Pads for urinary incontinence in women: how to choose male and female for enuresis

Author of the article

Anatoly Shishigin

Reading time: 3 minutes

Urinary incontinence in older patients is quite common in clinical practice. This physiological defect most often affects older people, especially women. In males and middle-aged people, this disorder occurs much less frequently.

In order to try not to stop the usual rhythm of life, people solve the problem with special pads that absorb moisture. All of them are attached with adhesive tapes to underwear and significantly help to cope with discomfort without disrupting social and everyday activities. What types of pads are available for urinary incontinence in women, how to choose them correctly and how they differ should be considered in more detail.

What causes urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the spontaneous release of urine, which varies in its intensity. There are several types of such incontinence, from periodic dripping to constant leakage. The person himself either feels this process, or it occurs uncontrollably.

It is uncontrolled discharge that causes especially many problems for patients who experience a strong and sudden urge to empty their bladder, but do not control the activity of the urinary tract. In the case of bedwetting, the disease is called enuresis.

The volume of fluid that flows out during involuntary urination, as well as the type of urine incontinence, significantly influence the choice of hygiene products and pads, which differ in their purpose. These can be special urological pads, daily or for menstrual days in women.

They also differ in the quality of the material in terms of moisture absorption, liquid volume, size, number of uses and price. In special urological types of protective equipment, there are male and female types for involuntary leakage of urine, taking into account the peculiarities of the anatomy.

The main advantages of urological pads

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that sanitary pads cannot replace urological pads in their properties and do not provide the proper level of comfort for patients with incontinence.

Advantages of urological pads:

1Better retain liquid inside the absorbent layer.
2Have a large capacity.
3Convenient and invisible when used.
4Designed for a long period of action.
5Have a high absorption rate due to a special absorbent layer and increased pressure in the center of the absorbent liner.
6Have high absorption capacity.
7Help neutralize unpleasant odors due to the content of a special absorbent that prevents the growth and reproduction of bacteria.
8They can be used every day, since the vapor-permeable top layer prevents skin irritation.
9Have additional elements protecting against leakage.
10When liquid is absorbed, there is no formation of lumps in the absorbent layer and no deformation of the product.
11The liquid inside the gasket does not return under the influence of pressure, which leaves the surface of the product dry.

Incontinence pads for male patients

Pads for men with urinary incontinence are necessary in cases of urine leakage after surgical operations on the organs of the urinary and reproductive systems, as well as in case of pathologies and diseases of the urological sphere with complications.

More on the topic: How are sling operations performed for urinary incontinence in women?

This item, if intended for the male sex, has a special shape that takes into account the anatomy of the human structure. With the help of urological pads, a man can keep his underwear dry in any position of the body, as well as when walking or minor physical activity.

The most popular brand that produces men's incontinence pads is SENI. There are 4 sizes of such pads, which differ in the type of physical activity of a man:

Active – for active patients who are constantly on the move, not staying in one place for a long time;
Normal - small in size, but absorbing a sufficient volume of liquid, this group is recommended for small amounts of urine excreted;
Extra - products for the average volume of urine excreted; there are small edges at the edges that will prevent leakage over the edges or damage to underwear;
Super - have the largest area for moisture absorption, suitable for bedridden patients and patients who spend a lot of time in a horizontal position.

Pads for women

Pads for urinary incontinence in women are required for those patients who, due to age, muscle weakness in the urethral canal or vagina, atrophic vaginitis characteristic of old age, and other diseases of the genitourinary system, have impaired controlled fluid output.

For women, the choice of these hygiene products is much wider, since with a small amount of urine excreted, you can use ordinary sanitary pads rather than urological pads. If the discharge is minimal and occurs quite rarely, you can use subtle daily products.

In the case where urine flows regularly in moderate quantities, you can use menstrual hygiene. The size is chosen at the discretion of the woman herself, who knows the approximate volume of urine excreted. If urinary incontinence in elderly women is excessive, it is necessary to use urological pads created taking into account the anatomy of the female body.

More on the topic: What are the indications for bladder catheterization?

What are there

On the modern pharmacological market there are many varieties of urological hygiene products from different manufacturers and countries. Gaskets differ significantly in their ability to absorb moisture, size, thickness (for example, ultra-thin or thick) and appearance. Of course, you need to choose an effective and high-quality product, putting aesthetics into the background.

Popular urological pads, their advantages and disadvantages:

Abena

Abena sanitary pads are intended for women with mild urinary incontinence. The characteristic relief surface, present on all urological pads, instantly absorbs liquid and neutralizes the smell of urine.

