Kegel Exercise for Men

Kegel exercises have been primarily considered exercises for women that help strengthen the pelvic muscles to help control unexpected incontinence leaks caused by pregnancy and childbirth. These same principles and similar exercises may also benefit men that experience similar problems including urinary incontinence, dribbling and fecal incontinence. 

Steps for Kegel Exercise for Men:

Many factors weaken pelvic floor muscles (also known as pubococcygeus or PC muscles). These muscles provide support for pelvic organs such as the urethra, bladder and bowel. In men this is often the result of prostate removal “radical prostatectomy” and even other common diseases such as diabetes. Legal exercise might benefit a man is they have urinary or fecal incontinence or dribble after urination, generally after leaving the bathroom. 

The first step to correctly starting a Male Kegel exercises program is to identify pelvic floor muscles so that you can relax and contract them. 

First you need to find the right muscles. To identify these muscles stop urination during midstream or tighten muscles that keep you from passing gas. These are your pelvic floor muscles. If a man is contracting these muscles the base of the penis will move closer to your abdomen and the testicles will rise. 

Once you have identified these muscles and how to contract and relax them you can then start to flex them. A good way to start is to simply imagine you are stopping the urine stream and hold the muscles for a few seconds and then release. With time you can increase the length to 5-20 seconds. 

Men may also start when they empty their bladder and then lie on your back with knees bent apart. Tighten the muscles and hold for three seconds. Then relax them for three seconds. Do this a few times in a row, but don’t overdue it. When you have developed stronger muscles you can try doing these exercises while standing, sitting or walking. 

To gain maximum results and benefits you should focus on the pelvic floor muscles only being careful not to contract other muscles including abdomen, thighs or buttocks. You should also avoid holding your breath. Try to breath freely and normally during the exercise routine.

Get into a routine of doing three sets of 10 of these repetitions per day spread out through the day. 

DO a set of the exercises after urinating or having a bowel movement. Try to get rid of the last few drops of urine or any remaining feces that hasn’t been voided.

Contract these muscles before and during activities that put pressure on the abdomen - including lifting, sneezing, coughing or laughing.

As with any exercise you should always ask your doctor if these exercises are appropriate for you and your general health. They may also be able to provide additional tips or advice in the discussion. 

Kegel exercises have been primarily considered exercises for women that help strengthen the pelvic muscles to help control unexpected incontinence leaks. These same principles may also benefit men that experience similar problems. 

Kegel exercises are designed to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These are the muscles that support the bladder and bowel function. Legal exercises are often considered only for women, but can also be done to assist men in increasing this muscle function. Legal exercises once understood and mastered are easy and can be done almost anywhere.

Kegel exercise for men is a great practice to use to possibly gain control of incontinence. In addition to exercise there are many other factors in helping control male urinary incontinence. Including monitoring diet and identifying medications, and most importantly consulting with your doctor. If additional products are needed for protection from soiling your clothing or bedding visit our site. Here is a link to the site for items designed specifically for the needs and unique body contours of men.

How to Increase Incontinence Product Capacity with Booster Pads

Booster pads are an excellent option for use with an existing adult diaper or protective underwear when additional leak protection and absorbency is needed. This may be due to the large volume of urine or to help a person stay drier between changes. 

Booster pads are a unique type of product included in the pads, shields and liners category of products. They insert into the existing garment like a pad. They feature the same type of construction as most incontinence protection items, however they do not have a moisture proof backing or lining. This allows the booster pad to fill to its capacity and then pass any additional fluids on to the diaper or protective underwear. Think of it like adding another level of absorbency protection that fills up and then passes liquids to the next incontinence garment when full. 

This solution adds another cost and product used for the care of the individual, but it will also increase the wearability and time between changes of other garments therefore reducing the frequency of changing of those items. With the added absorbency they may also reduce the need to change lines, bed sheets and underpads saving additional time, effort and costs for the caregiver. 

