You are not alone; we can help you treat and manage urinary incontinence.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence (UI) is the loss of urine control. For example, you
may not be able to “hold it” until you can reach a restroom.
Symptoms can range from small leaks and dribbling, to complete lack or
control. UI may be a short-term problem caused by another health issue,
or a long-term problem that you’ll have to manage. Either way, we
are here to help.
There are several different types of UI:
Urge incontinence: When the need to urinate comes on very quickly, and it may be difficult
to get to a restroom in time. This type of UI is more common in older
adults and can be a sign of a urinary tract infection or an overactive bladder.
Stress incontinence: When you leak urine during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, or
lifting heavy objects. While more common in women, this type of UI can
affect men too, especially after prostate cancer surgery.
Functional incontinence: When you have urine control, but still can’t always make it to the
restroom in time due to conditions that make it hard to move, such as
arthritis, prior stroke or Parkinson’s disease.
Overflow incontinence: When you leak small amounts of urine due to an over-filled bladder. You
may also feel like you can’t fully empty your bladder.
Mixed incontinence: A mix of more than one of the types listed above.
What causes UI in men?
UI in men can be caused by a variety of different factors, including:
An enlarged prostate gland, or prior surgical treatment of a prostate problem
Birth defects
Aging
Urinary tract infection
Stool buildup in the bowels
Being overweight
Nerve damage from spinal cord injuries, diabetes, Parkinson disease, or
multiple sclerosis
Overactive bladder
Treating urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence in men is fairly common and often treatable. Treatment
for urinary incontinence depends on different factors, such as the type
of incontinence and how severe it is, age, symptoms, and overall health.
Treatment options include:
Lifestyle changes: Certain daily changes may help with urinary incontinence. These include
reducing stress, adjusting your diet, limiting how much fluid you drink,
avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and doing pelvic floor exercises (called Kegels).
Medicine: Some medications can help with urinary incontinence by decreasing how
often you urinate or increasing how much your bladder can hold.
Bladder training: It’s possible to retrain the bladder to hold urine longer. Bladder
training involves scheduling regular bathroom breaks and slowly adding
time between each break.
Medical devices: Catheters, pelvic slings, urine collection systems, artificial urinary
sphincters, and penis compression devices can help support the bladder
and any leaking.
Sacral neuromodulation: With a
sacral neuromodulation treatment, a small device (called a neuromodulator) is put under the skin.
It then sends electric pulses to the sacral nerves, which improves communication
between these nerves and the brain. The result is better control of the bladder.
Surgery: Your provider may recommend surgery for urinary incontinence in some
cases. Surgeries can include the
sling procedure to support the urethra or an
artificial urinary sphincter to help control the urine flow.
Early detection and treatment of urinary incontinence often result in better
outcomes. Our
urology team at West Jefferson Medical Center is ready to work with you to determine the best treatment plan for your needs.
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