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.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
China Airlines Ltd (CAL) yesterday morning joined SkyTeam’s Aviation Challenge for the fourth time, operating a demonstration flight for “net zero carbon emissions” from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Bangkok. The flight used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a ratio of up to 40 percent, the highest proportion CAL has achieved to date, the nation’s largest carrier said. Since April, SAF has become available to Taiwanese international carriers at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Kaohsiung International Airport and Taoyuan airport. In previous challenges, CAL operated “net zero carbon emission flights” to Singapore and Japan. At a ceremony at Taoyuan airport, China Airlines chief sustainability
‘ONE CHINA’: A statement that Berlin decides its own China policy did not seem to sit well with Beijing, which offered only one meeting with the German official German Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul’s trip to China has been canceled, a spokesperson for his ministry said yesterday, amid rising tensions between the two nations, including over Taiwan. Wadephul had planned to address Chinese curbs on rare earths during his visit, but his comments about Berlin deciding on the “design” of its “one China” policy ahead of the trip appear to have rankled China. Asked about Wadephul’s comments, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) said the “one China principle” has “no room for any self-definition.” In the interview published on Thursday, Wadephul said he would urge China to
RSS