The bladder
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) vary from person to person but more than 50% of people with Multiple Sclerosis will experience bladder issues. Typical symptoms include:
- Need to urinate more frequently or urgently
- Difficulty in emptying the bladder
- Occasional urinary incontinence
The above symptoms may be one of the first signs of Multiple Sclerosis but they may also develop during the course of the illness.
The bowels
Multiple Sclerosis may also affect the bowels, with about 34% of people believed to have issues to a degree that interferes with their daily life. Typical symptoms include:
- Constipation
- Bowel leakage
Certain drugs commonly prescribed for multiple sclerosis can also increase the likelihood of constipation.
Taking care of your bladder and bowel
To avoid troublesome complications and improve your quality of life, it’s important to take care of your bladder and bowel. The following section describes some practical solutions you may find useful:
Unable to empty the bladder
Clean intermittent catheterisation is considered the gold standard for people who can’t empty their bladders themselves.
Bladder leakage
Urisheaths are an effective way for boys and men to deal with bladder leakage.
Chronic constipation/bowel leakage
Peristeen® anal irrigation system is an effective way to get into a good bowel care routine. For leakage you might use Peristeen anal plug.
Multiple Sclerosis - facts
MS is a so-called autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system attacks the person’s own cells. In the case of MS, the central nervous system (CNS) is attacked. MS ratio of female to male is about 2:1. MS can gradually lead to:
- Bladder and bowel symptoms
- Physical limitations
- Fatigue
- Cognitive impairment