Indeed, urinary incontinence is more common in women than in men. However, a considerable number of the population suffers from this condition.
The nature of urinary continence can cause sufferers to feel embarrassed. After all, you may go through instances when you cannot control your bladder and have a leaky accident. Men typically hesitate more to talk about urinary incontinence as they may not know fellow men suffering from the same condition. Nevertheless, male incontinence is a natural phenomenon. It can gradually increase, interfering with your daily routine and life.
This article will cover everything you need to know about male incontinence.
Types Of Urinary Incontinence
The most common types of urinary incontinence include the following.
- Mixed Incontinence: Mixed incontinence is a combination of urge and stresses urinary incontinence.
- Overflow Incontinence: Overflow incontinence involves not emptying your bladder fully. It results in unexpected leaks.
- Stress Incontinence: Physical activities like lifting weights, bending down, or coughing can lead to urine leakages.
- Urge Incontinence: Urge incontinence happens when your bladder contracts at a time it should not. It leads to an overwhelming urge to urinate.
You do not need to suffer in silence. Instead, it is best to seek medical help and treat the condition holding you back from living your best life.
The Mechanics Of Male Incontinence
Different factors contribute to the different issues related to bladder control. Incontinence problems can be short or long-term, depending on the causes.
Specific health issues and certain medications can often lead to short-term male incontinence. On the other hand, chronic or long-term male incontinence can be a significant health concern requiring medical attention.
What Causes Urinary Incontinence In Men
Several factors, including several medical conditions, can lead to the development of male incontinence.
Health conditions like Parkinson’s Disease and an enlarged prostate can cause incontinence in men. Similarly, mental health problems like anxiety and panic disorder can lead to short-term urinary incontinence.
Let us look at the common causes of different types of male incontinence.
Stress Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, results from stretched pelvic floor muscles. Increased stress weakens the muscles, reducing support in the lower bladder. Eventually, the sphincter muscles take up the responsibility, doing most of the work to retain urine inside the bladder, which may leak out due to pressure from physical activity.
Causes for stress incontinence include:
- Age
- Obesity
Urge Incontinence
The condition of urge incontinence is also commonly referred to as OAB or overactive bladder. It can often restrict sufferers from performing certain activities as they fear they would have to urinate at an inopportune time. Some people with urgent urinary incontinence cannot even sleep peacefully at night as they need to empty their bladder frequently. In this condition, the brain signals your bladder to empty itself before full. It results in a sudden and strong urge to urinate.
Common causes of urge incontinence include:
- Age
- Enlarged prostate
- Inflammation of the bladder
- Prostate cancer
- Psychological and neurological disorders
Overflow Incontinence
Overflow male incontinence may result in two conditions. Your body may make more urine than your bladder can hold inside, or your bladder cannot empty itself when full. The latter usually happens due to an obstruction or blockage. In both cases, the bladder muscles cannot stretch to squeeze out the urine. As such, the condition results in frequent urination or constant dribbling.
Common causes of overflow incontinence include:
- Benign prostate hyperplasia
- Constipation
- Enlarged prostate
- Urinary stones
Treatment Options for Male Urinary Incontinence
Male incontinence treatment options differ based on several factors. These typically include the patient’s general health, age, and mental health.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises can significantly help if you suffer from stress urinary continence. Kegel exercises focus on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. They can also help improve the health and strength of your urinary sphincter muscle.
Bladder Training
Bladder training includes delaying, double-voiding, and setting a toilet timetable. Delaying involves learning to control urination urges, whereas double-voiding focuses on the practice of urinating, waiting for a few minutes, and urinating again. Similarly, setting a timetable can help train your bladder not to interfere with your life.
Medical Devices
A combination of medications, exercises, and bladder training can help in most cases. However, females with untreatable urinary incontinence often have to opt for medical devices like catheters.
Summary
Male incontinence is common, though many men hesitate to seek help. Learning about the causes and treatments can help you make an informed decision for your health. You can check out Active Life Medical Products to learn about treatment options for urinary incontinence.
How Active Life Medical Products Can Help With Incontinence Supplies
You need a trusted incontinence product supplier when you require incontinence supplies. Active Life Medical Products makes ordering the entire incontinence supply process easy. Our Product Specialists can help you get your prescribed incontinence supplies covered through most insurances. Everything will be delivered directly and discreetly to your front door.
Call Active Life Medical Products at (800) 319-2336 to place your order.