Booster pads are available in different shapes, sizes and leak protection levels. This allows the user to use a product that is both customized and comfortable for their needs.They are available in rectangular shaped pads or hourglass shaped pads. They may be contoured for even a more perfect fit. Some pads also feature side gathers to more efficiently prevent leakage and ensure liquids are drawn into the core of the pad. 

Booster pads are available in sizes and shapes to accommodate all sizes of users.

For example, the Tranquility TopLiner Super-Plus Contour Booster Pad that measures 32” x 14” is designed specifically for large sized bariatric use and can absorb up to 27.5 ounces of fluids before reaching capacity. It is contoured to ensure maximum comfort and protection.

On the other end of the product needs spectrum is the very popular Dignity Stackables Barrier Free Pads that will hold about 8-10 ounces of liquid. These pads are rectangular shaped pads that measure 3.5 inches x 12 inches and provide a light incontinence protection level for those that may need just a little more protection and don’t want the added build of a larger more absorbent pad. These pads are also used as primary incontinence pads worn in underwear for people with very light incontinence leakage. 

Booster Pads may be an excellent option for you if added absorbency would help maintain skin health, comfort and reduce caregiving needs including changes and/or costs. If you would like to see more about our line of booster pads click here to go to our page with all the Booster Pad options available to you. 

What are Nitrile Gloves?

Nitrile gloves are the blue, or other colored, disposable gloves seen more frequently in use in the world today. We often get asked questions about these disposable gloves such as; are nitrile gloves latex free or what are the blue disposable gloves I saw on the police wearing on TV?  

The simple answer is that nitrile gloves are latex-free disposable gloves for use by people with latex allergies or people that may or will be working around or touching people with latex allergies. 

The more detailed answer to the question will be laid out in the rest of this article. 

Nitrile gloves come are primarily blue in color, but may also be available in other colors such as purple or black. They are are a type disposable gloves that are made of synthetic, or man made rubber. They are latex-free. They are made of synthetic rubber to help avoid any possibility of a negative reaction by individuals with latex allergies. They also provide excellent resistance to wear and tear and provide superior puncture resistance. They are one of the strongest types of disposable gloves that are generally safe for people with latex allergies. 

Nitrile gloves have other benefits in addition to avoiding latex allergies. They are much more puncture resistant than latex / natural rubber gloves. The combination of these two factors are why you see so many of these “blue” gloves used by medical and health care providers, hospitals, caregivers, police, tattoo artists, emergency first responders, TSA employees and anyone else that needs to provide barrier protection to the wearer and another person.

Nitrile is a synthetic (man-made) tri-polymer that has similar characteristics to rubber once it has been vulcanized. Nitrile has now no rubber proteins and due to this eliminates the risks associated with natural rubber latex. Latex on the other hand is made from the natural sap in the rubber tree. 

Nitrile gloves are available in powdered or powder-free varieties. The powdered nitrile gloves do not use any latex in the powder. They are powdered with corn starch. The corn starch may dry out the hands when used which could be confused with a latex allergy. 

Nitrile gloves used to present a big difference in tactile sensation with latex gloves. Improvements in the manufacturing of nitrile gloves has improved this dramatically reducing the differences substantially. 

Nitrile gloves can also be designed to provide superior resistance to many chemicals. Some are available in “chemo rated” versions to provide the highest level of chemical protection. 

Nitrile gloves also generally have a lower price than latex gloves. This is due to the fact that latex gloves are made of natural rubber which has volatile pricing that goes up and down. Nitrile prices are much less volatile as they are a man made product not impacted by natural occurrences that may impact the production of rubber.

Nitrile gloves are a safe, effective and economically priced caregiver hand-to-patient barrier protection for use in the care of incontinent adults. They can be used when cleansing the skin of the patient, applying skin lotions, ointments and creams and during general house keeping chores when cleaning rooms or handling dirty laundry. They are an excellent choice for a multi-purpose use disposable glove. 

Introducing the All New Tena Serenity InstaDry Heavy Pads

Incontinence Products Plus is proud to announce the addition of the Tena Serenity InstaDry Heavy Pads to our product offering. This new pad features a completely new technology to quickly whisk moisture away from skin to promote dryness, skin health and reduce odor.

