Incontinence pads are products designed to manage incontinence problems that can be incredibly embarrassing.
There are various types of incontinence.
Functional incontinence refers to the inability of a sufferer to reach a washroom fast enough as a result of mental illness or lack of mobility.
Stress urinary incontinence refers to unexpected leakages of urine from the bladder as a result of pressure from such exertion as sneezing, coughing, laughing, exercising or heavy lifting.
Women mostly experience this type of incontinence.
Urge incontinence is when the bladder empties itself even as the sufferer tries to restrain it from doing so.
Men mostly suffer from this type of incontinence and it can be the result of prostate conditions or surgery.
Some sufferers experience several types of incontinence, and this is known as mixed incontinence.
Overflow incontinence is where a man's bladder does not empty fully and urine ends up collecting and dribbling out of the penis.
Finally, there is fecal incontinence which refers to the involuntary loss of feces as a result of a dysfunction in the pelvic floor or damage to the muscles in the anal sphincter.
In trying to manage their specific type of incontinence, sufferers have various types of incontinence pads available to them.
Pads are most commonly designed for wear with an undergarment.
This could be your own regular underwear, or it could be a special undergarment designed specifically for use with a particular pad or liner.
The pad or liner can either be disposable or reusable, depending on the needs of the user.
The purpose of the pad or liner is to absorb any leak and to control odors.
As such, there are pads that have absorbencies that can handle all levels of incontinence, be they mild, moderate, heavy or severe.
The pads are also designed for men or women, while some may be unisex.
Some pads are kept in place by means of adhesive strips or tape that are located on one of the pad's sides.
Some pads are used together with reusable pants in what is known as a pad and pant or undergarment system.
In such a system, the user can choose from a number of inserts or pads that are available in the market.
There is also the option of choosing different pads for different undergarments.
Pads can also be worn on top of incontinence diapers or pants to provide maximum security and protection to the user.
When selecting a pad, the user should ensure that it does not chafe or irritate the skin.
If it does, then it's time to go shopping for another product.
Consulting one's physician or a healthcare professional is advisable so as to get proper guidance on the variety of alternative products available in the market.
How often will you change the pad and what times will you be wearing it? There are day incontinence inserts and pads that offer optimal protection during the day for daytime activities.
Overnight or nighttime pads, on the other hand, offer a higher degree of protection for all types of incontinence at night when one is asleep.
For both types of pads, it is possible to get all levels of absorbency so as to handle the various incontinence levels.
There are also pads that can handle both urinary and fecal incontinence both in the daytime and nighttime category.
Incontinence need not be taken to be an insurmountable condition.
There is a large variety of incontinence products, among them incontinence pads, that are available to assist the sufferer manage their condition.
These products help the sufferer go back to living a normal and active life.