Incontinence also affects men. Often, however, men ignore the symptoms and are simply ashamed of their ailments. Unfortunately, neglecting the disease leads to serious complications. What are the causes of urinary incontinence in men? What is the treatment?

Urinary incontinenceis a problem that also occurs inmen , regardless of age. Television commercials recommend many remedies that are effective for bladder problems. You swallow and the problem is gone. Public opinion polls show that over 58% of men over 50 who have urological problems self-medicate.

Nearly 78% of men use over-the-counter herbal remedies to stop prostate enlargement or control bladder function. Often such treatments are carried out for many years, but he alth problems do not disappear at all. They are barely covered up, which is often associated with frequent bladder infections or complete urinary retention.

Male urinary incontinence - causes

The prostate gland (prostate, prostate) is located under the bladder and surrounds the urethra. Around the age of 45, the male body begins a cycle of hormonal changes. Under their influence (most likely) the prostate gland begins to enlarge. Then, a troublesome disease called prostate adenoma or benign prostatic hyperplasia develops. It is the process of aging of the prostate and its enlargement. It is slow and painless.

Urinary incontinence in men - symptoms

As the years go by, the growing prostate tightens around the urethra more and more, and problems with urinating begin.

As the condition worsens, it becomes more difficult to start urinating, and at the end of the voiding, the urine stream simply stops. Sometimes, after leaving the toilet, it ends up in embarrassing letting go, and the man has a feeling that despite his efforts, his bladder has not completely emptied.

An enlarged prostate forces the bladder to work hard to pump the urine out. This initially leads to an overgrowth of the detrusor muscle of the bladder, but then, in addition to the discomfort of frequent and urgent urination, it may result in incomplete emptying.the bladder or even the presence of urine in it, which promotes inflammation, and in extreme situations may cause urinary stagnation in the kidneys and kidney failure.

Worth knowing

Do you have symptoms of urinary incontinence?

  • you use the toilet more than 7 times a day
  • you use the toilet at night (nocturia)
  • you happen to not hold your urine until you go to the toilet
  • you sometimes run to the toilet when you suddenly feel the urge to urinate
  • you leaked urine while sneezing, coughing, laughing, walking, exercising

Urinary incontinence in men and overactive bladder

It is this condition that is responsible for a significant number (45%) of incontinence cases. An overactive bladder is a group of symptoms of pollakiuria, urge and urge incontinence, either alone or in combination with each other.

The causes of urgency and / or urge-induced NTM may be neurological diseases (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, stroke), prostatic hyperplasia, pelvic surgery. Most often, however, the cause of an overactive bladder remains unknown.

The symptom of an overactive bladder is constant pressure on the bladder, sudden unstoppable urge to urinate, frequent urination (including bedwetting) - more than 8 micturitions a day, urinating while pushing.

The factor causing uncontrolled detrusor contraction and sudden urge to urinate may be a change in the ambient temperature, strong emotions, stress, and even the sound of water flowing from the tap. As a result, the patient is unable to reach the toilet on time.

  • Results of blood, urine and prostate tests in men - interpretation
  • Andropause, or male menopause. Perform preventive examinations!
  • Are you at risk of an enlarged prostate?

Male urinary incontinence - study

The first stage of diagnosis is the rectal examination of the prostate and genitals. In this way, the size, consistency, shape, symmetry and surface area of ​​the prostate are assessed. Any changes require further diagnostics.

The doctor may also order laboratory tests (blood - for creatinine level, which shows the condition of the kidneys, urine - general urine and bacteriological tests to rule out infections). It is also often recommended to measure the level of PSA, i.e. the prostatic antigen. Other specialized tests include a urodynamic test that allows you to assess the condition of the lower urinary tract.

It consists in assessing the behavior of the lower urinary tract both in the bladder filling phase and in the voiding phase. Sometimes an ultrasound is needed to see if there are any stones, diverticula, or tumors in the bladder. A helpful study is the so-called a cough test, which involves coughing with a full bladder in order to raise the pressure in the abdominal cavity.

Male urinary incontinence - treatment

When urinary incontinence is a consequence of a mild prostate enlargement, herbal treatment can be used. The plant preparations used for this purpose are a composition of saw palmetto, nettle and small flower willow extracts.

Palm inhibits prostate growth and improves urine flow, nettle is a diuretic, and willowheria relieves urethritis and cystitis. A common symptom of prostate enlargement is pain when urinating, which is related to the tension of the smooth muscles of the lower urinary tract, where the receptors for nerve endings are located. Patients are given alpha-blockers, i.e. drugs that block these receptors.

Under their influence, muscles relax and urinating is easier and less painful. Drugs from this group do not lower libido and do not interfere with sexual function, but they can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and headache.

In the treatment of prostate hyperplasia, hormonal drugs are also used, which weaken the effect of androgens on its growth. The essence of the action of these drugs is to inhibit the activity of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone - a substance that promotes prostate growth. These drugs are effective, but they can cause erectile dysfunction and lower libido.

If the cause of urinary incontinence is overactive bladder, your doctor may recommend medication to limit excessive bladder contractions. These are anticholinergic and spasmolytic drugs that relax smooth muscles. Unfortunately, many of them have numerous side effects.

In the treatment of the disease, botulinum toxin is also used, which when injected into the bladder paralyzes the nerve fibers responsible for excessive bladder contractions and pain. Another method of therapy is electrostimulation, i.e. nerve stimulation using various types of external and implanted electrodes, stimulating the nerve fibers responsible for the functioning of the bladder and pelvic muscles.

One of the methods is biofeedback - bladder contraction and related changes in pressure are signaled by a sound, the intensity of which increases with increasing pressure. An important element of the treatment is the systematic exercise of the pelvic floor muscles.

They are more and more popularBehavioral therapies in which the patient learns to control and modify urination and urination reflexes.

Worth knowing

Symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia

  • you use the toilet frequently, both during the day and at night (more than 7 times a day)
  • wait a long time in the toilet before urine starts flowing out
  • the stream is narrow, weak or intermittent
  • you urinate much longer than you used to, longer than others
  • you feel pain and burning while urinating
  • you sometimes run to the toilet when you feel a sudden need
  • despite urinating, you feel that there is something else left in your bladder

Category:

Urology and Nephrology