Gemma Savory

There are some general lifestyle changes which may help to alleviate your...

Laura MacKenzie, 45 from Wemyss Bay was diagnosed with a rare and...

After years of suffering uncontrolled Ulcerative Colitis, Dan Callaghan underwent stoma surgery...

Abbie Stapleton, 25 from St Neots tells Bladder and Bowel Community how...

This Urology Awareness Month, we have worked with the ME Association to...

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) defined as a sudden unintentional loss of urine...

Anal Repair Surgery has an 80% long term success rate, and involved...

Trying to maintain a good toilet position may be useful for people...

From time to time stoma patients may experience stoma problems.

A stoma is an opening on the abdomen that can be connected...

For mental health awareness week, Community Manager Gemma Savory describes ways to...

Fashion designer, Victoria Jenkins tells us about how her own health issues...

Having a child with a bladder or bowel issue can be scary...

The original toilet card from the Bladder and Bowel Community is now...

At the start of a new year, many of us will be...

When we talk about having a bladder or bowel condition, we mostly...

Introducing Hannah, who will be contributing as a regular guest blogger for...

This week is Diabetes Week and Diabetes UK are working to raise...

If we have a physical illness most of us wouldn’t think twice...

How much do you know about your kidneys? These two fist-sized beans...

Tara has agreed to share her story with the Bladder and Bowel...

It has been just over four years since you came into my...

Jeff Finnie, aged 51, from Swindon is running 20 half marathons in...

This week is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness week. Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative...

Student Film makers aim to raise awareness of invisible illnesses like inflammatory...

We were interested to see that included in today’s Budget 2018 news...

Mark has bravely agreed to share his story of living with an...

Yesterday marked World Menopause Day and an opportunity to discuss a change...

On World Mental Health Day, Bladder and Bowel Community Manager, Gemma Savory...

Fistulas are usually caused by injury or surgery, they may also form...

Niki Wells is 33 years old and lives in London with her...

We are so pleased to announce that we have been chosen as...

After months of suffering, Muneeb was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in October...

If you are currently receiving chemotherapy treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer with...

Today the NHS turns 70 years old and Bladder and Bowel's...

Time 2 Talk Ostomy Support Group is a new group for those...

This month is Make May Purple for Stroke Awareness and we will...

Georgia is 24 years old and has a very rare chronic bowel...

This week is MS Awareness Week (23 - 29 April), Multiple Sclerosis...

This week is Autism Awareness Week and we have been speaking to...

A stoma nurse is a specialised role and will look after and...

My name is Gemma and I have cancer. In fact, I have...

Laura is a busy new mum, a nurse and at the young...

Changing your stoma bag may seem daunting at first but you will...

A stoma is formed by bringing a loop of bowel (from the...

Natalie Toper, Cancer Counsellor and bowel cancer survivor is campaigning to get...

The Royal Society of Medicine will be holding a seminar this March...

Cancer charities Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer have today announced...

Calling all men! Ditch the razor this month, create a little extra...

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week takes place each year between the 1st...

We’re always grateful to our community for sharing their stories and letting...

The indwelling catheter is retained in the bladder by a balloon which...

There are many products on the market that can help you feel...

There are many incontinence aids and products on the market that can...

Bedding and chair covers are absorbent pads that can be used on...

In this section you will find helpful information and advice on some...

Elaine Miller is a successful physiotherapist that has worked in the glamorous...

Having a stoma shouldn’t limit your ability to travel in the UK...

Irrigation is a system of bowel management for a colostomy in which...

If you have a stoma it may help to adjust your diet...

Looking after your peristomal skin (the ring of your skin that sits...

There are many different stoma care products for you to choose from....

Don’t be alarmed by the size of your stoma for the first...

Depending on your hospital you will probably be offered a pre-op assessment...

It’s a natural part of our life and we all do it...

If you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease or an ostomy then you probably...

We’re always grateful to our community for sharing their stories and letting...

We spoke to BBC Radio Essex this week to give our opinions...

Meet Lauren; she suffers with a bowel condition called Irritable Bowel Syndrome,...

Jon Burgess is an expert in Health and Wellbeing with over 15...

Living with a bladder condition such as Overactive Bladder can be both...

Currently there is no cure for Coeliac Disease. This condition is a...

Coeliac Disease is a common chronic autoimmune condition that affects around one...

Lauraine has IBD, which has resulted in an ileostomy and she also...

This week we’ve all been inundated with those photos of cute smiling...

In support of our work in campaigning for publicly available toilets for...

The only treatment for Hirschsprung’s is surgery. All children will have to...

Hirschsprung’s Disease is a rare congenital disorder that affects the large bowel...