InstraDry Heavy Pads absorb faster than Poise Maximum Pads. They use the all new innovative InstraDry technology that uses 864 tiny funnels to zip wetness away from your body and locks in moisture and controls odors.

InstaDRY Heavy Pads pass the Tena Twist text to provide Fearless Protection. They prevent embarrasing situations by not allowing a drop to escape, even when you twist. 

InstaDRY pads are designed exclusively for the unique urinary incontinence needs of women. 

InstaDry Heavy Pads are Tena Part Number 47301

Incontinence Skin Care Guide

People with incontinence are at risk of skin problems in the areas where urine and/or feces may be in contact with skin. This can lead to skin irritation and breakdown around the buttocks, hips, genetics and the area between the rectum and the pelvis. 

Not only can these irritation be extremely uncomfortable, they can also potentially lead to worse conditions including bedsores especially if they have not been eating well, received or are receiving radiation therapy in the area or spend extended periods of time in bed, in a chair or in a wheelchair.

Moisture alone may cause skin problems including redness, peeling and yeast infections. Fecal matter adds additional elements that lead to skin irritation and discomfort.

Taking care of the skin and using ongoing established practices will help keep skin irritation under control providing more comfort for the patient. 

Adult diapers, briefs, protective underwear and pads are designed to keep the wearer comfortable and secure while providing clean bedding and clothing. They may keep urine and feces close to the skin so it is important to use an incontinence product with the correct absorption for the patient as well as taking special care of the skin by changing the garment after an episode and cleaning and maintaining the sensitive skin. 

Once the diaper, protective underwear, pad or undergarment is changed there are three key steps or areas of skin care to consider - cleaning, moisturizing and protecting. There are many great products that are designed for incontinence skin care that do not include abrasive, irritating or drying agents such as soap or alcohol.

Cleansing

Once the soiled garment is removed then the next step is a thorough cleaning off all the areas of skin that may have been in contact with urine and/or feces.

Cleansing can be done in a bath or shower or even in bed. In-bed bathing is made much easier by using no-rinse skin cleansers available in liquids, foams or disposable wipes and washcloths. Here is a link to a previous entry that details the steps for complete in-bed bathing. 

It is helpful to use a cleanser designed specifically for incontinence care as they will clean without causing additional irritation. They will also help deodorize as they clean. Diluted soap in water can be used also, but soap by its nature can cause irritation.

Moisturizing

Once skin has been cleansed then using a moisturizing lotion or cream will will help keep skin healthy. Moisturizers are generally available in lotions and creams. Lotions are usually more viscous and liquid than creams and tend to absorb more quickly into the skin. Creams are a bit thicker and will sit on top of skin longer and absorb more slowly. 

Skin lotions or creams will help prevent and treat chaffed, chapped and cracked skin. Some even include added formulations that include Dimethicon that provides additional protection. 

Apply moisturizers liberally and make sure you cover all the areas of the skin  that may have or may become in contact with urine or feces. 

Protecting

Protecting the sensitive skin with a moisture barrier will help keep irritating moisture and contaminates from urine and feces from coming in contact with skin. Moisture barriers are usually an ointment that have a petrolatum base. Ointments are thicker than creams and help the protective layer sit on top of the skin. 

Moisture barriers have several different varieties to choose from depending on your unique situation. Some are a clear ointment. Some may contain protective agents such as zinc oxide that will leave a white color in the ointment. They may have other additional ingredients that help sooth and condition skin such as vitamin A and/or E, aloe, or lanolin.

There are even some protective barriers that have antimicrobial or antifungal agents included in them. These will help treat and cure minor fungal skin infections caused by moisture and warmth. 

Some patients will also benefit from the use of a powder with antifungal medication to treat yeast infections. These powders are applied prior to the use of a moisture barrier. 

Even when moisturizers and ointments are used it is still important to clean the skin after each episode. This is the best practice to ensure other treatments are effective and the patient is comfortable.

