Why does male incontinence happen?
The Causes of Male Incontinence
It is possible for men to experience the accidental leaking of urine. This is known as male urinary incontinence. This condition is an indication a man is experiencing problems with his body's urinary tract system. A survey was conducted as part of a project to identify male urologic problems in the United states. The results showed that over 16 percent of men in the United States live with some level of urinary incontinence.
Prostate Gland
One of the most common reasons for males to experience incontinence is problems with their prostate gland. This gland is located at the opening of a person's bladder. A prostate is made to help a man when they climax during sex. A prostate gland becomes larger as a man ages and can cause problems with urine flow from the bladder.
Prostate Surgery
There are situations where a man could have prostate cancer and have surgery as part of their treatment. Removal of the prostate can result in stress on the bladder and cause incontinence. Damage to either the nerves or muscles from this type of surgery can have a negative impact on a man’s urine flow. More than 29 percent of all men experience incontinence after they have prostate surgery.
Diabetes
This condition can cause a man to experience nerve damage to the muscles that open and close their bladder. Diabetes can result in a man's bladder becoming overactive. This will cause them to frequently urinate and contribute to them developing incontinence. Many men who have diabetes are obese. This can also cause an increase in pressure on a man's bladder and result in them developing incontinence.
Spinal Injury
In the United States, over 11,500 people experience a spinal cord injury each year. More than 79 percent of those who have a spinal cord injury are men. This condition inhibits the nerve signals between the spine and bladder. When the upper part of a man's spine experiences an injury, it can cause the bladder to empty uncontrollably.
Stroke
This happens when a man experiences a decrease in the blood flow to their brain because of a leaking blood vessel or blood clot. More than 650,000 people in the United States have strokes each year. Men have more strokes than women. It can result in a man not being able to go to the bathroom when necessary. This will contribute to them experiencing incontinence.
Temporary Incontinence
It is possible for men to temporarily experience incontinence. This can happen when a man drinks excessive amounts of alcohol as well as caffeine. It can occur when a man has a urinary tract infection or is constipated. It also happens when men suffer with depression. Certain types of medications have been shown to cause incontinence in men. This could be medication used to treat high blood pressure as well as anxiety and more. It could also include over-the-counter medications that contain decongestants or antihistamines.
When a man experiences incontinence, there are several options available to them. There are medications as well as non-medical options available. It is important a man discuss with a physician what options would work best for their individual situation.
