For many men, bladder control problems are a normal development and a fact of life as they get older. Urine leakage, frequent urination, and an urgent and sudden need to urinate are common, and embarrassing, problems to deal with, but they don't necessarily have to be unavoidable and eventual parts of aging. There are many successful treatment options available for managing bladder control problems in older adult males.
There are several different types of bladder control issues that men can develop, each of them with unique symptoms, It is, however, of course possible for multiple health conditions to be present in one individual, causing overlapping issues with urinary continence. Urinary incontinence is the accidental leakage of urine. There are many different kinds of UI, and each one is distinguished by different symptoms and reasons for the leakage.
- Stress incontinence occurs when actions like coughing, sneezing, or physical exertion causes pressure on the bladder and causes urine to leak involuntarily.
- Urge incontinence is when a man experiences a strong, sudden urge to urinate. This type of incontinence is characterized by difficulty in reaching the bathroom in time to properly urinate.
- Overflow incontinence occurs when the urge to urinate is present, but only small amounts can be passed each time. As a result of the bladder not emptying fully, urine accumulates and leaks consistently over time.
Overactive bladder is a condition when the bladder contracts at the wrong time. It is related to urge incontinence, and is characterized by frequent urination, sudden urges to urinate, or leakage that follows a strong urge to urinate.