by Tom Wilson, Co-Founder of The CareGiver Partnership
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| Treatment may include Kegels, bladder retraining. |
As a government task force drafts a controversial recommendation
against routine PSA screening, butting heads with some doctors and
organizations such as the American Cancer Society, it brings to a forefront the
topics of side effects and recovery following surgery for prostate cancer.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has drafted a
recommendation that PSA blood tests should no longer be part of routine
screening for healthy men because it found little evidence of a reduction in
deaths, according to an Oct. 8 Associated Press article. The task force says too
much PSA doesn’t always mean cancer is present — it also can indicate a benign
enlarged prostate or infection — and 30 percent of men treated for
PSA-discovered prostate cancer suffer significant side effects from the
treatment. Its research shows 200 to 300 of every 1,000 men treated with
surgery or radiation suffer incontinence or impotence.
The side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile
dysfunction, vary depending on the individual and type and extent of treatment.
There are a number of male incontinence products for use following prostate
surgery, and there is hope for recovery from these side effects.
Stress incontinence, characterized by urine leakage during activity
that strains the bladder, such as coughing, laughing or exercising, is the most
common type of incontinence following a radical prostatectomy. Many men regain
bladder control within several weeks or months, but there is a risk of stress
incontinence lasting up to three years following surgery.
Ways to cope include choosing male incontinence products following surgery, keeping skin clean and healthy, and controlling fluid intake. Your doctor may also recommend Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles in combination with bladder retraining, which can help decrease urine leakage, urgency and frequency.
For more information:
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providing products and services that help caregivers and loved ones maintain
personal dignity, The CareGiver Partnership also offers an online library of more than 1,000
family caregiver resources and personal service by experts in caregiving. To find out how The CareGiver Partnership can serve you, call 1-800-985-1353 M-F
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