We live in a world of options. A search for any one gadget, appliance, or even health product is sure to elicit countless results, sometimes making the hunt feel overwhelming. Take a TV, for example: features like size, refresh rate, and resolution are just a few of the many considerations. Research makes the purchase decision easier and clearer so that the buyer can walk away feeling confident that his TV matches his needs.

And that’s just technology. More importantly, when it comes to our health, research and awareness make medical decisions feel empowering. The more educated we are of needs and individualized circumstances, the more confident and informed we become, especially when it comes to a personal matter such as adult diaper use.

In efforts of gaining a greater understanding and bringing clarity to make knowledgeable decisions when product choices abound, become familiar with the types of incontinence to better understand where you or your loved one falls on the spectrum of being an adult diaper wearer. Knowing the individualized root cause behind incontinence can help make the decision to wear adult diapers less daunting. Likewise, demystifying the types of incontinence will also aid in selecting a type of adult diaper.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, there are six types of incontinence:

Stress: sneezing, coughing, laughing, or engaging in physical activity that causes a light loss of control. Since this is a mild form of incontinence, adult diapers are rarely needed.  Liners or insert pads could be all it takes to protect against stress incontinence.

Urge: feeling the need to empty the bladder even if it isn’t necessarily full. Also known as “overactive bladder”, this type spontaneously causes leakage in varying amounts.  Moderately absorbent adult diapers can offer great protection!

Mixed: a combination of stress and urge incontinence. Adult diapers with a  heavy absorbency work well with the unpredictability of facing either or both stress- and urge-related leakage.

Overflow: never completely emptying the bladder due to some blockage of normal urine flow (commonly associated with prostate enlargement). Depending how severe the overflow is, a  light adult diaper may do the trick. Those with more severe overflow would benefit from heavier absorbencies.

Functional: otherwise normal urinary function, but an outside factor, such as taking a medication or suffering from dementia, causes incontinence.

Reflex: contraction (and leakage) of the bladder muscle, common with impaired nerves that would otherwise communicate with the brain.

If you’re feeling unsure of which route to go, LL Medico also offers a  “Try Before You Buy” option, with 3 different sample choices per order to explore what works best!

Have more questions or still need help, please call us at 855-422-4556 or email us at  support@llmedico.com.