Caregivers and users of these products should consider wearing protective gloves when using and applying these products. Gloves come in a number of materials with vinyl gloves or nitrile gloves being the most popular as they do not contain latex. 

By adhering to a regular skin cleansing and care regiment many discomforts and more serious health issues including bed sore can be avoided. Please speak with your doctor immediately if open, weeping or bed sores begin to develop as these are serious conditions that should be addressed immediately. 

Protect Mattresses and Sheets from Urine and Fluids

We get a ton of questions about protecting mattresses, seating surfaces and sheets from urinary incontinence. This line of questions come from people that may or may not already be using an incontinence product such as a diaper or protective underwear. Many of the questions come from people that are looking for a solution that would allow them the ability to make it through the night without having to change the bed sheets. The answer to this this question is yes, there are many great bed pads and underpads specifically designed for this purpose.

In addition to using bed pads it is also a good idea to first make sure that the incontinence diaper or protective underwear fits properly without loose cuffs and if they are using the correct protective level. There are many overnight and extended wear adult diapers and protective underwear that may be sufficient to keep beds and linens dry all night. 

Once evaluating the incontinence product fit and absorption level and determining there is still a need for additional surface protection there are many products available. These products differ from a sheet made of plastic, vinyl or other similar material. Here is a rundown of the underpads for incontinence protection are made and how they might help you provide a better and more comfortable night of sleep.

Bed pads are known are technically known as underpads. They are also known by many in the caregiving profession as chux or chucks. These products are designed to lay between the bottom bed sheet and the user. A bed pad features a top sheet bonded to an absorbent core which is then bonded to a waterproof bottom sheet. The top sheet will whisk urine away from the skin and into the core. The core will absorb, retain and distribute liquids in the mat. And lastly the waterproof backing will protect the sheet, mattress or seating surface from urine or other fluids.

Bed Pads come in many sizes to match the needs of the user and the surface that is being protected. Here is a chart to provide a basic idea of suggested uses by size. Individual uses may vary. 

   Size                Suggested Use

17"x24"         Wheelchairs, Chairs, Car Seats, Couch & Pets

23"x24"         Partial Bed Coverage or Larger Seating Areas

23"x36"         Partial Bed Legth w/ Full Hospital Bed* Width

30"x30"         Long Length & Partial Hospital Bed* Width

30"x36"         Long Length & Full Hospital Bed* Width 

36"x36"+       Long Length & Full Hospital Bed* Width

* Standard Hospital Bed Dimensions = 36.5" x 80"

The absorbency of a bed pad is determined by the size of the pad and the materials that make up the core (or mat). Lighter absorbency pads will generally use a fluff filler and heavier absorbency pads will incorporate super absorbent polymers and/ or cellulose fibers to provide maximum fluid absorption and help control odors. 

Since bed pads lay between the bottom bed sheet and the user they may move around if the person is moving in bed. There are bed pads such as the Attends Tuckables that provide side wings that tuck under the mattress to help hold the pad in place. There are also pads that incorporate adhesives to “tape” the pad to the sheet.

Bed Pads are available in disposable varieties or washable reusable varieties. Disposable are convenient and require little maintenance, while reusable bed pads need to be washed and dried between uses but will save the user money over time. One of our most popular selling items on our web site is the high quality, made in the USA bed pads from Beck’s. This product is designed extremely well to stand up to being washed and dried over-and-over again without damaging the pad or reducing the efficiency or effectiveness of the pad. It is also available in a number of different sizes to help match it to the users specific needs. 

Bed pads are a simple and effective product to help keep mattresses, sheets, chairs, couches, car seats and other seating surfaces dry and protected from being damaged by urine.

This product is also popular with pet owners that are potty training pets or have animals that have to be indoors for lengthy periods of time. Many of the disposable bed pads are the same products that are purchased from pet store with special packaging at much higher prices. Dog owners also use the reusable variety of pads as they are able to better withstand the claws that may scratch and tear the disposable pads.