A new survey showed that the public is seriously misinformed about incontinence and its treatment, the Taiwan Continence Society said on Saturday.
Almost 90 percent of the public believe the condition is caused by “a weak bladder,” while about 70 percent think it is a normal part of aging, society president and urologist Liao Chun-hou (廖俊厚) said at a news conference.
Incontinence is a complicated condition with multiple possible causes, he said, adding that obesity, constipation, pregnancy and prostate enlargement are as much to blame as aging or abnormal bladder functions.
The belief that incontinent people should drink less water, use the restroom more often, avoid leaving home and take over-the-counter medicine are misguided, he said.
Drinking less water could increase the risks of infection, while confining oneself to the home for a treatable condition is unnecessary and it is not likely that buying drugs without a medical diagnosis would help, he said.
People should not allow incontinence to interfere with their lives when treatment is available at clinics, he added.
Another common myth is that going to the gym, doing yoga or engaging in other forms of exercise would ameliorate the symptoms, society vice president and nurse Tsai Chuan-hsiu (蔡娟秀) said.
Specific types of exercise can strengthen pelvic floor, but increasing other types of exercise could make the condition worse, she said.
Only 15 percent of respondents were aware that incontinence is linked to a strain of constipation, while 70 percent of women reported using sanitary towels, which are not designed for fast absorption, she said.
The resulting uncleanliness and bad odor often keeps affected women at home, she said.
The online poll was conducted between May 14 and June 9, with 1,253 samples drawn from members of the public, healthcare workers and people with renal or urological conditions.
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Saturday that she would not be intimidated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), following reports that Chinese agents planned to ram her car during a visit to the Czech Republic last year. "I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety," Hsiao said on social media platform X. "The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she wrote. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic on March 18 last year as vice president-elect and met with Czech Senate leadership, including
There have been clear signs of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to interfere in the nationwide recall vote on July 26 in support of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators facing recall, an unnamed government official said, warning about possible further actions. The CCP is actively involved in Taiwanese politics, and interference in the recall vote is to be expected, with multiple Chinese state media and TAO attempts to discredit the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and undermine public support of their recall movement, the official said. This interference includes a smear campaign initiated this month by a pro-Beijing Hong Kong news outlet against
A week-long exhibition on modern Tibetan history and the Dalai Lama’s global advocacy opened yesterday in Taipei, featuring quotes and artworks highlighting human rights and China’s ongoing repression of Tibetans, Hong Kongers and Uighurs. The exhibition, the first organized by the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT), is titled “From the Snowy Ridges to the Ocean of Wisdom.” “It would be impossible for Tibetans inside Tibet to hold an exhibition like this — we can do it. because we live in a free and democratic country,” HRNTT secretary-general Tashi Tsering said. Tashi Tsering, a Taiwan-based Tibetan who has never
A first shipment of five tons of Taiwan tilapia was sent from Tainan to Singapore on Wednesday, following an order valued at NT$600,000 (US$20,500) placed with a company in the city. The products, including frozen whole fish and pre- cooked fish belly, were dispatched from Jiangjun Fishing Harbor, where a new aquatic processing and logistics center is under construction. At the launch, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) called the move a “breakthrough,” marking Taiwan’s expansion into the Singaporean tilapia market. Taiwan’s tilapia exports have traditionally focused on the United States, Canada, and the Middle East, Huang said, adding that the new foothold in
RSS