Helping men with incontinence keep control

    1 in 4 men experience some form of urine leakage1, but only 5-7% of them use purpose-made protection2. This gap provides a great opportunity in which TENA Men can help you support men with incontinence and grow your business. That's better care for everyone.

    Destigmatising male incontinence

    ‘Urinary leakage is common in men, especially later in life, but many men still remain undiagnosed and hence lack the benefits of modern management,’ says Professor Ian Milsom, Director of the Gothenburg Continence Research Centre. 

    ‘Often men are ashamed of their problem or they are unaware that help is available,’ says Professor Milsom. 

    Destigmatising incontinence can support your male customers’ wellbeing, and increase the likelihood of them buying the right product from you again and again.

    Men are opening up about sensitive health issues

    Causes and types of male incontinence

    There are lots of types of male incontinence mostly affecting men over 40. Here are a few of the most common.

    Please note: it’s best to recommend a visit to a doctor or health care professional to explore possible causes of incontinence, and possible treatments.


    Urge urinary incontinence

    Urge or urgency incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine associated with a strong desire or urgency to urinate. It can be hard to define a cause as there are many different factors that cause urgency, from UTIs, to medication, to an enlarged prostate.

    Of course, drinking too much can lead to frequent toilet visits, but so can drinking too little, as urine gets too concentrated and irritates the bladder lining.


    Stress urinary incontinence

    SUI occurs when pressure is put on the bladder, e.g. during exercise or a sneeze, and the pelvic floor muscles can’t support the urinary tract as needed to prevent leakage. It’s the most common type of incontinence in women - in men, it’s usually a side effect of prostate surgery.


    Post micturition dribble

    Some men experience drips and dribbles after visiting the toilet. This is most commonly caused by urine remaining in the urethra after urinating.


    Terminal dribble

    This is when the urine flow slows to a trickle or dribble which is hard to shut off and finish.


    Neurogenic bladder

    Problems associated with brain function (such as MS or Parkinson’s) and damage to the spinal cord or nerves can reduce bladder control. The symptoms may differ depending on what part of the nerves are affected.  


    Bladder emptying difficulties

    Prostate enlargement in men is a common cause of bladder emptying difficulties. However, it may also be a result of a weak bladder muscle caused by certain types of medications or nerve damage. If the bladder is not able to completely empty, there is a risk of urine building up in the bladder. Symptoms may include; difficulty in starting to urinate, feeling that the bladder isn’t empty after urinating, an interrupted or weak urine stream, dribbling and frequent night time urination.

    Meet the customer - Peter's story

    Male urinary leakage is more common than you might think, especially in men over 40. Peter is one of the 1 in 4 men who have experienced urinary leakage problems. Here's how it affected him.

    How to talk to men about urine leakage

    TENA has been leading the conversation about incontinence for over 60 years. We've used that experience to put together a guide full of advice to help you get your male customers talking, so that you can recommend the best product for them.

    Download conversation guide now

    Note: If the condition seems to be severe, always refer your customer to a doctor.

    Related reading

    References

    1Male Urinary Incontinence Prevalence Study 2013 (US,UK,DE,IT,FR,MX,RU).  

    2Irwin DE et al, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Worldwide prevalence estimates of lower urinary tract symptoms, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence and bladder outlet obstruction. September 14; 2010  

    3Gfk. Male Consumer Journey, DE, 2012. Data on file.  

    4Men Consumer Journey research, 2012, Germany, 608 interviews  

    5Healthwatch Cornwall, Community Pharmacies in, Cornwall Report, October 2015