Bladder worries: Britain's last taboo?

We all need to pee. Whatever your age or social status you need to pee multiple times a day.

And yet, despite the 14 million of us in the UK who suffer from bladder problems (more than those with asthma, diabetes and epilepsy put together), no one’s even talking about it!

The last health taboo

This silence offers a rich breeding ground for medical myths and unfounded rumours. People go most of their lives not knowing that they’re unwittingly damaging their bladder. And they continue to be unaware of how bladder self-care could help protect them from problems later on.

Meanwhile, the bladder remains an unsung hero, trying to let us live life according to our own schedule. 

Back-to-back meetings? Three-hour coach trip? Queueing up for the shops? Our bladder takes on the challenges, time and time again. That’s why it’s easy to take it for granted – until it stops working properly.

With such a lack of knowledge about this fundamental bodily process, things can go wrong.

For one in three women, a sneeze, a belly laugh, or a croaky cough can all end up with a side order of bladder leak. The medical term is "stress incontinence", although it’s not emotional stress we’re talking about, but strain on our pelvic floor.

Sometimes this is kick-started by life events such as childbirth or menopause, but lifestyle factors – for instance, diet, obesity or smoking – also contribute. 

Time for change

Four out of five people don’t talk to their doctor about bladder leaks.

Worse, participants in a recent survey admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic had made them even less likely to talk to a health professional because they don’t want to burden the NHS. It means that even more people are dealing with this worry in isolation.

We tend to overlook the dependable underdog of the human body: the bladder.

Whether it’s assuming that leaks are normal (they’re not) or deciding that leaks are an inevitable part of ageing (they’re not) or that it’s too awkward to discuss it. Whatever the reason, bladder health has remained stubbornly taboo. Not for much longer!

Embrace the solutions

Despite low uptake and lack of awareness, there are solutions. Pelvic physiotherapy, for instance, can improve both bladder and bowel leaks. 

The pelvic floor is often ignored – indeed, pelvic floor exercise seems to be an afterthought for most fitness regimes, apart from Pilates. It’s simply ridiculous. This is the very self-care secret we should all be shouting from the rooftops. Beneficial for both women and men (yes, men too), not only does it offer a solution for bladder problems but, if done early enough, can also be preventative.

There are also oral and topical treatments that can offer people a much-needed lifeline and a chance to regain their independence. 

The first step is to start talking, share our experiences, encourage one other to seek help, and discuss the solutions. And above all, show each other that we’re not alone. Let’s smash this taboo once and for all!