Men's Health

Men's Health Conditions

Urinary Incontinence

What is urinary incontinence (UI)?

Urinary incontinence (UI) is the loss of urine control, or the inability to hold your urine until you can reach a restroom. More than 13 million people in the United States experience incontinence -- male and female (women are twice as likely to develop UI than men), young and old. Urinary incontinence may be a temporary condition, resulting from an underlying medical condition. It can range from the discomfort of slight losses of urine to severe, frequent wetting.

What causes UI?

Incontinence is not an inevitable result of aging. Sometimes it is the first and only symptom of a urinary tract infection. It is caused by specific changes in body function that often result from diseases or use of medications, and may be brought on by any illness such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostate cancer.

What are the different types of urinary incontinence?

stress incontinence -- the leakage of urine during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects, or other body movements that put pressure on the bladder. It is the most common type of incontinence and can almost always be successfully treated.

urge incontinence -- the inability to hold urine long enough to reach a restroom. It is often found in people who have conditions such as diabetes, stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. It can also be a warning sign of early bladder cancer. For men, it may be a sign of enlarged prostrate. It can, however, occur in otherwise healthy older persons.

overflow incontinence -- the leakage of small amounts of urine from a bladder that is always full.

functional incontinence -- difficulty reaching a restroom in time because of physical conditions such as arthritis.

What are the signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence?

leakage of urine that prevents activities

leakage of urine that causes embarrassment

leakage of urine that began or continued after surgery

inability to urinate or retain urine

urinating more frequently than usual without a proven bladder infection

needing to rush to the restroom and/or losing urine if you do not get to restroom in time

pain related to filling the bladder and/or pain related to urination without a proven bladder infection

frequent bladder infections

progressive weakness of the urinary stream with or without a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying

abnormal urination or changes in urination related to a nervous system abnormality such as stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis

Treatment for incontinence:

For people with urinary incontinence, it is important to see a physician for a complete medical examination. Under a physician's care, incontinence may be successfully treated. Specific treatment for urinary incontinence will be determined by your physician(s) based on:

your overall health and medical history
extent of the disease
your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
expectations for the course of the disease
your opinion or preference

A physical examination may focus on the urinary and nervous systems, reproductive organs, and urine samples. In many cases, patients will then be referred to a urologist, a physician who specializes in diseases of the urinary tract.

After this complete medical examination, a treatment protocol will be established, which may include:

certain behavioral techniques (including pelvic muscle exercises, biofeedback, and bladder training)

medication

surgery (if the incontinence is related to structural problems such as an abnormally positioned bladder or blockage due to an enlarged prostate)

other

Managing urinary incontinence:

Specifically designed absorbent underclothing is available -- which is no more bulky than normal underwear and can be worn easily under everyday clothing. Also, incontinence may be managed by inserting a catheter into the urethra and collecting the urine into a container. For men, an alternative to the catheter is an external collecting device that is fitted over the penis and connected to a drainage bag. Consult your physician with your questions regarding the management of urinary incontinence.

This page was last updated on: February 1, 2008.

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