Terms Associated with Urinary Incontinence & Limited Mobility

UrAssist Glossary

Glossary of Terms Associated with Urinary Incontinence & Limited Mobility

Activities of daily living (ADL)

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) asks questions to identify those who need help from other people with personal care needs such as bathing, eating, dressing or getting around inside the home.

Activity Limitation

Activity limitation refers to a long-term reduction in a person's capacity to perform the average kind or amount of activities associated with his or her age group.

ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act. The civil rights law for people with disabilities passed in 1990, which contain protections for employment, transportation, access to telecommunications, and access to public places.

ADAAG
Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. Guidelines issued by Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board which give dimensions and standards to the architectural features required by the ADA .

Adaptation
Finding another way to do things. It's partly being creative about solving problems and partly being insistent about getting back to the things that are important to you. "Adaptive thinking" involves making changes in your everyday environment. Some examples are: changing how you do certain tasks or activities, changing the "tools" you use to do them or changing the features of places by doing things like adding ramps, widening doorways or getting rid of throw rugs. When you can learn to think "adaptively" you are using the best parts of human nature - resilience and creativity!

Adult Diaper

An absorbent garment worn by individuals to aid in controlling bladder or bowel movements, or who are unable to reach the toilet when needed. This group primarily includes infants, some young children, as well as some elderly people who are incontinent or suffer with physical or mental disability. People suffering from incontinence may benefit from wearing diapers. Associated concerns arise when long term contact with skin can lead to rashes and irritation. Moisture has the tendency to irritate the skin. Urine is high in pH which affects the skin.

Assistive Steering Devices
Assistive steering devices are selected based on the client's need. They range from reduced effort steering to compensate for reduced strength, to joystick steering to allow one-handed control of steering, braking and acceleration, to spinner knobs to allow for steering with one hand.

ATP
Assistive Technology Provider, a credential granted by RESNA to indicate years of experience and competence to practice in the area of assistive technology. The ATP credential can be earned by occupational, physical and speech therapists, audiologists, special educators and others who provide direct evaluation and training services to clients with assistive technology needs.

ATS
Assistive Technology Supplier, a credential given by RESNA to indicate years of experience and knowledge to practice in the area of supplying rehabilitation technology devices. The ATS credential can be earned by professionals with knowledge of equipment and funding options. They agree to practice within the scope of their knowledge and to abide by a code of ethical behavior. A similar credential is the CRTS, which is given by NRRTS to their members who earned the ATS certification.

Bladder

A stretchable sack like structure in the body that holds urine, often referred to as “urinary bladder”.

Bladder Diary

Bladder diary is a simple format for tracking and monitoring your daily output of urine, the frequency, volume and color.

Bladder Training

Is a behavioral modification technique for urinary incontinence that involves placing a patient on a toileting schedule. The time intervals between urination is gradually increased in order to train the patient to remain continent.

Camber
The off-vertical tilt of the large wheels of a wheelchair, which increases the chair's stability and brings the tops of the wheels closer to the user. It also makes the wheelchair wider.

Casters
The two small wheels at the front (or the rear) of the wheelchair which swivel in all directions. They contribute to the maneuverability of the wheelchair and come in either solid or pneumatic styles.

Catheter (urinary)

Urinary catheterization is the insertion of a catheter into a patient's bladder. The catheter is used as a conduit to drain urine from the bladder into an attached bag or container. Urinary catheterization is employed in hospital and nursing home settings to maintain urine output in patients who are undergoing surgery, or who are confined to the bed and physically unable to use a bedpan. Critically ill patients who require strict monitoring of urinary output are also frequently catheterized.

Commode

Typically bedside, these toilet fixtures are designed to either sit atop of a toilet to aid in sitting or they remain standalone along side of the bed to provide bedside toileting. Still requires patient to get up from bed and on to toilet.

Continence

Continence is voluntary control of one’s bladder. Typically does not require assistance or assistive devices. Can urinate without assistance and does not leak or dribble.

Crossbrace
The center frame of the wheelchair, which is just below the seat. On folding wheelchairs, crossbraces join the two sides of the wheelchair frame together, as well as providing support for seating.

