Incontinence Facts for Men

1 July 2015

Incontinence Facts for Men

Urinary incontinence is the accidental leaking of urine. It's not a disease but a symptom of a problem with a man's urinary tract. Urine is made by the kidneys and stored in a sac made of muscle, called the urinary bladder. A tube called the urethra leads from the bladder through the prostate and penis to the outside of the body. Urinary incontinence happens more often in older men than in young men. But it's not just a normal part of aging. There are different types of incontinence:

Stress incontinence means that you leak urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh, lift something, change position, or do something that puts stress or strain on your bladder.
Urge incontinence is an urge to urinate that's so strong that you can't make it to the toilet in time. It also happens when your bladder squeezes when it shouldn't. This can happen even when you have only a small amount of urine in your bladder. Overactive bladder is a kind of urge incontinence. But not everyone with an overactive bladder leaks urine.
Overflow incontinence means that you have the urge to urinate, but you can release only a small amount. Since your bladder doesn't empty as it should, it then leaks urine later.
Total incontinence means that you are always leaking urine. It happens when the sphincter muscle no longer works.
Functional incontinence means that you can't make it to the bathroom in time to urinate. This is usually because something got in your way or you were not able to walk there on your own.

Different types of incontinence have different causes.

Stress incontinence can happen when the prostate gland is removed. If there has been damage to the nerves or to the sphincter, the lower part of the bladder may not have enough support. Keeping urine in the bladder is then up to the sphincter alone.
Urge incontinence is caused by bladder muscles that squeeze so hard that the sphincter can't hold back the urine. This causes a very strong urge to urinate.
Overflow incontinence can be caused by something blocking the urethra, which leads to urine building up in the bladder. This is often caused by an enlarged prostate gland or a narrow urethra. It may also happen because of weak bladder muscles.

Nerve Problems Any disease, condition, or injury that damages nerves can lead to urination problems. Nerve problems can occur at any age. Men who have had diabetes for many years may develop nerve damage that affects their bladder control. Stroke, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis all affect the brain and nervous system, so they can also cause bladder emptying problems. Overactive bladder is a condition in which the bladder squeezes at the wrong time. The condition may be caused by nerve problems, or it may occur without any clear cause. A person with an overactive bladder may have any two or all three of the following symptoms:

urinary frequency - urination eight or more times a day or two or more times at night
urinary urgency - the sudden, strong need to urinate immediately
urge incontinence - urine leakage that follows a sudden, strong urge to urinate

Incontinence UK is fully aware of the awkwardness incontinence can cause and have a