Author: Tracey McAlpine Category: Health, Bladder Dysfunction
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A new book to help you understand and overcome bladder dysfunction

With approximately 14 million people in the UK, that’s over 20% of the population, living with a bladder complaint.  What’s Up With Your Bladder is an easy to understand and follow guide to help you overcome incontinence and bladder dysfunction.

Contrary to popular belief, bladder problems aren’t just associated with getting older, they do not discriminate, these problems affect all ages, even children.  The word ‘incontinence’, by definition, means loss of control which is something that taps into our sense of dignity.

What’s Up With Your Bladder is a practical, no-nonsense, evidence-based book that looks at the challenges around bladder issues, such as stress incontinence, overactive bladder syndrome, painful bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis, UTI’s and even bladder cancer, all of which remain taboo subjects here in the UK.

Written by two well respected academics, Dr Megan Arroll, a psychologist who specialises in the impact of stress and stigma on health (including invisible/ misunderstood illness, eating behaviour and fatigue), and Professor Christine Dancey, Professor Emeritus of Chronic Illness Research at the University of East London.

What’s Up With Your Bladder guides you through each bladder-related problem, including the signs and symptoms, providing expert and practical advice on what you can do to help yourself while looking at what medical treatments are available.  The authors offer guidance on what each involves helping you make informed choices.

Dr Megan Arroll, says, “There is still a great deal of stigma attached to incontinence and this is why we thought it so important to talk about this hidden problem that so many people suffer from in silence.  We hope by doing so, readers will be encouraged to seek help and recover their health.”

Why do some people have problems with their bladder?

There are many reasons why people have problems with their bladder, but there often seems to be no reason why someone develops bladder symptoms. However, the symptoms of many bladder disorders are associated with anxiety and depression, including:

  • A sudden urge to pee, especially if there is no toilet nearby
  • Worry about possible urine leakage
  • Having to go to pee multiple times during the day, with the associated worry that people will notice
  • Having to get up in the night to pee, causing sleep loss
  • Feeling that the symptoms are embarrassing and worrying
  • Social and other relationships being affected

An additional problem is that people with bladder problems are more likely to have bowel problems as well.  This works both ways – for example, people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely than others to have bladder problems.

Read: Tips to help with bladder dysfunction from the authors of What’s Up With Your Bladder     

What’s Up With Your Bladder’ also covers medications and procedures in some detail in the book because having this information allows us to make an informed choice regarding what healthcare options are available.  

The authors explain, “In every condition we have studied (and experienced) we’ve always found that if possible, it’s best to start with the things you can do yourself and which are not invasive.  Sometimes medical techniques that appear well-tolerated later turn out to be harmful.  So, it’s best to err on the side of caution and always consider your options, medical and non-medical, carefully.” 

What’s Up With Your Bladder is available from Amazon – Paperback £3.93 Kindle Edition £3.73