Treating Urinary Incontinence in Men

You can’t always control the release of urine. You may leak urine. Or you may not be able to hold your urine until you can get to a bathroom. This is called urinary incontinence. The problem can be managed. Talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

Taking medicines

Prescription medicine may help you. They may help:

• The sphincter to work better (this is the muscle that closes to keep urine from leaking out of the bladder)

• Stop the bladder from contracting too often to push urine out

• The bladder muscles contract with more force

• Relax the sphincter muscle and allow urine to flow more freely

Making changes to your routine

Certain changes in your daily routine may help. These include:

• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol

• Using timed voiding (this is following a schedule for drinking fluids and urinating)

• Doing Kegel exercises daily (these exercises involve tightening the muscles in your sphincter and around your bladder to help strengthen them)

Using a catheter

A catheter is a narrow tube that is inserted through the urethra into the bladder. It drains urine. A condom catheter covers the penis. It channels urine into a collection bag. It is worn most of the time. Intermittent catheterization means inserting a catheter to drain the bladder, then removing it. This is done on a regular schedule.

Special therapies

• Biofeedback. This technique is taught by a nurse or physical therapist. During the therapy, a small sensor is placed inside or just outside the anus. Another sensor is placed on your stomach. these sensors read signals from the pelvic floor muscles. When you contract or relax your muscles, these signals are show as images on a computer screen. Using the images, you can learn to relax or contract certain muscles. This can help you better control these muscles. And, it can help you learn pelvic floor muscle exercises.

• Electrical stimulation. This is a painless therapy that uses a tiny amount of electrical current. It helps strengthen very weak or damaged pelvic floor muscles. The electric current is sent through the muscles of the pelvic floor and bladder. This causes the muscles to contract. In time, this helps make the muscles stronger.

• Stimulator implants. This technique is used to treat urge incontinence. A small device is implanted under the skin near the stomach. This device gives off mild electrical signals. These block extra signals that are being sent to the bladder muscles. This helps the bladder work more normally.

Having surgery

If other options don’t work, surgery may be recommended. If surgery is an option, your healthcare provider can discuss it with you and explain its risks and benefits.