The RADAR key provides you with access to over 9,000 accessible public...

Share your story with the Bladder and Bowel Community and help us...

Leading bowel charity, Bowel and Cancer Research have created a new identity...

Kidney stones are a fairly common condition that tend to affect people...

Want to know what foods irritate the bladder, or calm the bladder...

The NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group has recently announced that they will...

If you find yourself having difficulty going to the toilet and emptying...

This week the Colostomy Association launched the theme for these year’s Colostomy...

There are many stages of life which pose new challenges and it’s...

Published on 20/6/17 Being a family carer is a demanding role and...

It is usual for anyone who is about to undergo an operation...

AD This article contains links Published on 20/6/17 The impact of urinary incontinence...

Published on 20/6/17 Did you know that you can visit a continence...

Through our partnership with Bullen Healthcare, we are able to offer our...

Published on 20/6/17 Incontinence impacts more than 200 million people worldwide and...

Designed by chartered physiotherapists specialising in Pelvic Health working in the NHS,...

A bowel obstruction can be a serious condition, which can occur in...

INNOVO® is working in association with the World Federation of Incontinent Patients...

The Bladder and Bowel Foundation has been serving the Bladder and Bowel...

Morrisons install accessible toilet signs in 492 stores. The Bladder and Bowel...

We are delighted to announce that Blake Beckford has been shortlisted for...

Amongst other things, April marks IBS Awareness Month. So we thought it...

Millions of people in England experience problems with continence but many are...

Scientists claim method is potentially more accurate than PSA and could minimize...

A newly-launched Cancer Research UK study could be the first step towards...

Benjamin King, star of Disney Channel's hit TV series Liv and Maddie,...

New evidence published highlights benefits and harms of using artificial mesh when...

A report into the financial and emotional  costs of constipation has been...

On Tuesday 16 February, Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) hosted its...

Up to half of samples of urinary tract infections in children are...

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a novel implantable material...

NICE has issued final guidance recommending abiraterone (marketed as Zytiga by Janssen)...

New early warning system to prevent life-threatening urinary infections in catheter users....

Ahead of Continence Awareness Week to be staged in June, the Chief...

On July 2nd this year, Mike Quinn (Miromedia) is riding with 14...

Elaine Miller is a physiotherapist based in Edinburgh. She wrote a comedy...

Dr. Adrian Wagg, from the University of Alberta, is conducting a survey exploring women’s sources of...

The purpose of the NHS England self-assessment framework for continence is to:

Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, causes distress in children and young adults, as...

Thousands more people would take part in bowel cancer screening if the...

Dynamic pelvic floor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive test that...

Current therapies for children with Crohn's disease don't fully restore healthy bacteria...

NICE has developed medical technology guidance on the UroLift system.

A new understanding of inflammatory bowel diseases has been prompted by the...

One of the most common, but rarely discussed issues that female athletes...

Training in meditation and other mindfulness-based techniques brings lasting improvements in mental...

September 16th 2015 marked the momentous achievement of 100 years of the...

NHS England has today published new guidance to help improve the care and...

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has recently published a...

Clinicians in Southampton are set to lead a pioneering UK study into...

Dr Martin McShane's Blog:I was at a roundtable on how health and...

New research could lead to new treatments to prevent blockages and urinary...

Report by Professor Dame Sally Davies targets obesity and ovarian cancer and...

After menopause, more than half of women may have vulvovaginal symptoms that...

This quality standard covers the management of urinary incontinence in women aged...

The Telegraph has reported that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will call for...

In July NICE published new guidelines on safe staffing for nursing in...

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has given a speech on health and...

Children who start toilet training before age 2 have a three times...

Men with a specific pattern of baldness at age 45 have a...

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men around the...

Scientists have given us many reasons not to smoke, but now, researchers...

You've probably heard your GP mention Continence Advisors and Continence Physiotherapists before,...

If you would like to view a helpful video about how pelvic...

NICE have published a guideline on bladder cancer.  This guideline offers evidence-based...

The results of a clinical study were recently published, looking specifically at...

Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. has announced new data from the Phase 2...

According to study author Prof. James Morris of the Vancouver Cancer Centre...

Older women with urinary tract infections who are taking the commonly prescribed...

Trillions of microorganisms colonize our gut and together form the intestinal flora...

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published final...

Two national charities are launching a social media campaign, 'Love your Gusset!',...

Many women have to get up more than once a night because...

Some previous studies have linked the diabetes medication pioglitazone to bladder cancer.

Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre have completed a critical step...

Incontinence is treatable. It is therefore essential that assessment of incontinence...

