Topic: Urinary Incontinence in Men
Question: What is (are) Urinary Incontinence in Men ?
Answer: The types of UI in men include
                
- urgency incontinence  - stress incontinence  - functional incontinence  - overflow incontinence  - transient incontinence
                
Urgency Incontinence
                
Urgency incontinence happens when a man urinates involuntarily after he has a strong desire, or urgency, to urinate. Involuntary bladder contractions are a common cause of urgency incontinence. Abnormal nerve signals might cause these bladder contractions.
                
Triggers for men with urgency incontinence include drinking a small amount of water, touching water, hearing running water, or being in a cold environmenteven if for just a short whilesuch as reaching into the freezer at the grocery store. Anxiety or certain liquids, medications, or medical conditions can make urgency incontinence worse.
                
The following conditions can damage the spinal cord, brain, bladder nerves, or sphincter nerves, or can cause involuntary bladder contractions leading to urgency incontinence:
                
- Alzheimers diseasea disorder that affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language  - injury to the brain or spinal cord that interrupts nerve signals to and from the bladder  - multiple sclerosisa disease that damages the material that surrounds and protects nerve cells, which slows down or blocks messages between the brain and the body  - Parkinsons diseasea disease in which the cells that make a chemical that controls muscle movement are damaged or destroyed  - strokea condition in which a blocked or ruptured artery in the brain or neck cuts off blood flow to part of the brain and leads to weakness, paralysis, or problems with speech, vision, or brain function
                
Urgency incontinence is a key sign of overactive bladder. Overactive bladder occurs when abnormal nerves send signals to the bladder at the wrong time, causing its muscles to squeeze without enough warning time to get to the toilet. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Nerve Disease and Bladder Control.
                
Stress Incontinence
                
Stress incontinence results from movements that put pressure on the bladder and cause urine leakage, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or physical activity. In men, stress incontinence may also occur
                
- after prostate surgery  - after neurologic injury to the brain or spinal cord  - after trauma, such as injury to the urinary tract  - during older age
                
Functional Incontinence
                
Functional incontinence occurs when physical disability, external obstacles, or problems in thinking or communicating keep a person from reaching a place to urinate in time. For example, a man with Alzheimers disease may not plan ahead for a timely trip to a toilet. A man in a wheelchair may have difficulty getting to a toilet in time. Arthritispain and swelling of the jointscan make it hard for a man to walk to the restroom quickly or open his pants in time.
                
Overflow Incontinence
                
When the bladder doesnt empty properly, urine spills over, causing overflow incontinence. Weak bladder muscles or a blocked urethra can cause this type of incontinence. Nerve damage from diabetes or other diseases can lead to weak bladder muscles; tumors and urinary stones can block the urethra. Men with overflow incontinence may have to urinate often, yet they release only small amounts of urine or constantly dribble urine.
                
Transient Incontinence
                
Transient incontinence is UI that lasts a short time. Transient incontinence is usually a side effect of certain medications, drugs, or temporary conditions, such as
                
- a urinary tract infection (UTI), which can irritate the bladder and cause strong urges to urinate  - caffeine or alcohol consumption, which can cause rapid filling of the bladder  - chronic coughing, which can put pressure on the bladder  - constipationhard stool in the rectum can put pressure on the bladder  - blood pressure medications that can cause increased urine production  - short-term mental impairment that reduces a mans ability to care for himself  - short-term restricted mobility
(Source: NIDDK)