enCATHopedia Volume 7
Parkinson’s
and the bladder
How
Parkinson’s
affects the
bladder
Treating
bladder
problems
CIC
can help
Parkinson’s
disease
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. In
people with Parkinson’s, some of the brain cells that
create the chemical dopamine have died. These cells are
needed to control physical motion and mood. The disease
gets worse over time, but its progression affects people
differently – as does its symptoms.
Parkinson’s is often diagnosed in a person’s 40’s or 50’s,
but it can also be diagnosed much earlier. The disease is
thought to be brought on by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, and is most often managed
with medication. Because Parkinson’s is a nervous
system disease, some – though not all – people with
Parkinson’s can experience bladder function problems at
some stage of their disease.
How Parkinson’s
affects the bladder
People with Parkinson’s may encounter the same bladder
problem anyone else might. However, two conditions are
commonly reported: urge incontinence and nocturia.
These conditions (or any other bladder problem that a
person with Parkinson’s might experience) may be a
result of signal problems between the brain and bladder.
Not everyone with Parkinson’s experiences bladder
problems. But for those that do, the symptoms can get
worse as the disease progresses.
Urge incontinence is also known as an overactive bladder
(OAB). Someone with an overactive bladder experiences
unwanted contractions that are difficult to control. They
may feel the need to urinate immediately, without warning,
even if the bladder is not full. OAB can be very disturbing,
and some people may also experience leakage.
Nocturia is the need to urinate several times during the
night because of OAB. This wakes people up, or results in
bed wetting. Interrupted sleep due to nocturia is one of
the most common non-motor symptoms in people with
Parkinson’s.
Managing
bladder problems
Because Parkinson’s affects motor control, frequently
having to rush to the toilet can be inconvenient and may
increase the risk for physical injury. Even clothing with
small or difficult-to-manage buttons can be a challenge,
leading to leakage accidents. Overall, bladder problems
can have a significant effect on a person’s mood or desire
to go out – which may contribute to depression, another
common symptom of Parkinson’s.
People with Parkinson’s have shared a number of ways
to make life easier if bladder problems are part of the
condition:
• Proper toilet height (not too high or low) makes it easier
to get up and down. Rails on the wall can be helpful.
• Tabs on zippers and oversize buttons can make it easier
to remove clothing and help prevent accidents.
• Constipation, another common symptom of Parkinson’s,
may also obstruct the urethra and affect the bladder.
The successful treatment of constipation is always
necessary, and may have a positive effect on bladder
problems.
• Bladder problems or not, it is always important to drink
fluids frequently throughout the day. Limiting fluid
intake is dangerous, and will not solve bladder problems.
Self-catheterizing for
people with Parkinson’s
For people with enough motor control to handle a
catheter, self-catheterization with a disposable catheter
may be an option. Clean Intermittent Catheterization
(CIC) is a safe and convenient way to empty the bladder.
CIC empties the bladder completely, which can help
relieve the symptoms of an overactive bladder. This
prevents the frequent feeling of needing to “go” and
enables a better night’s sleep.
• CIC is easy and safe, and while it may feel a little
strange at first, it does not hurt
• It is discreet and can be performed quickly anywhere
where there are toilets
• It prevents residual urine, reducing the risk of urinary
tract infections
• It empties the bladder completely, preventing the
backflow of urine that could damage the kidneys
• Because it empties completely, there’s less risk of urine
leakage
Living with
self-catheterization
Bladder problems can make it hard to go about our normal
day-to-day lives with confidence. CIC can help in many
different ways.
With a good single-use catheter, the procedure is quick,
comfortable and discreet.
Some people worry about going out in case there are
leaks. Self-catheterizing helps prevent accidental leaking
because it empties the bladder completely.
Self-catheterization gives better control of when, where
and how to empty the bladder. And self-catheterizing
before going to bed helps empty the bladder completely,
meaning fewer trips to the bathroom and a better night’s
sleep.
Wellspect HealthCare is a leading global provider of
innovative urological and surgical products and services.
We listen and learn from the people who use and work
with our products to develop new solutions tailored to
their needs.
enCATHopedia is an information series addressing a
range of subjects within urology. It is part of our commitment to improve quality of life for users and healthcare
professionals worldwide.
Wellspect.com
Lofric.com
Wellspect HealthCare,
Aminogatan 1, P.O. Box 14, SE-431 21 Mölndal, Sweden.
Phone: +46 31 376 40 00. www.wellspect.com
© 2014 Wellspect HealthCare, a DENTSPLY International Company. All rights reserved. 75992-USX-1411.
enCATHopedia by
Wellspect HealthCare