Image: from left, Emily Chong, Jasmine Loh (Asst Brand Manager), Raja Azura, and Soo Woon Yee (Marketing Director of Kimberly-Clark Malaysia)
Light Urinary Leakage (LUL) is one of those things that women face, no matter who or where she is – wife, mother, daughter or friend. Experiencing LUL might create anxiety and embarrassment, so they refused to share it with their friends, or even family members without seeking for solutions.
In conjunction with World Continence Week 2013, Poise® teamed up with Raja Azura, a famous TV and radio host, to advocate “Embracing the Realities of Womanhood and Light Urinary Leakage”, a brand new campaign that celebrates the joyous and varied life experience of being a woman.
During the launch of the campaign, related experts and brand ambassador Raja Azura shared the correct information about the LUL illness. A new-and-improved Poise® product relaunced at the same time.
The invited guests are: Dr. Seri Suniza Sufian, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Dr. Hariyati Shahrima Abdul Majid, Clinical Psychologist and Asst. Professor of Psychology, Neng Shahidah Sabullah, Women’s Health, Physiotherapist; Emily Chong, Group Brand Manager, Adult Care, Kimberly-Clark Malaysia, and last but not least, Raja Azura, Poise® Ambassador.
Image: from left, Neng, Dr. Seri Suniza, Raja Azura, Dr. Hariyati and Emily Chong
Dr. Seri Suniza = (S), Dr. Hariyati = (H), Neng = (N), Emily = (E), Raja Azura = (R)
Q: Can you briefly describe the average lifestyle of a woman in her 40s?
H: This is an age of creating a productive lifestyle, either she has a successful career, or she probably raising couples of children. Women at this age also will experience physical and psychological changes, including LUL that we’re discussing right now.
R: Speaking about LUL, a lot of women feel shy since the early days. Women don’t dare as for solutions when they’re facing this problem. Right now we have the experts and we should be positive and open minded to hear what they have to say.
Q: What is LUL? What are the symptoms of LUL?
S: What we’re discussing right now is LUL, not LOL. LUL means Light Urinary Leakage, an illness of slight leakage of urine stored in the bladder. Women will experience this situation when cough, sneeze, exercise, and even go to the toilet too often.
E: Research has been done and results reported that 25% of Malaysian women are facing LUL illness. For those women aged 35 and above, 85% of them will face LUL sickness as well.
Q: Does LUL affects a women’s health psychologically?
H: Yes it does. Women are not aware that this illness can be cured actually. Usually women will deny this LUL condition because most of them feel ashamed to ask around. This might affect a woman’s sense of independence and affect their working performances when time goes by. Women might even face emotional distress and they’ll feel isolated from society, reducing her quality of life.
Q: Are married women the only ones who suffer from LUL?
S: Women who have given birth for sure they’ll slightly loose contractions of the “lower part”. But even single women are also facing the same problem as well. Human body will change eventually when it starts to age.
Q: What are the common mistakes about the perception of LUL?
S: Many of us don’t know that LUL can happen if they take too much of water. It’s actually making it even worse, nothing will change the LUL illness but then again, drinking less water will dehydrate your body.
R: Women are using the wrong pad when they have LUL, they’ll use mentrual pads to hold their urine. The absorption rate of mentrual pad are slower then LUL pad, which can cause itchiness and irritates the skin at the lower part.
N: Women are fear of operating their lower part of the body and they refused to cure LUL illness which is not need to be do so.
Image: Neng demonstrates Kegel Exersice to the audiences
Q: Any simple exercise for LUL patient to improve the illness?
N: Kegel exercises are the simplest and easiet exercise ever. It’s created by Arnold Kegel in year 1948, which is why it named after him. It’s a pelvic floor exercise which consist of repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor. This exercises is very effective to reduce urinary incontinence. 3 – 5 times perday, 10 contractions every time, you’ll feel the improvement.
Q: For those who suffer from LUL, what should they do? And what we should do as a friend of the patient if they’re sharing their problem with us?
S: Don’t feel shy about it, seek the help of experts immediaty and LUL can be cured. Don’t give yourself too much pressure and always know your body well.
H: As a friend, be supportive when they’re facing LUL bacause the don’t want too. Be a good listener and don’t be judgemental as well. Give your friend good advice and encourage her to look for solutions.
Q: How does Poise® LUL pad works? Any difference compared with the ordinary mentrual pad?
E: LUL pad absorbs faster then mentrual pad because urine consists of water while menstrual blood is made up of cells and it’s thicker in consistency. Poise® LUL pad can keep you comfortable to prevent skin irritation.
Q: Last but not least, any tips and advices to embrace a healthy lifestyle?
All: Remember, do understand your body and have a healthy lifestyle. Be happy to look forward to aging because it ain’t scary. With positive minds and mobilized supports, we will be more confident and our lifestyle will be physically, mentally and spirituallyimproved. Do look for the right solution and seek for the right products, “prevention is better than cure.”
