bladder is never completely empty. For a comprehensive list of symptoms, FAQs, tips on diet and lifestyle changes and more information on your bladder visit www.powderroom.ca and www.canadiancontinence.ca.
The good news is that incontinence can be treated by making a correct diagnosis and, in certain cases, by changing diets or taking simple medications. The first step is to have your situation assessed by a medical professional who can better determine why your bladder isn’t as healthy as it should be.
For More Information Contact :
René Samulewitsch
Communications MECA/Médicomm
1-866-337-3362, ext. 223
rsamulewitsch@meca.ca
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