LOOK WHO'S NOT TALKING: DOOR CLOSED ON HEALTH ISSUE THAT AFFECTS ONE IN THREE
WOMEN

New Survey Sheds Light on Emotional Aspects of Bladder Control Issues

TORONTO, Oct. 13 /CNW/ - Women may be known as the more talkative sex, but when it comes to a certain sensitive health topic, their lips are sealed. According to a new Harris Interactive survey sponsored by TENA®, the worldwide leader in the management of bladder protection, one in three Canadian women as young as 35 experience bladder control issues, yet nearly 70 per cent of those women have never discussed their condition with anyone.

"Women often try to cope with private or embarrassing issues such as bladder control issues on their own, but they should know that they are not alone," says Claudia Brown, physiotherapist specializing in managing incontinence and a member of the Canadian Continence Foundation. "It's important for women to discuss the condition with their doctor so they can learn about their options."

Suffering in Silence
Of the women who acknowledge they have bladder weakness, 38 per cent say they are embarrassed to discuss it and more than a quarter (26 per cent) either hide symptoms or are afraid of what others would think. The condition carries such a stigma that more than half of respondents (52 per cent) would rather talk about menopause than bladder control issues. Other sensitive topics discussed more freely than bladder control issues include infertility/fertility (22 per cent), mental health (31 per cent) and relationships with their spouse (33 percent).

Affecting Daily Lives
Despite the fact that they are not talking about bladder control issues, the condition affects women's lives in significant ways; one out of four women who acknowledge having the condition feel out of control and a third of the women feel they can't be spontaneous. Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) say they would live differently without bladder weakness and 17 per cent have carried around spare underwear, wipes or fabric refreshers. Even with the impact it has on their lives, 45 per cent of the respondents have never done anything about their symptoms and only 20 per cent have researched the condition for more information.

"The reality is bladder control issues can happen to women at different ages and for different reasons, but it doesn't have to slow them down," says Brown. There are many things they can to do combat this issue, including specific exercises, protective products and simple lifestyle changes."

Tips and Solutions
To help women regain their confidence and reduce bladder control issues, Claudia Brown recommends:

• Welcome a New Workout Routine: Pelvic floor exercises are not like your usual routine. These exercises strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and help to prevent urine leakage. And since these muscles are not visible to other people, no one can tell when you're exercising them.
• Friendly Food Choices: There are some foods that can irritate the bladder and some that can support bladder health. Stay away from acidic foods like citrus and anything that contains caffeine, like coffee and chocolate. Also steer clear from diuretics like alcohol. To avoid pressure on the bladder and constipation, choose foods that are high in fibre.  Berries are also a great choice since they have UTI preventing tannins.
• Drink Water: Reducing the amount of water intake can make urine more concentrated which will in turn irritate the bladder causing more frequent washroom visits. Instead, drink six to eight glasses a day. Drinking excessive amounts, however, is not recommended either because it could lead to abnormal bladder distension.
• No need to go…before you go: Train your bladder by avoiding visiting the washroom just in case. Try to go to the washroom between five and eight times per day. It will also help increase a smaller bladder capacity.
• The Power of Protection: With the help of TENA pads and/or underwear, women can regain the confidence they might have lost and feel comfortable exercising again or taking long trips----especially since TENA pads are designed for discreet protection.

Both women and men can visit www.tena.ca for information and resources including exercises, recipes and products that can help manage the condition.

About the Survey
Harris Interactive completed 268 online surveys with Canadian women 35 years or older who are Harris Interactive panel members. The study was conducted between March 31^st and April 13th, 2009.

This was a standard panel survey among a random sample of our Canadian panel members. In a fashion similar to a telephone study, email addresses from our panel were pulled at random, according to population and gender specifications, in order to make the study representative of the Canadian population by region and gender. When contacted to solicit participation, participants had no prior knowledge of the subject matter of the study. Harris Interactive controls access to the study through passwords to ensure that respondents can participate only one time. Subsequent to completion of the study, the data was weighted for region, age, and gender.

About TENA®
With more than 50 years of experience, TENA® is the worldwide leader in the management of incontinence, providing products and services for individuals and healthcare services throughout 105 countries. TENA® provides a full range of absorbent products tailored to the distinct needs of men and women, including pantiliners, daytime and overnight pads, male guards, protective underwear, briefs, skin care products, and underpads. With the TENA® brand, SCA is at the forefront of developing products that minimize the impact of incontinence and improve the everyday lives of people living or working with bladder weakness or incontinence. TENA® products feature innovative technologies, such as comfortable QuickDry™ topsheets, super-absorbent Lock Away Core™, and Advanced Odor Protection, to ensure protection, comfort and discretion for wearers.  For more information, please visit: www.tena.ca.

About SCA:
SCA is a global hygiene and paper company that develops and produces personal-care products, tissue, packaging solutions, publication papers and solid-wood products. SCA has many well-known brands, including the global brands TENA and Tork. In 2009 global sales were $14.5 billion. SCA conducts sales in 100 countries and has 45,000 employees. More information at www.sca.com

TENA® and Tork® are registered trademarks of SCA Hygiene Products.

For further information:

For further information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Camille Kowalewski/Nicolas Brancaccio
Edelman
[email protected] / [email protected]
416-849-1901/416-849-8912