Labour MP Rosie Cooper has tabled two written questions on continence care...

Researchers found that capsaicin - the ingredient that gives chili peppers their...

UCLA researchers interviewed people with diverticulitis and confirmed that many suffer psychological...

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a disorder with symptoms of mild to severe bladder pain...

Researchers at Queen's University have made a significant breakthrough that may benefit...

Colorectal cancer has been linked to carbohydrate-rich western diets, but the underlying...

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published expert analysis on the way...

Find out more about CQC’s chief inspectors and download their Declaration of...

CQC hospital listening events

Dr Martin McShane, NHS England's Director for Patients with Long Term Conditions,...

A new study, published in the UEG Journal reveals that 10% of...

There are various things you can do to help keep your bowels...

Below you will find the most popular downloads for those looking for...

A Frequency Volume Chart records the volumes voided as well as the...

Bowel Retraining is a conservative treatment that is generally aimed at people...

A high fibre and fluid diet is a healthy diet and is...

AD This article contains links The Urolift is a relatively new surgical...

This Privacy Policy describes the information that we gather on or through...

You will see below our current range of information sheets, which offer...

If you have a disability, or you've had a serious medical condition...

Accessing your FREE digital Just Can’t Wait Toilet Card is simple! All...

Get your FREE Digital Just Can’t Wait Toilet Card.

Constipation can usually be treated by making some adjustments to your diet...

We have listed here some of the bladder conditions and symptoms for...

Urinary tract infections (UTI’s) are a common and usually mild infection that...

If you are postmenopausal or approaching the menopause and would like to...

Most mild cases of bacterial cystitis will clear up in a few...

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have a...

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have BPH,...

Conservative measures are used to improve the symptoms of post micturition dribble...

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have Prostatitis,...

Your treatment for stress urinary incontinence will depend on the severity of...

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have frequency,...

Your treatment will depend on which factors are affecting you the most.

Your treatment for nocturia will depend on the cause. Nocturia can be...

Your GP will be able to advise you on ways to manage...

It can often be difficult to pinpoint the cause of an overactive...

There are a number of causes of overflow incontinence, the two main...

There is unfortunately currently no cure for Interstitial Cystitis and there remains...

An issue with the bladder, such as Urge incontinence and urgency incontinence,...

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have Urinary...

Most mild lower urinary tract infections such as cystitis will clear up...

Haemorrhoids are usually an inconvenience that can be treated at home and...

Creams and ointments are a conservative treatment for haemorrhoids and can help...

The pelvic floor muscles are layers of muscle stretched like a hammock...

An Ileostomy is created when your bowel is redirected out of your...

Injectable Treatments are a less invasive treatment option to help improve the...

If conservative treatments and/or medication have not worked and your haemorrhoids are...

If you experience nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting) it's always a good idea...

To give our users the best experience with our sites, a number...

It can be quite normal to wake once or twice during the...

On January 11th, 1989, a small gathering of like-minded individuals met at...

Disclaimer – conditions for use All communications provided by the Bladder and...

The bowel is part of our digestive system and it works to...

On 1 October 2010, the Equality Act replaced most of the Disability...

If you have been diagnosed with haemorrhoids you may be prescribed a...

A colostomy is created when your colon is cut and brought to...

There are a number of alternative and complementary solutions to manage constipation....

Different people have different bowel habits. Most people who have a bowel...

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent...

Anal irrigation, also known as bowel irrigation, trans-anal irrigation or rectal irrigation...

Bowel Retraining is a conservative treatment that is generally aimed at people...

Banding is a conservative treatment indicated for haemorrhoids (piles).

Having a problem with the digestive system can cause a great deal...

People with faecal incontinence or leakage of faeces can be helped by...

If you have been diagnosed with haemorrhoids (piles) you may be offered...

As most episodes of Diarrhoea are caused by bacteria, for instance, eating contaminated...

Antispasmodic medicines relax the intestinal muscles and help to slow down bowel...

The treatment for faecal impaction aims to clear the impacted faeces out...

If you have been diagnosed with constipation your GP may prescribe a...

Understanding why incontinence affects you emotionally can help you learn to feel...

Bowel problems are not limited to adults and are definitely not just...

Colitis and Crohn's disease are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases where the intestines can...

Constipation is a very common condition that affects people of all ages.

Most cases of diarrhoea will clear up after a few days once...

Diverticular Disease - also known as DD -  is the name given...

Faecal incontinence or bowel incontinence is more common than you would think,...

Haemorrhoids, also known as piles, are enlarged and swollen blood vessels which...

Bowel cancer is also called colorectal cancer and includes large bowel cancer...

Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) is for women with stress urinary incontinence.

In some people, stress incontinence does not sufficiently improve with the other...

If your bladder is removed during a radical cystectomy, an alternative way...

There are a number of surgical procedures used to correct vaginal wall...

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is a surgical procedure used to...

Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) is an alternative to TURP for...

Post Micturition Dribble (PMD), or after dribble, is the name given to...

Caring for a relative or friend who has a bladder or bowel...

Understanding why incontinence affects you emotionally can help you learn to feel...

Loving, caring relationships are important for everyone – and many want these...

When you have been diagnosed with a bladder or bowel problem there...

A catheter is a thin tube which is used to drain urine...

If you are have concerns around bladder control or someone you know...

Below you will find a collection of comments from people who have...

Everyone with a bladder or bowel control problem will have a different...

Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox can be used to manage an...

If you have Overactive Bladder or symptoms of urge and urgency, you...

Radical prostatectomy is the most common surgery performed when cancer is confined...

In some people, stress incontinence does not sufficiently improve with the other...

A pelvic floor repair is the most common surgery for prolapse. It...

Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM) (also known as Sacral Nerve Stimulation) is an NHS...

A suprapubic catheter is a hollow flexible tube that is used to...

Betmiga contains active substance mirabegron. As a bladder muscle relaxant it reduces...

Darifenacin hydrobromide is a medicine which is used to treat people who...

Desmopressin acetate is a hormone which has many effects on the body....

A loop diuretic is a medicine taken to treat nocturia and is usually...

What is Duloxetine? The medication for the treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence...

Fesoterodine fumarate is a medicine used to help treat symptoms of an...

There are several medications available which can help you to control your...

Tamsulosin hydrochloride is a medicine which is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Tolterodine is a medicine used to treat people who have urinary problems...

Trospium chloride is a medicine used to help to treat symptoms of...

There are several medications available which can help you to control your...

An upset digestive system can make you feel bloated and sluggish, so...

Bowel problems are not limited to adults and are definitely not just...

There are an estimated 6.5 million people in the UK with some...

This is the stage of every woman's life that follows the menopause,...

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder and is a common form...

First described in 1985, Fowler's Syndrome is a cause of urinary retention...

Pelvic Organ Prolapse a condition in which one or more of the...

A vaginal fistula is a tract or hole that has opened up...

Traditional acupuncture is a healthcare method based on ancient principles which go...

You should try and avoid being constipated as this can bring on...

Bladder retraining is a simple and effective method used to try and...

Indwelling catheters can be used short-term or long-term.

Intermittent self-catheterisation (ISC) is used to treat bladders that do not empty...

There are some general lifestyle changes that you could make which may help...

In some cases, people can be helped with neuromuscular stimulation of the pelvic...

PTNS - Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation is indicated in Overactive Bladder (OAB)...

Vaginal dryness, soreness, itching and painful sex can sometimes be symptoms of...

Watchful waiting refers to seeing whether symptoms progress, stay the same or...

Both women and men have pelvic floor muscles.  These are layers of muscle that...

Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat many different conditions and symptoms.

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as Diclofenac sodium, can help to reduce inflammation and to...

Your treatment for urgency or urge incontinence will depend on the severity...

The bladder is a balloon-shaped hollow muscle.  It is designed to stretch...

Day time wetting affects about 1 in 75 children over the age...

Frequency refers to the number of times you go to the toilet...

Mixed Urinary Incontinence is the involuntary leakage associated with Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urge...

Nocturnal Enuresis means wetting the bed. Many people wet the bed at...

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut...

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, which is caused...

Your treatment for Prostate cancer will depend on your type of tumour,...

Spina Bifida occurs when the spinal cord and vertebrae fail to develop...

Spinal cord injury nearly always affects control over the bladder and bowel....

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition, so affects the nerves.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder. There is no known cure for...

Cancer occurs when body cells alter, multiply and interfere with 'normal' cells....

Cauda Equina is a very serious condition causing nerve root damage.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a condition in which the prostate is...

Prostatitis is the general term for inflammation of the prostate. The inflammation...

Most women accept that they might get a vaginal tear during childbirth,...

The Bladder and Bowel Community is the UK wide service for people...

If you have bladder problems, you are certainly not alone.

There are over 9 million women in the UK with some form of...

Daytime wetting affects about 1 in 75 children over the age of...

If you get sudden urges to go to the toilet to pass...

Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder doesn’t empty properly, and so it...

Painful bladder syndrome or bladder pain syndrome, also commonly known as interstitial...

Rectal prolapse occurs when part of your rectum, or the lining of...

The key to treating bowel incontinence – also known as faecal incontinence...