Other Treatments
There may be other explanations why men have trouble urinating. It can be bladder stone, bladder cancer, prostate cancer or side effects from medication; in those cases the treatment is directed towards these causes.
If your doctor’s help is not satisfactory, you can be referred to a specialist with a particular interest for urinary incontinence.
1) Trouble with emptying the bladder
Slow stream of urine, a wait before urination begins, the necessity of squeezing the urine out by using the abdominals together with the feeling of not being able to empty the bladder completely.Most men who have trouble with emptying the bladder have experienced that there it varies a lot how bothered they are – it can shift from day to day.
In some periods they are very troubled and in others they barely feel their urinary incontinence. An explanation for these variations is the variation in the amount of fluid you intake. Therefore it is a good idea to keep a fluid and urination table.
2) Overactive bladder
Sudden strong urge to urination where you may not reach the toilet and frequent urination.
An overactive bladder is the type of urinary incontinence that is most difficult to treat.
The doctor’s treatment depends on the cause of your overactive bladder. If it is because of an enlarged prostate, a bladder infection, bladder stone or a tumour in the bladder, the doctor’s treatment is directed towards that.
With many no obvious explanation is found – even after a thorough examination.
The doctor will recommend you exercising your bladder and possibly give you medication that makes the bladder relax. There are several types of medication that have a relaxing effect on an overactive bladder.
The results from the new medication shows that a lot of people can be helped without suffering the troublesome side effects that used to be.
The new medication also causes side effects but they are passing.
If you have an enlarged prostate, medical care or surgery can be options. There is medication that shrinks the prostate and thereby helps an overactive bladder. In different types of surgeries, it is possible to cut off part of the prostate (see an earlier section).
If your doctor’s help is not satisfactory, you can be referred to a specialist with a particular interest for urinary incontinence.
3) A mixture of the first two
Both an overactive bladder and trouble with emptying the bladder. It can be hard to distinguish the two from each other but often it is the overactive bladder that bothers people the most.
The treatment depends on which type you are most bothered by.
4) Dripping after urination
Dripping after you have finished urination.
The doctor can show you how to empty ‘the pocket’ on your urethra.