As you may or may not know, June is Men’s Health Month, and it was started to create awareness about health issues men face. Guys, let’s get a little personal for a second. Incontinence is something that some men have to deal with, but we find that the majority of men simply don’t report it to their doctors.
Unfortunately, they are just doing themselves a disservice because male incontinence is highly treatable, and there are many different male incontinence supplies that make day-to-day management much easier. Between three to eleven percent of the male population in the United States has some form of male incontinence, so it is something millions of people must endure, making it a good topic to talk about when discussing men’s health.
Why Do Some Men Become Incontinent?
In general, long-term male incontinence occurs when the bladder’s sphincter muscle can’t hold back the urine in the bladder. This occurs when the sphincter is too weak, there is too much urine in the bladder, and when the bladder muscles contract too strongly. Types of male incontinence include urge incontinence, stress incontinence, and overflow incontinence.
- Stress incontinence occurs when a man releases a small amount of urine when he didn’t mean to. This could occur from coughing or laughing.
- Urge incontinence is a condition where someone suddenly feels a strong urge to urinate and can’t make it to the bathroom on time.
- Overflow incontinence is the involuntary release of urine when you have no warning or urge to urinate.
There are actually a number of different conditions that can trigger male incontinence. For example, one of the most common side effects of prostate removal is stress incontinence. Although better surgical techniques have helped to lower the risk, many men still report this as a side effect. Speaking of the prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, is another common reason why men become incontinent.
Other causes for male incontinence include urinary tract infections, prostatitis, bowel problems, narrowing of the urethra, kidney or bladder stones, neurological disorders, and nerve diseases. Also, certain medications may cause incontinence as well. If you’re a male and have experienced instances of incontinence, this month is the perfect time to make an appointment to see your doctor.
Incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of, and it affects more men than you might think. Take ownership of your health today!