Many men develop bladder control problems as they get older. But urine leakage, frequent urination, or the urgent need to urinate don’t have to be unavoidable parts of aging. Bladder control problems can be treated.
What kind of bladder control problems do men have?
Men can have several types of bladder control problems.
- Urinary incontinence (UI) is the accidental leakage of urine. Urine can leak in three ways:
- When you cough, sneeze, or lift—actions that put pressure on the bladder
- Following a sudden, strong urge to urinate
- As a constant dribbling; men with this problem usually need to urinate often and only pass small amounts of urine each time.
- Overactive bladder is a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time. Your loved one may have overactive bladder if he/she have two or more of these symptoms:
- Urination eight or more times a day or two or more times at night
- The sudden, strong need to urinate immediately
- Urine leakage that follows a sudden, strong urge to urinate
What causes bladder control problems in men?
UI and overactive bladder may be caused by prostate or nerve problems. Sometimes the cause of overactive bladder is not clear.
Prostate problems. The prostate is a male gland about the size of a walnut that surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body.
An enlarged prostate, common among older men, may squeeze the urethra and result in a weak urine stream, an urgent need to urinate followed by leakage, and frequent urination, especially at night.
Surgery or radiation to treat prostate cancer can lead to temporary or permanent bladder control problems.
Damaged nerves may send signals to the bladder at the wrong time or send no signals at all, leading to bladder control problems. Spinal cord injuries or conditions such as diabetes or stroke may cause nerve problems.