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What is Male Incontinence
Very often, male incontinence causes could be find in an enlarged prostate or prostate surgery,
but other causes may play a role too.
Still, men are often uninformed about the issues, and they may face
challenges - physically, socially and emotionally - when dealing with the
diagnosis.
Here's what you should know about male incontinence causes and how to heal with.
It's more than post-void drips.
Most men have mild post-void drips, hence the oft-quoted, "No matter how
much you shake and dance, the last two drops get on your pants."
But frequent, excess leakage after urination is not normal, says William
Steers, M.D., chair of the urology department and Paul Mellon professor at
the University of Virginia School of Medicine, in Charlottesville.
If it makes you uncomfortable, shows through your clothes or causes skin
irritation, it's a form of incontinence - and it could be a symptom of a
more serious problem.
It's not uncommon.
According to the National Association for Continence (NAFC), between 2 percent and 15 percent of male population aged 15 to 64, and 5 percent to 15
percent of men over 60 who live at home (as opposed to a nursing home), have
incontinence.
Prostate removal for cancer treatment is one of the most common causes.
Statistics shaow most patients who encounter stress urinary incontinence are men
who've had surgery for prostate cancer.
(In stress incontinence, coughing and sneezing can trigger leakage.)
If patients have stress incontinence and have not had prostate surgery,
another condition - such as a neurological disorder, spinal injury or
diabetes - may be to blame.
Extra weight can be one of a causes.
As you age, the muscles that control bladder function start to lose
strength, and weight gain can put extra pressure on the bladder.
Although obesity seems to affect women more than male patients.
Cigarette smoking, heavy drinking and diabetes also increase a man's risk of
bladder problems.
Prostate trouble is often one of the causes.
Most men experience prostate enlargement with age. It can block the urethra
and cause overflow incontinence, which is the leakage of a small amount of
urine, or difficulty urinating.
Prostate removal due to cancer can also damage or weaken the pelvic floor
muscles and nerves around the bladder, and it may cause significant leakage
issues for about half of men just after surgery. One in five still has
problems a year or more later.
This is one reason doctors often suggest "watchful waiting" for slow-growing
prostate cancers. Delaying the surgery can also help you
avoid erectile dysfunction.
Parkinson's disease and stroke can play a role.
In some men, incontinence problems causes are generated by nerve damage from
diabetes, a stroke, Parkinson's disease (which mostly affects men), or
multiple sclerosis (which mostly affects women).
In addition, men are more likely to be involved in car or motorcycle
accidents, workplace injuries or active-duty combat, which puts them at
higher risk for spinal cord injuries that can trigger incontinence.
Male-geared products may help.
Men can find absorbent or disposable underwear, ranging from briefs to
boxers, as well as compression pouches that support the urethra, in most
pharmacies.
For severe incontinence episodes, consider an external collection unit,
which fits like a sheath over the penis and contains a collection bag (that
fits inside a pair of briefs).
Surgical options exist
Men with severe stress incontinence can consider surgery if other therapies
fail.
Doctors can implant an artificial rubber sphincter around the urethra. The
sphincter is inflated and deflated to control urine flow. Another procedure,
called the bulbourethral sling (or male sling), supports the urethra with a
mesh hammock.
Urge incontinence can be treated with sacral nerve stimulation, a
pacemaker-like electrical stimulator that is implanted under the skin and
sends signals to the sacral nerve to control bladder activity. Doctors may
also recommend prostate surgery for cases of overflow incontinence caused by
an enlarged prostate.
There are medications for men.
Medications for male incontinence often target the underlying cause. For
example, drugs can be used to shrink an enlarged prostate or reduce symptoms
of neurological disorders.
If you experience urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, your
doctor may prescribe anticholinergic or antispasmodic medications to calm
the muscles in your bladder. Certain types of antidepressants are also
sometimes effective for bladder problems.
Fluid intake matters.
Watching your fluid intake could help you improve incontinence symptoms,
even without medication or surgery.
Sometimes doctors find that men are drinking full six-packs of beer, and if his
resistance is already low, then that's going to cause a problem. Making more urine, ia a big stress for the system
Limiting alcohol in general, as well as caffeine and carbonated beverages,
can help. Staying hydrated and drinking water when you're thirsty is always
healthy, but there's no need to aim for a certain number of
glasses a day.
Some medications make it worse.
Some common medicines, such as diuretics, antihistamines and
antidepressants, can cause urinary leakage, so your doctor may also look at
drugs you're already taking.
Skin problems shouldn't be ignored.
Chronic leakage and post-void "after-dribble" tends to cause more skin
irritation in men than in women. They have more problems with
rashes and skin fungus, and often don't give enough attention to the
perineal area around the scrotum.
Moisturizers and barrier creams can keep skin from becoming too dry and
inflamed. Men who use absorbent pads or products should change them every
few hours to prevent infection.
Men can do Kegels too.
Kegel or pelvic floor exercises, in which you squeeze and hold the muscles
you'd use to stop urination, aren't just for women.
A small 2010 Italian study suggests that men who do them for one month
before prostate removal surgery have less incontinence after.
The NAFC recommends a set of 10 slow and 10 fast contractions, two or three
times a day, gradually working up to about 80 repetitions a day.
It's just like bench presses at the gym. Doing too much too
soon can actually damage the muscles, so you can't rush into it.
Men have issues some women don't.
Men can face unique physical and emotional challenges with incontinence.
For starters, women are used to wearing pads several days of the month. whereas a man is not socially attuned to wearing anything
down there. Just the idea can be really embarrassing to them.
It may also be hard to avoid situations where leakage is common, he adds.
More men than women might have jobs that entail heavy lifting, for example,
or friends might expect participation in sports like golf and tennis, which
can put pressure on the bladder.
There are online resources for men
Only 18 percent of men versus 33 percent of women talk to their doctor about
their symptoms, according to an NAFC survey of people with bladder problems.
Plus, more online resources are aimed at women. (Men can, however, refer to
the What Every Man Should Know section of the NAFC's site.)
Men who've had prostate surgery may benefit from a prostate cancer support
group, which can help address a range of emotional and physical and issues.
Local support groups can be found at ustoo.org.
Latest news about male incontinence and its causes
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