How to Manage Incontinence Discreetly: Expert Tips & Daily Strategies

Incontinence affects millions of Australians every day, with many finding daily life, work, and social events difficult to manage as a result. It is a condition that can, understandably, cause physical and emotional distress. However, there are ways to discreetly manage and adapt to the condition, such as with the right continence products, lifestyle changes, and long-term professional support.

In this guide, we’ll explore incontinence’s impact on everyday Australians, and how you can manage the condition’s challenges discreetly from day to day (with low impact on your routine).

Understanding Incontinence and Its Impact 

Incontinence refers to the involuntary loss of control in your bowels and/or bladder. The two main types are urinary incontinence (bladder) and faecal incontinence (bowels). Its severity and causes can vary, and it can affect people of all ages.

One in four Australians experiences incontinence, many of whom are independent adults:

“Although there is a higher rate of incontinence among people who live in residential aged care facilities, 9 out of 10 people who experience incontinence live in the community. (...) The average age of people experiencing incontinence in Australia is 51 years.”

Continence Health Australia

Incontinence is a condition which, while common, can significantly affect your daily life, emotional wellbeing, confidence, and self-esteem. Effects may include:

• A need for physical support from others (reduction in independence)

• Stress and anxiety

• Embarrassment, both privately and in social situations

• Low mood and depression

• Reluctance to socialise and ask for help

With careful lifestyle adjustments, however, it is perfectly possible to manage incontinence discreetly, to regain confidence, and to live a full and happy life.

Daily Habits and Lifestyle Tips to Manage Incontinence

Typical habit and lifestyle changes to consider when managing incontinence include carefully timing bathroom visits, managing diet and hydration, and choosing the right clothing. In many cases, trying pelvic floor exercises, adjusting skin care and hygiene regimes, and making adjustments to your home can also help you manage incontinence.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use the following advice in place of a professional medical consultation. These tips, and all that follow, are for informative purposes only, and should not be considered direct treatment for incontinence. Always consult a medical professional if you are worried about developing bladder or bowel problems.

Timed Bathroom Visits

If you experience urinary incontinence, consider keeping a diary of when you visit the bathroom and look for patterns in how long you wait. If there’s clear timing between visits, try to extend your waiting time in small increments, up to a few hours between trips. Keeping a diary can also help medical professionals understand how to help you train your bladder.

Diet and Hydration

Drinking plenty of water, spread evenly throughout the day, can help to support healthy bladder and bowel control. Do also consider eating five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit per day, eating fibre, and managing your carbohydrate intake. Alcohol, coffee, and fizzy pop, meanwhile, can irritate your bladder.

Clothing Choices

Try to wear discreet, loose-fitting, comfortable clothing, particularly if you need to wear continence products. Choose darker colours where possible, and wear items that are easy to remove, but can still keep underwear and continence products in place.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

Our pelvic floor muscles help to control urination. Therefore, it’s important to try pelvic floor exercises, or kegels, several times a day, so your muscles can strengthen to close your urethra more effectively. Your doctor or nurse can help you learn more.

Skin Care and Hygiene

Incontinence can lead to damp, cracked skin, which may result in infection. It’s important to change products regularly, to keep clean and dry, and to use non-scented products and creams to protect your skin.

Home and Environmental Adjustments

Consider creating a safe bathroom environment, such as making the toilet easy to access, and keeping emergency products close to hand. Investing in portable urinals or commodes may also be worthwhile. Do also ensure your access to the bathroom is always well-lit in case of nighttime visits.

How to Manage Incontinence Outside the Home

Keeping confident and discreet in public can include planning bathroom trips, carrying emergency supplies, wearing adequate clothing, and investing in portable products.

Many of our customers, and people I’ve worked with over the years, recommend the following incontinence management tips when leaving home for work, travel, or otherwise:

• Plan Regular Bathroom Visits: Try following a diary, as mentioned above, or at least ensure you have access to a toilet regularly during travel

• Carry Discreet Emergency Supplies: Take gentle bathroom wipes, continence products such as disposable pads & pull-up pants, creams, and handwash for emergencies

• Wear Travel-Friendly Clothing: Opt for dark, loose items that are comfortable but easy to remove in an emergency

• Use Portable Continence Products: Consider investing in portable urinals, disposable bags, and other products you can use in private spaces at short notice

How to Use Continence Products Effectively

While you can find a wide variety of supportive and comfortable continence products here at Medshop, it’s also important to select the right product, apply them correctly, change regularly, dispose properly, and protect your skin.

Select the Right Product

Carefully search for and purchase continence aids that suit your needs and body type. For example, some pads and underwear are more absorbent than others, and come in a range of sizes. You may also need to consider bed pads or urine bags.

Apply Products Correctly

Always follow the instructions recommended by the product manufacturer. Improperly using or wearing aids will lead to discomfort and may even cause pain or leakage. Each continence product varies in terms of correct usage, so always follow the guidelines.

Change Products Regularly

Changing your product after each use or at the end of each recommended period is good hygienic practice. Wearing products for too long can lead to further discomfort, risk of infection, and embarrassing odours. Never be afraid to ask for help.

Store and Dispose Properly

Similarly to changing products, it’s important to hygienically dispose of items that you can discard after use. Use a closed, hygienic waste bin or similar, or tie up in refuse bags for sanitary collection. It’s important to store unused products in dry environments, too, where they won’t get spoiled.

Protect Skin From Irritation

Always clean and dry your skin after each product use. Consider using gentle, perfume-free creams and ointments to ensure your skin is free from irritation, and to prevent cracking and infection.

When to Seek Professional Support and Guidance

You must seek medical care if you experience frequent leaks, sudden or unusual pain or discomfort, sudden changes in your body, bladder or pelvic problems, or, if you notice a loved one or someone in your care experiencing cognitive difficulties.

I advise you see a doctor, nurse, or other specialist if you:

• Experience leakage frequently, whether or not you’re wearing continence products

• Notice blood in your urine or stool

• Suffer painful episodes relating to passing water or stool, or chronic pain in your bladder, bowels, or stomach

• Notice any changes in your daily symptoms, such as sudden onset of incontinence, change in pain thresholds, or increase in frequency when you need to visit the toilet

• Have any concerns regarding your bladder or pelvic region, from discomfort and pain to continuing issues after you’ve tried kegel/pelvic floor exercises

• Look after someone, such as a family member or spouse, and notice cognitive changes, alterations to their behaviour, or signs of incontinence that they may be embarrassed to discuss

Ultimately, if anything in your daily routine (or that of someone you’re caring for) changes, always arrange to see a medical professional as soon as you can.

Final Thoughts

Incontinence affects millions of us, and understandably, that may not be an immediate comfort if you are living with the condition. As a professional, I have helped many people adapt to better bladder and bowel management over the years, and each case is slightly different.

It’s why you should always take careful, personalised steps to adapting your lifestyle and using products that help you feel more comfortable and start to build up your public confidence. I encourage you to speak to a medical professional as soon as possible if you are worried, and to consult Medshop’s broad range of support products, such as disposable pads and discreet incontinence underwear, if you need to.

Sources

Disposable Pads & Pull-Up Pants. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved December 16, 2025, from https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/disposable-pads-pull-up-pants

Incontinence Underwear. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved December 16, 2025, from https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/incontinence-underwear

Robyn. (2025). Key statistics on incontinence. In Continence Health Australia (formerly the Continence Foundation of Australia). Continence Foundation of Australia. https://www.continence.org.au/about-us/our-work/key-statistics-incontinence

Shop Continence Aids Online. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved December 16, 2025, from https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/continence-care