Urinary Incontinence in Men - Know Your Treatment Options
Urinary incontinence in men typically involves an enlarged prostate but not always.
With an aging male Baby Boomer population making up the largest generation on the planet, you'd be hard pressed not to see a commercial dealing with male incontinence and how to stop the urge to constantly go.
Most of these commercials are for medications that claim to reduce the size of the prostate and thereby reduce the pressure on the urethra and bladder.
However, there is one condition that these medications can't deal with and that is the loss of use of the sphincter.
When this severe condition occurs, there is truly no control over urination.
Surgery is typically seen as a last ditch option for incontinence but with this condition there have been some amazing advances.
An artificial sphincter made of silicon can be implanted to replace to natural muscle that has failed.
This device is actually an inflatable cuff that connects to a small pump which is implanted in the scrotum.
As the bladder fills it places pressure on the cuff which in turn deflates allowing urination.
Once the bladder is empty the cuff re-inflates.
Surgery always comes with risks and this procedure is recommended only when all other efforts have failed.
This is an invasive procedure which means there is a risk of infection, anesthetic problems, and of course serious bruising and swelling at the site of the surgery.
In addition, follow up surgery to tweak the device is not uncommon.
Obviously if the incontinence can be effectively controlled or managed using non-surgical techniques there is a lesser health risk.
Before making decisions about surgical procedure for urinary incontinence in men, males should carefully examine the alternatives.
Incontinence products like pants and pads can be used to control the condition and allow an active lifestyle without concern over having an accident in public.
Changes in diet, particularly avoiding natural diuretics like caffeine and alcohol can also reduce the stress on the bladder.
Urinary incontinence in men can be treated in a number of ways and should not be considered as just something that has to be accepted as a natural part of life.
With an aging male Baby Boomer population making up the largest generation on the planet, you'd be hard pressed not to see a commercial dealing with male incontinence and how to stop the urge to constantly go.
Most of these commercials are for medications that claim to reduce the size of the prostate and thereby reduce the pressure on the urethra and bladder.
However, there is one condition that these medications can't deal with and that is the loss of use of the sphincter.
When this severe condition occurs, there is truly no control over urination.
Surgery is typically seen as a last ditch option for incontinence but with this condition there have been some amazing advances.
An artificial sphincter made of silicon can be implanted to replace to natural muscle that has failed.
This device is actually an inflatable cuff that connects to a small pump which is implanted in the scrotum.
As the bladder fills it places pressure on the cuff which in turn deflates allowing urination.
Once the bladder is empty the cuff re-inflates.
Surgery always comes with risks and this procedure is recommended only when all other efforts have failed.
This is an invasive procedure which means there is a risk of infection, anesthetic problems, and of course serious bruising and swelling at the site of the surgery.
In addition, follow up surgery to tweak the device is not uncommon.
Obviously if the incontinence can be effectively controlled or managed using non-surgical techniques there is a lesser health risk.
Before making decisions about surgical procedure for urinary incontinence in men, males should carefully examine the alternatives.
Incontinence products like pants and pads can be used to control the condition and allow an active lifestyle without concern over having an accident in public.
Changes in diet, particularly avoiding natural diuretics like caffeine and alcohol can also reduce the stress on the bladder.
Urinary incontinence in men can be treated in a number of ways and should not be considered as just something that has to be accepted as a natural part of life.
