Men's Continence

Urinary Incontinence is Never “Normal.”
Many men can experience the involuntary leakage of urine. When this happens frequently enough to be a problem, it’s called urinary incontinence. Contrary to popular belief, urinary incontinence is not a normal part of aging or something to be expected after surgery. Urinary incontinence is usually caused by a physical problem and, many times, can be treated with positive results.

Beyond the physical problem, loss of bladder control can also be a strain on a person’s self esteem. Unfortunately, many men are too embarrassed to seek help for this sensitive condition. With proper evaluation and treatment from our specialized team, many men suffering from incontinence can expect significant improvement, and many will find complete relief.

Is This You?
The following self assessment may help determine is you’re a candidate for Columbia St. Mary’s Continence Services:

• Do you urinate at a normal frequency (fewer than eight times a day) but continue to leak urine unexpectedly?
• Do you have sudden or uncontrollable urges to urinate that sometimes result in accidents?
• Do you lead urine without warning while sneezing, coughing, lifting objects, exercising, or changing physical positions?
• Is your sleep interrupted by the urge to urinate two or more times per night?

Types of Incontinence

Stress Incontinence
This is the leaking of urine when exercising, sneezing, coughing, laughing or doing other movements that put stress on the bladder. This is caused when the pelvic floor muscles become weak causing the bladder to fall out of position.

Urge Incontinence
This is an uncontrollable urge to urinate that is caused by a hyperactive bladder muscle. Leakage may occur even when the bladder is nearly empty, and the urge to urinate comes much more often than usual, sometimes every two hours during the day and night.

Urge incontinence is caused by an actual muscle malfunction, emotional stress, or a nerve condition.

We Offer Help
Columbia St. Mary’s Continence Services are specifically designed to evaluate and develop an individual treatment plan for each patient, including:

Men who are living with Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)

• Men who are recovering from prostate or rectal surgery
• Pelvic muscle weakness
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Spinal cord injury

Diagnosis and Treatments
The experienced staff at Columbia St. Mary’s uses several techniques to diagnose urinary incontinence:

• Medical history review
• Physical examination
• Urinalysis/urine culture
• Post void residual (measurement of urine left in the bladder after urination)
• Cystoscopy (exam of the bladder with a lighted telescope)
• Urodynamic testing (assessment of bladder capacity and nerve function)

Under the guidance of a physician, specially-trained therapist or nurse, a wide range of successful treatments are available:

• Behavioral Approaches
  Relaxation and diet management
• Bladder Training
  Teaches the person to control bladder function
• Exercise
  Individual exercise programs to increase motor control and strength of the pelvic floor, such as the Kegel exercise and other physical therapy movements
• Biofeedback
  Men learn correct techniques for exercising and toning the pelvic muscles
• Medication
  Special medication may calm the bladder muscle or desensitize the nerves controlling the bladder

Taking the Next Important Step at Columbia St. Mary’s
You can visit Columbia St. Mary’s Continence Services, located within the Institute for Women’s Wellness, with or without a doctor’s referral. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (414) 961-4230.

Water Tower Medical Commons
2350 N. Lake Dr., Suite 509
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Phone: (414) 961-4230

We diagnose… We treat… You succeed.