Men suffering from urinary stress incontinence experience uncontrollable urinary leakage during certain activities. Physical activities, such as lifting or working out, may place extra pressure on the bladder through the abdomen, and urinary leakage results. Sometimes, sneezing, coughing or laughing is all it takes to cause urine to leak uncontrollably for men.
Prostate medical conditions, including enlarged prostate, prostate removal and treatments for prostate conditions involving radiation therapy, may result in urinary incontinence. Urinary leakage that’s caused by prostate conditions or treatments may be temporary, but in some cases, it is significant as well as persistent, or long term.
Today, there are many stress incontinence treatments available to men. Treatment options depend on medical conditions, the severity of the urinary leakage and personal choice. Medications, lifestyle and behavioral changes and surgery are three options that may effectively resolve urinary leakage for men.
Men who are overweight may be able to minimize or gain control over urinary leakage by losing weight. Exercising for weight loss may be helpful, and specific exercises that strengthen the pelvic muscles are recommended by many physicians. Such specialized exercises can help the pelvic muscles hold urine in the bladder for controlled voiding.
How urinary incontinence is treated depends on several factors, including how severe the problem is, lifestyle and personal preferences. Some men are able to alleviate leakage by losing weight and exercising to strengthen pelvic muscles that hold urine in the bladder. Regulating fluid intake and timed bladder voiding may also help.
In addition to exercise and weight loss, dietary changes may help with incontinence. Substantially reducing or completely eliminating caffeinated beverages and carbonated drinks may help, and limiting alcohol intake to one drink a day may be effective.
Certain foods can irritate the bladder and can be eliminated from the diet. These might include citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy foods, chocolate and dairy products. Men can experiment with eliminating these foods one at a time to see if doing so reduces or eliminates urinary leakage.
Men who try dietary and lifestyle adjustments aren’t guaranteed to succeed with controlling urinary leakage. In more severe or stubborn cases, medications that may be helpful can be prescribed by a physician. Oftentimes, a combined approach involving both behavioral adjustments and medications is most effective.
Surgical procedures including the implant of a male incontinence sling, such as the Coloplast Virtue, are generally a last treatment resort, although such surgery is usually not complicated.