Urinary incontinence happens in both men and women, and it becomes increasingly common with advancing age. Incontinence itself, which is the accidental release of urine, is not a disease. Rather it is a symptom, and the problems that cause mens incontinence can be very different than the causes for women.
Since the urinary tract is very different for a man than it is for a woman, it only makes sense that many of the causes for incontinence would be different as well. The form and function of the bladder is essentially the same for a woman and a man, however the urethra, which is the tube that leads from the bladder, down through the prostate gland, traveling through the penis and finally reaching the outside of the body, is where there are distinct anatomical differences.
Generally any problem with the bladder itself is largely the same between the sexes. For example, when the bladder contracts prematurely or too forcefully; if surrounding muscles are weak or injured; or if the bladder does not empty completely incontinence can occur, and these same problems may happen to women and men. However, as problems move to the the area of the urethra, these incontinence issues become more gender specific.
While urinary incontinence is certainly more commonly found in older men, it is not necessarily restricted to older men. Incontinence can be a chronic problem, or it can be a short lived problem, and there are several different types of incontinence. Stress incontinence generally happens when you put pressure on your bladder such as with a cough or sneeze. Urge incontinence happens when the bladder prematurely contracts not leaving time to reach the bathroom. Overflow incontinence happens when bladder muscles are weak so that the bladder does not fully empty. This problem can be exacerbated by an enlarged prostate that then partially blocks the urethra.
Most often the symptoms of urinary incontinence manifest themselves as urine leaking from the bladder, but they can differ slightly depending on the incontinence’s cause. With stress incontinence this leak can occur when you strain to lift a heavy object or simply sneeze. With urge incontinence, you experience the sudden urge to urinate, and you cannot reach a toilet in time. With overflow incontinence you always feel like you need to go to the bathroom, but when you go only a small amount of urine is released and continues to dribble.
Your health care professional can help determine the cause of mens incontinence, and as you are working through your treatments, it is important to use quality incontinence products. At DryForLife we are ready to assist with answers to your questions, and we can provide you with the best mix of incontinence management products to support your lifestyle.
Further Incontinence Articles
- Purchasing Faecal Incontinence Pants
- What is Faeces Incontinence, and Why Does It Happen?
- Infection as a Cause of Bladder Incontinence
- Save Money with Washable Incontinence Pads
- Definitions of Incontinence
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Tags: incontinence products, overflow incontinence, prostate, Stress Incontinence, urge incontinence, Urinary Incontinence
