Men and Urinary Incontinence

Men can have different symptoms of urinary incontinence than women. The inability to urinate is one symptom commonly seen in men. A man may have to void, but cannot start the flow of urine from his bladder. A constant dribbling or leakage of urine may also occur in men after voiding.

Causes of Male Incontinence

Some conditions that may cause or aggravate your urinary incontinence are:

• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Parkinson's disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal cord injury or other traumatic injuries
• Enlarged prostate or prostate cancer
• Post prostatectomy procedure
• Medications for high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, or use of diuretics

Prostate Conditions in Men

The prostate is a small gland found in men that surrounds the urethra (tube that carries urine outside the body). It is about the size of a walnut, and it can become enlarged as a man ages. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). An enlarged prostate can put pressure on the urethra and affect a man's ability to pass urine. Men with BPH may experience urination delays, or an inability to start the flow of urine, for up to several minutes. Other symptoms may include a weak stream of urine, urgent feeling of having to void, or dribbling of urine. Many men with BPH have frequent urination, especially at night.

Prostate cancer can cause symptoms of urinary incontinence. Treatment for the cancer can also produce incontinence, that can be temporary or last several months after treatment. Surgery, known as a radical prostatectomy, is the removal of the entire prostate gland. This is a common surgical procedure for the treatment of prostate cancer. Men can sometimes have difficulty with urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction with prostate surgery and treatment. External Beam Radiation is also a procedure to treat prostate cancer. Men can have temporary or permanent bladder irritation with radiation treatments, leading to incontinence. Stress incontinence following a prostatectomy is one of the most common types of urinary incontinence in men. Surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia can also cause stress incontinence in 1-5% of men.

Medical Examination for Male Incontinence and Enlarged Prostate Symptoms

It is important to know that urinary incontinence and enlarged prostate symptoms does not mean that you have prostate cancer. It is important to make an appointment with your physician to diagnose why you are having symptoms of urinary incontinence. At your appointment, your doctor may examine you as follows:

• Review your medical history including any medications that you are currently taking,. Sometimes a cure is as simple as changing medications that may cause urinary incontinence as a side effect.
• A physical will include a prostate check through a rectal examination. Using a gloved hand, the physician will place a finger inside your rectum to feel if the prostate gland is enlarged. It is a mildly uncomfortable procedure, but a common one.
• Your doctor may ask you if you have any numbness , tingling, or check your reflexes and muscle tone to check for nerve damage.
• The doctor may ask you to record how much fluid you drink, what you eat, and how many trips to the bathroom you take per day. Recording the frequency, time and urgency of your symptoms can give the doctor a better idea of why you are having urinary incontinence. You may be asked to keep this diary for up to a week, and also may need to measure the amount of urine that you pass. This can be measured by using a urine bottle or a device placed on the toilet that will measure your urine. This is called a bladder or voiding diary. Voiding Diary Example
• Urinalysis is a simple urine test to check for urinary tract infection or urinary stones.
• If necessary, the doctor may perform an ultasound procedure to check the bladder and prostate area. Ultrasound is a device that uses harmless sound waves to create a picture of the prostate gland. Ultrasound can be done over the abdomen and bladder area, or may be done with a smaller ultrasound wand that is inserted into the rectum.
• Urodynamic testing may also be performed to evaluate urinary incontinence. This is a way to measure pressure in the bladder and to check the flow of urine from the bladder.
• Cystoscopy is a procedure where a small tube with a tiny camera is placed into the urethra to see inside of the bladder and urethra.

Helpful Hints to Improve Your Incontinence

See our Treatment Page for more information on what you can do to improve your urinary incontinence.