Male Incontinence Home Remedies That Can Actually Help
Having an overactive bladder and suffering from a bit of leakage here and there is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, more men deal with incontinence than you might think. Especially as you age, it can be more difficult to control your urine and prevent urine loss.
While you can get surgeries and visit a urologist for help if you need it, you might also be able to get some relief from trying some of the things we’re writing about today. Here are some of our favorite home remedies for incontinence that can actually work.
What Causes Incontinence?
To effectively treat urinary incontinence, it’s important to first know what causes it. There are a few different reasons why urine-leaks might be affecting you.
In men, it’s common for an enlarged prostate to be the culprit. For several reasons, men can have an inflamed prostate or prostatitis. Regardless, the prostate is located right behind the bladder and can put excess pressure on the organ if it becomes too inflamed.
Prostate cancer can sometimes lead to similar symptoms, though it’s more likely that the side effects of cancer treatment will affect you more. Another common cause that can lead to loss of bladder control is a urinary tract infection or UTI.
These can make it feel like you need to use the restroom when you really don’t, making it difficult to discern whether or not you actually need to go to the restroom. As a result, you might try to hold off and accidentally leak.
Neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease can cause interference with the nerve signals involved in bladder control. Additionally, there are millions of people that naturally have a weakened pelvic floor, resulting in fatigue to the group of muscles supporting your bladder and rectum.
Other types of incontinence include:
- Overflow incontinence
- Stress urinary incontinence
- Urge incontinence
- Mixed incontinence
Incontinence Home Remedies
You might be able to alleviate your incontinence without ever needing to leave your home. Here are a few options you can try.
Kegels (Pelvic Floor Exercises)
If you have a weak pelvic floor, your muscles are likely unable to relax and properly contract your bladder. This is a major reason why some people might struggle with stress incontinence or urge incontinence.
Kegel exercises are one of the best ways for men (and women) to protect themselves against urine leakage and strengthen their bladder muscles. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any pelvic floor exercises.
To do Kegels, you first need to locate your pelvic floor muscles. You can do this through muscle contractions around your urethra as if you’re trying to block the flow of urine. Next, contract your sphincter like you’re trying to prevent yourself from passing gas. Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Do the same thing, but hold the contraction for about three seconds before releasing. Repeat this about ten times, and then try to do this twice a day. Over time, your goal is to increase the amount of time you hold and the number of times you complete these exercises each day.
In a few weeks, you should start to notice some improvements in your ability to control your bladder (and your rectum).
Bladder Training
Bladder training is the process of teaching your bladder how to hold in urine. When you get older, your bladder naturally loses capacity, and it can be harder to go long periods without needing to pee. This can lead to involuntary bladder loss when the going gets tough. But with bladder training, you might be able to get some relief.
When you feel the urge to go to the bathroom, try to hold it in for 10 minutes. Ideally, you want to try to limit your bathroom trips to once every two to four hours.
Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes, your incontinence might be a temporary result of some behavioral habits causing you to urinate more frequently. Namely, you might be drinking too many diuretics. Diuretics are substances that help rid your body of sodium and water. Coffee, alcohol, and sparkling beverages are some of the main reasons you might have temporary urine loss.
Additionally, you can control your urine flow a bit better by being more mindful of when exactly you’re drinking most of your fluids. Avoid drinking fluids at night before you go to bed, and be mindful of how much you’re drinking throughout the day.
Male Drip Protection
Sometimes, no matter how much you try to strengthen your pelvis, those drips and dribbles just won’t stop coming. For light incontinence, you might want to consider an incontinence product. The problem is that many pads are made modeled after women’s products, so their bulky physique slips and slides around, rendering themselves completely useless.
But MDP (Male Drip Protection) is designed by men, for men wanting a discreet, comfortable solution to light incontinence. It’s a sleeve that slides right over your penis, form-fitting to your anatomy, so you know it will be comfortable from the moment you slide it on. Plus, since it adheres to your package rather than your underpants, you can wear any kind of underwear you want, even boxers!
MDP has two adjustable straps, so it can be customized every time you put one on, and since your package will change size throughout the day and night, MDP is designed to allow for changes in size. It’s comfortable, effective, and discreet, so no one will ever know you have one on.
It’s great for light leakage, as it can hold up to two ounces of liquid (that’s about a large shot glass full). And if you need to change it out for a fresh one, you just need to take a trip to the bathroom and slide a new one on.
The only real way to see the benefits is to try it out yourself. Try out MDP, so you don’t need to stop while you’re on the go, just because of a little bit of leakage.
Gain Confidence In Your Continence
Even slight incontinence can be enough to make you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. While severe forms of incontinence might need treatment from a urologist or physical therapist, there are plenty of home remedies for mild cases.
Pelvic floor exercises, or Kegels, strengthen the muscles that hold the bladder in place, while bladder training can strengthen your bladder to prevent leaks. Lifestyle changes, like being aware of what and when you’re drinking, can also improve your quality of life.
But when in doubt, MDP has you covered. Try it out today and see why men across the country are turning to MDP for their light incontinence.
Sources:
Stress incontinence - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Urge incontinence | MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Pelvic Floor Muscles: Anatomy, Function & Conditions | Cleveland Clinic