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Like many other sensitive issues, it can be difficult to get involved in helping someone who may be experiencing bladder symptoms like urgency, frequency, or even leakage. You may feel as if it's not your business to bring up such a personal matter. They may feel embarrassed and may not want to talk about it.
But there are some important reasons why you should discuss this topic:
- These bladder symptoms are part of a medical condition and not a normal part of aging.
- Bladder symptoms in most cases can be treated.
- While untreated bladder symptoms can amount to a major disruption of daily routine and sleep patterns, they may also be associated with other medical issues such as stress and anxiety, sleep disturbances, skin rashes and urinary tract infections.
- Having bladder symptoms can increase the chance of falls and fractures that can happen from rushing to the bathroom, particularly at night.
- Bladder symptoms can interfere with a person's ability to enjoy day-to-day activities as they adopt routines to help accommodate their condition.
Keep in mind that without your help, your family member or friend might not seek treatment for a condition that could be significantly impacting their physical, social, and emotional well-being.
If you do decide to try to help someone else, offer to help the person take the most important step — seeing a doctor.
Things to keep in mind when speaking with someone:
- People sometimes feel embarrassed about what they may mistakenly view as a matter of personal hygiene instead of a medical issue.
- Some people may feel as if they do not want to bother the doctor with their bladder symptoms.
- Because a woman may be used to using protective pads during menstruation, she may feel that using a pad because of leakage is not unusual.
- Men may worry that bladder symptoms are a sign of prostate cancer and may resist going to the doctor for fear of what might be found.
- Men also may view their bladder symptoms as a poor reflection of their masculinity or a sign that they are aging.
- Some people may try to joke about their bladder symptoms, may express anger or resentment, or may try to minimize the extent of their symptoms.
Overall, the important thing is to recognize that this can be a delicate issue, and you should use your judgment in how to bring up the subject. You want to make sure your friend or family member feels respected and not made fun of or criticized. You want to be sure it's in a safe and private setting, and of course, you want to be sure you keep it confidential between you and them. No one should be embarrassed about having this condition.
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