As you get older, your bladder and bowel may not work as well as they used to.
Learn more about how to have good bladder and bowel control (continence), treatment and management options and the bowel cancer screening test.
There are many things you can do to maintain good bladder and bowel control as you get older. For example, you can:
If you are worried about incontinence, talk to your doctor. It's important to find the cause and learn about different treatment options.
Your doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms.
Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend:
You can also manage incontinence with products such as:
Your pelvic floor muscles support the bladder, uterus and bowel. They help maintain bladder (wee) and bowel (wind and poo) control. These muscles can also contribute to sexual enjoyment.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to issues such as incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Learn more about the bladder and pelvic floor, urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Read about Bladder leakage: fact versus fiction.
Read about Your pelvic floor: The forgotten muscles.
Learn more about bowel incontinence.
Visit the Continence Foundation of Australia website for more information about continence.
If you’re aged between 50 and 74, you can get a free bowel screening test every two years. The test checks for early signs of bowel cancer.
Learn more about the bowel cancer screening test.
This content has been reviewed by a group of medical subject matter experts, in accordance with Jean Hailes policy.
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