Urinary Incontinence in Men - When To Call a Doctor

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

See your doctor immediately if your urinary incontinence does not go away or is accompanied by:

  • Weakness or numbness in your buttocks, legs, and feet.
  • Fever, chills, and abdominal (belly) or side pain.
  • Blood in your urine or burning with urination.
  • A change in your bowel habits.

Call your doctor if:

  • You have a problem with urinary incontinence that is getting worse.
  • Uncontrolled loss of urine is enough of a problem that you need to wear an absorbent pad.
  • Incontinence interferes with your life in any way.

Do not be embarrassed to discuss incontinence with your doctor. Incontinence is not an inevitable result of aging. Most people with incontinence can be helped or cured.

If you have a sudden change in your ability to urinate and you are not sure if it is related to your urinary incontinence, see the topic Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older.

Watchful waiting

If you have chronic urinary incontinence that begins slowly, you may be able to control the problem yourself. (See the Home Treatment section of this topic.) If home treatment does not control your problem, or if incontinence interferes with your lifestyle, ask your doctor to recommend a treatment.

If you have urinary incontinence that begins suddenly (acute), call your doctor. Acute incontinence is often caused by urinary tract problems or medicines and can be easily corrected.

Who to see

Any of the following health professionals can diagnose and treat urinary incontinence:

If you need surgery to treat your incontinence, it is important to find a surgeon who is experienced in the type of surgery you need, usually a urologist.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: July 8, 2010
Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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