My Account
Kawau Bay Health GP partner Dr Kate Baddock.
Too pee or not to pee? That’s the title of a free community talk on the sensitive topic of incontinence.
The event will be held at Summerset Falls Retirement Village in Warkworth on Friday July 22 at 2.30pm.
It will be hosted by Kawau Bay Health GP partner Dr Kate Baddock and specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Paul Henderson.
Dr Baddock says incontinence is often a taboo subject, but people need to understand what is and isn’t normal so they can get help and improve their quality of life.
“It’s an important issue that a lot of people get embarrassed about,” Dr Baddock says.
“If you are going to the toilet six or seven times in the night, or you find that you aren’t getting to the toilet in time, that’s something that needs to be addressed. It’s common, but it’s not normal. You shouldn’t live your life thinking about where the next toilet is.”
Not getting the issue addressed can also make the problem worse.
“People can end up teaching their bladder bad habits. Strategies like going to the toilet whenever one is nearby can lead the bladder to think it’s full when it’s not.”
But there are things that can make a difference.
“Some of these issues can be fixed by retraining the bladder, while others can be fixed surgically.”
The talk will be informal and people are encouraged to come along and ask questions.
“The more people the better.”
The event is part of a series Kawau Bay Health is running to address common health concerns within the community.
The series is the result of feedback from the practice’s advisory group called Critical Friends, which identifies ways it can improve its service to the public.
Last year’s talks covered Alzheimer’s disease and cancers of female reproductive organs, while a talk on mental health will be held later this year.
