Urinary Incontinence in Men - What Increases Your Risk

What Increases Your Risk

Many factors have been associated with an increased risk of urinary incontinence in men. Incontinence may be the result of various health conditions or medical treatments, or it could be caused by family history or lifestyle. Sometimes factors from more than one of the lists below can combine to cause incontinence.

Physical conditions or lifestyle factors that may make urinary incontinence more likely include:

• Age-related changes, including decreased bladder capacity and physical frailty.²
• Smoking tobacco.
• Injury to the bladder or urethra.
• Bladder infection or prostatitis.
• Obesity.
• Structural abnormalities of the urinary tract.

Medicines and foods that may make urinary incontinence worse are those that promote more urine formation, relax the bladder muscle, or cause congestion of the prostate. These include:

• Caffeinated and carbonated drinks, such as coffee, tea, and soda pop.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Prescription medicines that increase urine production, such as diuretics, or relax the bladder, such as anticholinergics and antidepressants.
• Other prescription medicines, such as sedatives, narcotics, and calcium channel blockers.
• Nonprescription medicines, such as diet, allergy, and cold medicines.
• Radiation therapy or surgery for prostate cancer.

Several diseases or conditions may increase your risk of developing urinary incontinence, including:

• Neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, diabetes, spinal injury, and multiple sclerosis.
• Bladder cancer.
• Chronic bronchitis.
• Interstitial cystitis.
• Anxiety and depression.