Incontinence is the lack of voluntary control over urination or defecation. It is a widespread condition that ranges in severity from 'just a small leak' to complete loss of bladder or bowel control. Incontinence is not just a medical problem – it can become a social and emotional problem that interferes with people’s everyday lives.
For many men, involuntary urinary leakage is one of the most common symptoms of incontinence. In fact, 1 in 4 U.S. men suffer from urinary incontinence symptoms.1
Men with these symptoms may also experience an urgent or frequent need to use the bathroom and/or an inability to completely empty their bladder.
While these symptoms may not necessarily require urgent medical attention, urinary incontinence can interfere with one’s ability to sit through a meeting, a movie, or a flight without frequent interruptions to use the bathroom.
Unfortunately, many men feel embarrassed or ashamed of their urinary incontinence issues and do not talk about their symptoms with their doctor; this is the case among more than 50% of men who experience urinary incontinence.2
What causes urinary incontinence in men?
The answer often begins with the prostate.
The prostate is a small gland about the size and shape of a walnut that is located below the neck of the bladder. The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder through the penis, letting urine flow out of the body.
As men age, the prostate can become larger. Over 40% of men in their 50s and over 80% of men in their 70s have an enlarged prostate3, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH.
When the prostate is enlarged, the urethra is squeezed, blocking the stream and potentially leading to urine building up in the bladder and causing leakage. Enlarged prostate can also lead to other bladder changes and bothersome urinary symptoms such as a weak or slow urinary stream, difficulty or delay in starting urination, and a frequent need to urinate both day and night.
Early Intervention May Be Key to Symptom Relief and Quality of Life Improvement
BPH can significantly impact quality of life and can cause loss of productivity and even depression.4
Men who suffer from bothersome urinary symptoms may forego activities typically enjoyed and instead, hide their condition to avoid shame and embarrassment over frequent bathroom trips.
It’s important to consult your urologist to find a treatment that can help you live a more active life with fewer interruptions from urinary symptoms. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend the “wait and see” approach, a minimally invasive approach or surgery.
The UroLift® System procedure is a minimally invasive treatment that can be performed right in your doctor’s office. It is the only leading minimally invasive BPH treatment that offers a customized treatment while preserving sexual function.*5, 6
The UroLift implant holds the enlarged tissue out of the way so that it no longer blocks your urethra and can provide relief from bothersome urinary symptoms.
If you are a man over the age of 45 and experience bothersome urinary symptoms, an enlarged prostate may be the cause.
Delaying treatment may cause your symptoms to get worse.7 Find your enlarged prostate symptom score and discuss the results with your doctor to find a treatment that works for you.
References:
* No instances of new, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction
1 “What Is Urinary Incontinence?” Incontinence: Symptoms & Treatment - Urology Care Foundation, Apr. 2020, www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/urinary-incontinence.
2Milsom et al. Epidemiology of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and other Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and Anal (AI) Incontinence. In: Incontinence, Editors Abrams, Cardozo, Wagg and Wein, 2017.
3 Berry, et al., J Urol 1984
4Speakman et al. 2014 BJUI International
5Roehrborn J Urol 2013 LIFT Study
6McVary, J Sex Med 2016
7 Tubaro et al. 2003 Drugs Aging
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