Electromagnetic Interference
Occurs when some device in a person's environment emits electromagnetic energy that is not compatible with the sensitive electronics incorporated into many medical devices such as power wheelchairs. This causes the wheelchair to behave abnormally. For example, a cellular phone can interfere with the controller of the power wheelchair so that the chair moves unexpectedly or erratically.

Functional Incontinence

Occurs when people have mental or physical problems that keep them from reaching a toilet. Someone with Alzheimer's disease may not be able to plan a trip to a restroom. Conditions such as arthritis may affect how you manage undoing your clothing or how fast you can reach the toilet. A person in a wheelchair may have trouble getting to a toilet in time. Functional incontinence can also affect the elderly.

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)

The IADLs include routine personal assistance needs such as household chores, doing necessary business, shopping or getting around for other purposes.

Invasive

A medical procedure in which a part of the body is entered such as by puncture or incision.

Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises (Kegels) are exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the lower pelvic girdle, or pelvic floor—the pubococcygeal (PC) muscles. The PC muscles support the bladder, urethra, and urethral sphincter—the muscle group at the neck of the bladder that acts as a spigot for controlling urine flow into the urethra—and the vagina, uterus, and rectum. Anything that puts pressure on the abdomen can weaken or damage these pelvic muscles. Such conditions include pregnancy, childbirth, excess weight, hormonal changes, and aging. Kegel exercises enable the PC muscles to better withstand increases in pressure inside the abdomen.

Nocturia

Nocturia, also called nycturia, is the need to get up during the night in order to urinate, thus interrupting sleep. Its occurrence is more frequent in the elderly. Nocturia could result simply from too much liquid intake before going to bed, or it could be a symptom of a larger problem, such as urinary incontinence, Interstitial Cystitis, diabetes, benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.

Non-invasive

Not penetrating the body, as by incision. Used especially of a diagnostic procedure. Not invading healthy tissue. Most indwelling catheters are “invasive” and enter the body to reside in the urethra. UrAssist is NONINVASIVE and does not enter the body.

Neurogenic Bladder

Dysfunction of the urinary bladder due to disease of the central or peripheral nervous system pathways involved in the control of micturition. This is often associated with SPINAL CORD DISEASES, but may also be caused by BRAIN DISEASES or PERIPHERAL NERVE DISEASES.

Overactive Bladder (OAB)

An overactive bladder is a condition also referred to as Overflow incontinence. Overflow incontinence results when the bladder does not empty correctly and the amount of urine overwhelms the capacity of the bladder. People with this type of incontinence have a blockage to the bladder or urethra, or a bladder that doesn't contract properly.

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence occurs when someone loses urine after pressure is placed on the abdomen, such as while exercising, sneezing, coughing, having sex, laughing, lifting, getting out of a chair, bending over or hugging.

Urinary Frequency

Urinary frequency is when a person has the need to go to the bathroom too often.

Urgency

Urgency is a condition when a person has a compelling need to urinate immediately.

Urge incontinence.

Also called overactive bladder, this occurs when a person has a sudden need to urinate and cannot control the urge. Urine is lost before the person can get to the toilet. Your bladder might empty during sleep, after drinking water or when you hear water running.

Urinalysis

Urinalysis is a diagnostic physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of a urine sample (specimen). Specimens can be obtained by normal emptying of the bladder (voiding) or by a hospital procedure called catheterization.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a condition in which a person experiences the involuntary loss of urine. Urinary incontinence can have serious social and hygienic effects on a person.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can occur anywhere in your urinary tract. When you have a UTI, the bladder's lining and urethra become irritated. You may feel pain in your abdomen and pelvic area and may feel like you need to urinate often. The structure of the urinary tract is designed to protect you from infection. The flow of urine helps clear the body of bacteria. Any problem with the urinary tract, such as a kidney stone or a birth defect, can make you vulnerable to infection. A UTI may cause temporary incontinence, which means your body leaks urine.

Urologist

A physician who specializes in the urinary system of the body, a urologist is a physician who has specialized knowledge and skill regarding problems of the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs.