October 2020

Welcome

Thanks for being a subscriber of the ActivStyle Insights newsletter. It’s our way of keeping you updated on what’s going on at ActivStyle and in our industry. We’d also like to thank you for trusting your clients to ActivStyle. Every employee at ActivStyle strives to have a positive impact on the lives of our valued customers and make your life easier in the process. Let us handle the details for your clients who need medical supplies so you can get on with helping others in need.

 

Health News

What Happens if You Do Not Pee Enough?

Until recently, exactly how we’re able to sense a call of nature and then figure out if we can wait until the next rest stop has been a little bit of a mystery. Scientists have just identified why some people may only need to pee once a day, while others urinate all the time.

How Many Times Should You Pee Each Day?

A normal, healthy person will usually urinate around six or seven times a day. However, according to experts, this often varies with age, medical conditions, and other factors. It’s possible that frequent or urgent urination could be normal for some people if they don’t have other symptoms. However, in most cases, frequent or urgent urination signals an underlying health condition and can be a sign of kidney or ureter problems, urinary bladder problems, or another medical condition, such as diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, pregnancy, or prostate gland problems.

The new research comes from the National Institute of Health (NIH), which funded a study involving both mice and human patients and published the results in the journal Nature on 19 October 2020. Researchers identified a gene, called PIEZO2, which may be responsible for the “urge” that comes with a full bladder.

Researchers determined that the PIEZO2 gene works with at least two types of cells in the body to sense when the bladder needs to be emptied. The gene contains instructions for producing proteins that are activated in response to the cells being stretched or squeezed when the bladder fills up. Furthermore, the researchers found that certain people are born with a genetic deficiency in this gene, meaning they have trouble sensing when their bladder is filling up and therefore, feel less of an urge to go to the bathroom.

The researchers examined 12 patients between the ages of 5 and 43 who were born with disabling mutations in their PIEZO2 genes. Nearly all the patients said they could go an entire day without feeling the need to urinate. And 25 percent reported only peeing once or twice a day. More than 40 percent said that when they finally do feel an urge to go, it comes on abruptly. Nearly 60 percent of the participating patients said they had trouble urinating, and sometimes needed to press on their lower abdomen in order to go.

There are a few simple habits you can adopt that may reduce the risk of problems developing in your urinary tract, including urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and chronic UTIs.

• Stay hydrated – Most healthy people should drink at least eight 8 oz glasses of water over the course of the day.
• Go easy on the salt (which makes you retain water) – Too much salt in your diet keeps the salt/mineral/water balance in your kidneys off kilter.
• Reduce caffeine intake – Drinking caffeinated beverages may irritate your bladder and serve as a diuretic (increase your need to urinate by making more urine). The more caffeine you drink, the more you may have to urinate.
• Drink extra water when exposed to Sun or during exercise – You lose water through perspiration on hot, sunny days and when you are doing aerobic activities. As a result, you need more water than you would ordinarily if you are sedentary.
• Listen to your bladder – Your bladder is made of muscle that expands when it fills and contracts when it’s time to empty. It’s best not to wait too long to urinate, which, over time, can stretch your bladder.

Often, your kidneys simply become affected by other medical conditions. The most important thing you can do to keep your kidneys safe is to take care of your body to reduce your chances of developing diseases that put a strain on your kidneys.

If your clients need incontinence products, please reach out to our staff with a referral. Our Incontinence Product Experts are can help with what products are available for your clients and how to use them for the best outcomes. If you have a client or patient on medical assistance who needs incontinence or other medical supplies, contact ActivStyle’s Provider Services team today at 855-373-5141 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Central Time). They’ll be happy to talk to you and help you determine the individual’s eligibility to receive supplies and take a referral over the phone, or you may also make client or patient referrals online.

 

FAQs

Q: Does ActivStyle provide services to pediatric patients?
A: Yes. ActivStyle provides incontinence and urology supplies to thousands of pediatric patients. Parents and caregivers have many things to worry about in a child’s everyday life — incontinence supplies shouldn’t be one of them. With ActivStyle, parents and caregivers can focus on other important things and let ActivStyle provide regular, discreet home delivery of quality medical supplies. Our product experts provide a personalized service to help each customer find the right product, size, fit, comfort, quality, and more – now and as the child grows.

Q: Does ActivStyle bill Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance for medical supplies like catheters?
A: Yes. Our Provider Services team will be happy to take referrals for catheter patients.  Referrals can be made by phone toll-free at 855-373-5141 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Central Time). You can also conveniently make client or patient referrals online. At ActivStyle, we handle all of the billing paperwork for Medicare, private insurance, and Medicaid. Remember, as well as urologic and catheter supplies, you can also refer patients for incontinence supplies, pediatric supplies, and other medical supplies.

We want to hear what FAQ topics you are interested in seeing! If you have questions or suggestions for future FAQs, please email us at .

 

Product News

Choosing Women’s Bladder Control Pads

For those women who experience light to moderate incontinence and need a light, discreet solution that supports their everyday lifestyle, women’s bladder control pads could be the ideal solution to stay dry and comfortable.

Bladder control pads are constructed with a cloth-like backing that prevents noise, so there is never a worry that people will know you’re wearing a pad. Similar to the shape and fit of a menstrual pad, bladder control pads are more absorbent and capture liquids quickly. Specially formulated super-absorbent materials inside the pad absorbs moisture and keeps it away from the skin, helping to promote skin health and controlling odors.

Women’s bladder control pads are an absorbent incontinence product that nests inside existing underwear to capture leaks. They look similar to a menstrual pad, but function very differently because they are specially designed to absorb urine. An adhesive strip on the back attaches the pad to underwear.

Pro Tip: Never use a menstrual pad when what you need is a bladder control pad. Since menstruation is much slower, menstrual pads cannot absorb the faster flow of urinary incontinence. In other words, you’ll leak!

Bladder control pads contain super-absorbent polymers (tiny beads) that trap moisture and lock it away from the skin. Ranging from very light absorbencies – perfect for occasional leaks like from sneezes – to overnight protection, these incontinence pads provide protection without being very bulky. Since liquid is turned into a gel, these pads eliminate odor, so no one will ever know you’re wearing a pad.

Bladder control pads are ideal for women who:

• Have light to moderate incontinence, or light bladder leakage
• Experience stress incontinence
• Lead a relatively active lifestyle
• Are caring for themselves
• Prefer a pad over a pull-up or other incontinence product
• Can’t wear an incontinence product that covers their stomach
• Are too large for a pull-up but don’t like a brief/diaper with tabs
• Want more breathability

You should NEVER put a bladder control pad inside of a diaper or pull-up

Since bladder pads have a plastic backing, urine will not soak through to the diaper or pull-up. Instead, urine will leak out of the sides of the product; causing a mess and more laundry to do..

Selecting the right bladder control pad for your needs:

1. What features are most important to you?
2. Do you prefer the look and comfort of a menstrual pad? Then a bladder control pad may be the best option for managing your urinary incontinence.
3. Do you need a little more peace of mind from leaks? Then look for a longer pad.
4. What absorbency is best for your needs? For occasional light leaks, a low absorbency should work. If you’re looking for overnight protection, you’ll want a higher absorbency pad.
5. What size pad do you need? Unlike pull-ups and tab-style diapers, pad sizes are just about the length. A longer pad typically means it’s more absorbent, while smaller pads are more comfortable and discreet.
6. Still can’t decide? Call ActivStyle’s Product Experts at 855-373-5141 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Central Time). We’re here to help select the best product for personal needs.

 

ActivStyle is Your Partner in Patient Care

Wouldn’t it be great if you spent less time mired in case-related paperwork and details and more time helping those who need you? ActivStyle is a full-service provider of high-quality, high-value home medical supplies serving thousands of practitioners and case managers across the United States. Our product expertise and knowledge of constantly changing state and federal regulations allow us to give you — and the clients who depend on you — the level of service you need and deserve.

Founded in 1997 in Minneapolis, MN, ActivStyle has grown to over 200 employees compassionately serving patients in 47 states with their medical supply needs. Specializing in incontinence, urological, and ostomy supplies, our trained Product Experts are available to discuss product options, insurance benefits, free delivery, or product samples. Feel free to call one of our Provider Services representatives toll-free at 855-373-5141, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Central Time, they’ll be happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about our products, services, or take a referral over the phone. You may also conveniently make client or patient referrals online.

At ActivStyle, we’re dedicated to making your life easier.