Helps maintain hygiene and internal microflora balance. A more adult version, used for women over 35-40 years old. The pad absorbs up to 150 milliliters of liquid, which, for mild urinary incontinence, means 6-9 hours of use of the sanitary product. Contains granules designed to convert absorbed urine into a gel.

Manufacturers produce two types of Abena hygiene products - ultra-thin and regular thin, which allows you to choose pads to your preference. They do not cause discomfort and prevent skin irritation in the groin area.

MoliMed

The German company MoliMed produces products to maintain hygiene for women of any age. Universal in use, used during pregnancy, after childbirth and enuresis. The production takes place on a natural basis without synthesized products.

The advantages of this product are:

multi-layer structure, which allows you to effectively retain urine inside the product and not allow it to pass further,
neutralizer of the characteristic smell of urine. Has antibacterial properties that prevent the development of serious inflammatory or infectious reactions,
textured coating that ensures immediate urine absorption,
does not cause allergic reactions in elderly women with increased sensitivity of the skin,
The service life of one hygiene product is 16-18 hours, with mild urinary incontinence - up to a day.

MoliMed produces 8 types of pads designed for different age groups. A good option for budget-conscious people. There is a classic version, with “wings”, ultra-thin. A special type of sanitary napkin is a hygienic product - panties, which provide complete protection from excreted urine.

The approximate cost varies between 100-400 rubles per package consisting of 10-30 pads.

Tena

The Swedish company Tena is not going to give up its leadership in the production of hygiene products. , as it has been producing urological, sanitary and regular pads for 40 years. Designed for older people, but also used by young girls. Urological products produced by this company comply with European quality standards.

Among the advantages of these hygiene products are:

used for women with moderate and severe forms of urinary incontinence (enuresis),
large range of products,
active odor neutralizer based on dry absorption technology (when liquid molecules are absorbed, the odor catalyst instantly neutralizes the emanating “aroma”),
helps avoid leakage due to excessive urination,
does not cause discomfort when moving.

The company produces sanitary pads of various shapes, which are intended for everyday use, when playing sports or vigorous physical activity, and a night option. Unfortunately, some women experience urinary incontinence at night, which can subsequently lead to chronic enuresis.

The average fluid absorption is 250-300 milliliters per day. In pharmaceutical establishments you can find hygiene products from Tena at an affordable price, of varying thickness and absorbency.

Seni

A special type of hygiene products. Airtight urological pads have been popular among women for 10 years. The pads are intended for mild to moderate urinary incontinence, but retain urine throughout the day.

Some advantages you need to pay attention to:

Urological pads contain a reagent that absorbs liquid when interacting with it,
The active ingredient is latex. The pads flow around the genital area, which allows for full movement without discomfort,
uniform distribution of liquid,
prevents the development of irritation and allergic reactions,
smooth surface that does not make sound when moving,
a special “frame” retains liquid, even if there is an excess of urine in the hygiene product.

Another advantage of Senya's company is that they produce an inexpensive product. The average price is 150 rubles.

How to choose gaskets correctly?

In order for the choice of this hygienic item to be correct and error-free, it is necessary first of all to take into account the features of this problem. These include the type of incontinence that has occurred, the abundance of discharge and its regularity, the physical characteristics of the patient himself, whether he stands up, whether he actively moves, as well as the condition of his skin in the perineal area.

There are a large number of manufacturers of these products, so the range of protective products for urinary incontinence is very wide. When purchasing, it is very important to pay attention to the quality of the surface that will absorb moisture, the shape of the gaskets, their size and cost, thereby choosing an individual option for yourself. It would be useful to study reviews of consumers with a similar problem who have been using the pads for some time.

Myths about urological pads

Unfortunately, Russian women are poorly informed not only about methods of treating urinary incontinence, but also about the properties and benefits of urological pads, which has led to the emergence of many myths and misconceptions.

Let's look at the most common misconceptions:

Misconception 1: All pads are the same, it doesn’t matter which one you choose - urological or sanitary!

Most women believe that all pads presented on the pharmaceutical market differ from each other only in design features and the amount of absorption, and therefore it does not matter which product to use for incontinence.

This misconception leads to the fact that many women use regular pads “for menstruation” instead of specially designed urological ones; this causes them a lot of inconvenience.

It must be remembered that sanitary pads are designed for a different purpose and are designed to absorb a more viscous liquid in a smaller volume.

