World Continence Week: Time to break the taboos

To see the Social Media Release, click here: http://smr.newswire.ca/en/duchesnay-inc/semaine-mondiale-de-la-continence

BLAINVILLE, QC, June 22 /CNW/ - Public forums are organized across Canada until June 27 as part of the World Continence Week, an initiative of The International Continence Society. Their purpose is to promote global public awareness about the various types of incontinence affecting 3.3 million people in Canada, the multidisciplinary approaches to treatment and the resources available.

For the occasion, Laughing without Leaking, the only Canadian community Web site dedicated to urinary stress incontinence in women, has created a "Special Edition" for both the public and the media. It includes selective video clips featuring experts, printable information sheets and articles focusing on urinary stress incontinence, which represents 50% of all types of urinary incontinence. It is also the most common kind of incontinence in women under the age of 55. Some of the primary factors known to contribute to the development of urinary stress incontinence are pregnancy and child birth, menopause, intensive sports - especially high-impact sports - on a regular basis, excess weight, certain medical disorders, and previous surgery.

In a series of video clips presented on the Laughing without Leaking site, Dr. Donna Fedorkow, urogynecologist, Associate Professor in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Director Continuing Medical Education at McMaster University, explains that Stress Urinary Incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine when the pressure within the abdomen exceeds the ability of the pelvic floor's continence mechanism to control the leakage of urine from the bladder. Typical symptoms include urinary leakage with laughing, coughing, sneezing and other physical activities. Treatments are directed towards strengthening or supporting the bladder neck or pelvic floor musculature using various methods to help women strengthen these muscles and preserve their tone. The conservative therapy that is generally recommended includes exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor, commonly known as Kegels, the use of vaginal cones, biofeedback or electrical stimulation or the insertion of a pessary, and certain lifestyle changes. In some severe cases, surgery may be necessary."

Urinary stress incontinence is still an embarrassing taboo. Many women think of their "small leaks" as an inevitable part of aging. They are uncomfortable discussing it with their doctor and do not realize the importance of managing their problem promptly so that the incontinence does not become more serious. That is why it is important that they bring it up with their doctor and learn about effective solutions that can improve their quality of life and prevent irreversible problems later on.

Visit the Special Edition of Laughing without Leaking (http://www.delitdepetitesfuites.ca/fr/apropos/nouvelles/63-semaine-mondiale-de-la-continence) during World Continence Week.

Laughing Without Leaking is sponsored by Duchesnay, a Canadian pharmaceutical company mainly dedicated to the health of the pregnant woman and her unborn child as well as to her quality of life during and following pregnancy.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: Christine Walter, 1 888 666-0611, cell. 514 895-8798, [email protected]