Male Incontinence Causes

Male incontinence may occur for many reasons. Essentially, incontinence is when there is an accidental leakage of urine and may happen when the sphincter is too weak, the bladder muscles contract too strongly or the bladder is too full.

The male urinary tract consists of the kidneys that produce urine, the urinary bladder that stores urine, and the urethra tube that leads urine from the bladder through the prostate and out the penis. The urinary sphincter is a ring of muscle around the urethra that controls the flow of urine. Nerve signals tell the sphincter to stay squeezed shut to prevent. The nerves and the muscles work together to prevent urinary leakage.

Incontinence in men may result from a number of issues ranging from conditions such as constipation, infections, and prostrate issues. Prostate issues and treatments are a major cause of urinary incontinence in men. Any disease, condition, or injury that damages nerves can lead to male urinary incontinence.

The prostate gland is a male gland about the size and shape of a walnut. It surrounds the urethra just blow the bladder where it adds fluid to semen before ejaculation. It commonly becomes enlarged as a man ages. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH.  As the prostate enlarges it may squeeze the urethra, which affects the flow of the urinary stream. 

Prostate Treatment Related Incontinence Issues:

• Short-term incontinence caused by prostrate surgery. This may go away with time. In some cases this may last up to a year.
• Stress Incontinence – often a result after prostate removal (radical prostatectomy) or radiation being used as treatment for prostate cancer. Improvements in surgical techniques are helping make this type of incontinence less common.
• Some treatments for an enlarged prostrate can cause incontinence. These treatments are for conditions such as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

There are also many causes of Urge Incontinence. These conditions include:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Constipation
• Painful infection of the prostate gland known as Prostatitis
• Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or stroke
• Kidney or bladder stones
• Blockage from prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Overflow Incontinence in men may be caused blockage of the urethra from BPH or prostate cancer. 

Other causes may include:

• Stricture – narrowing of the urethra
• Medicines such as antihistamines and decongestants
• Diabetes, multiple sclerosis or other nerve conditions

Many people, men included, may have more than one type of incontinence and each type may have an additional cause. There are many products available that are designed specifically for use with Male Incontinence. Click here to see all products specifically designed for men that are dealing with incontinence.