So, per day the volume of menstrual flow does not exceed 50-80 ml, whereas with incontinence the same volume can be released at one time. All this leads to traces of discharge remaining on the underwear, an unpleasant odor appears, and the surface of the pad irritates the skin.

Misconception 2: The thicker the gasket, the better! A “thick” sanitary pad can replace a urological pad!

In fact, maximum comfort and absorption rate depend not on the thickness of the pad, but on the quality of its internal filler.

As a rule, when faced with the problem of urinary incontinence, a woman begins to use regular panty liners, gradually moving on to increasingly thick pads for her critical days.

However, the inner filling of a sanitary pad is fluff pulp, which means it is not able to provide sufficient comfort and complete absorption of urine.

Large volumes of urine do not have time to be absorbed, the surface of the pad constantly remains wet, which leads to skin irritation, the development of contact dermatitis and diaper rash.

Modern levels The pads are quite thin (they look like daily pads), but they can absorb from 80 to 300 ml of liquid, and they are designed for about 7 hours of use. All this time, the surface remains dry, and the odor is reliably neutralized.

Misconception 3: Wings provide better protection from dirty laundry.

The presence of special “wings” is more important for sanitary pads, because menstrual flow is more viscous and thick, so it is slowly absorbed and gets onto the underwear.

From ur. With gaskets, everything is a little different; their main function is to conduct liquid to the inner absorbent layer as quickly as possible. They should absorb urine instantly, so the likelihood of soiling the laundry is minimal.

Misconception 4: Lv. The pads are large and inconvenient to use!

In fact, everything is exactly the opposite, the smallest pad is capable of absorbing up to 80 ml of liquid, but it looks like an ordinary daily panty, which makes it completely invisible.

For comparison, if you take a sanitary pad designed for the same amount of absorption, then its thickness will be at least 5-7 mm.

Most popular brands

At the moment, the range of urological pads is incredible. Each manufacturer produces its own series, which differs from similar products in certain parameters. The following three brands have gained the most popularity: Tena (a Swiss brand), Seni and the German manufacturer MoliMed.

Tena

Tena is a popular Swiss brand of pads for the needs of patients with urological diseases. The demand and such international recognition are due to the high quality of the product, which meets European standards. The main principles of this brand of gaskets are instant absorption, absence of odor and enhanced protection against leakage.

In total, there are 8 types of pads for urinary incontinence, which differ in the volume of liquid absorbed - from a small amount of drops to moderate incontinence. The products are available in pharmacies and chain hypermarkets; you can also order delivery to the patient’s home from online stores.

Seni

The Seni Lady brand of hygienic leak protection products offers 7 sizes of pads for urine incontinence on the market. These are sizes from “micro” to “plus”, from 7*21cm to 16*42cm. These hygiene products are recommended for pregnant women who develop incontinence, as well as during the postpartum period.

More on the topic: How is surgical treatment of urinary incontinence in women performed?

The main advantage of Seni Lady products is the moisture-absorbing coating - it has a special antibacterial layer, and can be attached to underwear with reinforced three strips with an adhesive layer, which ensures reliable fixation.

Appearance and difference from ordinary ones

Externally, the products are practically no different from the usual ones intended for critical days, but their structure, thickness and size are different, and sometimes their shape. Thickness may vary depending on the intensity of absorbency. The minimum is 3 mm, the maximum depends on the manufacturer.

The size of the products is standard, there are large and small, which is noted on the packaging and helps you make a choice.

Why are urological pads better than regular pads for urinary incontinence?

Presence of an adsorbent layer. It allows urine to be absorbed faster, preventing leakage.
It contains components that actively prevent the spread of odor and destroy it.
The top layer consists of a material that directs moisture inward while remaining dry. This protects a woman’s health, helps protect against infections, cold, and skin irritations.
Suitable for long-term wear and are not a source of bacteria development.

Using urological products is simple; the fastening procedure is no different from fixing a gasket. On the bottom side there is an adhesive base designed for attaching to linen fabric.

Have you had a full medical examination (medical examination) in the last 5 years?
Not really

Absorbency depends on the thickness and number of layers. The minimum size is 7x16 cm, the maximum is 21x42 cm.

Manufacturers offer a classification that makes it easier to choose the right product.

If the disease causing urinary incontinence is currently at an early stage of development, an absorption volume of 50 ml will be sufficient.

At a mild stage of incontinence, the volume should be 50-100 ml.

At the middle stage – 100-200 ml.

At the last stage - more than 200 ml.

The main brands producing urological products covering panties, which have become famous and in demand due to their reliability, quality and convenience.