Types and causes

Urine leakage and male can happen for a number of reasons. Learning what type of urine leakage you're dealing with and what the cause is, can help you get closer to finding the right treatment for you.

You're not alone

Urine leakage happens to 1 in 4 men* making it a very common occurrence. Naturally, urinary leakage differs from man to man but regardless if you're dealing with just a few drops every now and then or you're dealing with larger leaks, you can rest assured in knowing that there's help available and there are ways to help you stay in control of urine leakage.

* Based on survey conducted by Essity in 2012, with men over 40 in the US, UK, Germany, Italy, Russia and Mexico by Essity. Data on file not published.

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What causes urine leakage in men?

For the urinary system to do its job, the brain, muscles and nerves need to work together to hold the urine in the bladder and not release it until you are ready. However, there are many factors that can interfere with this process.

Common causes for urine leakage are:

Medication, for example diuretic medications can increase the risk of urine leakage.
Urinary tract infections.
Temporarily weakened muscles due to surgery.
Changes in prostate size, for example a swollen prostate can obstruct urine from passing.
Being overweight puts extra pressure on abdominal and pelvic muscles, which makes it harder to avoid urine leakage.
Diabetes or neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's for example).

As you can see, the cause of urine leakage in men can depend on many factors. Therefore it's important to get a good assessment of your particular situation so you can get the right treatment. This means that it's important to get a proper diagnosis from your doctor.

FAQ

"Do I have to stop drinking coffee forever?"

Not necessarily. Depending on what type of urine leakage you're dealing with, changes in your habits and behaviour can reduce the symptoms.

Common types of male incontinence

Urge incontinence

Urge is also known as an "overactive bladder" and it's the most common type of urine leakage that men suffer from. is when you experience a sudden urge to urinate, but can't hold it in until you reach a toilet. You may need to urinate more than 4 to 8 times a day, as well as several times during the night. This is often linked to an enlarged prostate or the aftermath of surgery.

Stress incontinence

If coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting heavy weights usually results in urine leakage, you may be dealing with stress . Stress incontinence is most common in men who've recently had surgery.

After dribble

This is when a few drops of urine leak after you've been to the toilet, even if you've 'waited and shaken'. There are two types of men experience, and terminal dribble. After dribble happens because the bladder doesn't empty completely while you urinate. Instead, the urine accumulates in the tube leading from your bladder. A common cause for after dribble is an enlarged or weakened .

Overflow incontinence

If you have a constant or intermittent flow of urine you might be dealing with overflow . For men, this is usually caused by something obstructing the flow of urine, causing the bladder to overflow and then leak.