Urinary Incontinence
The types of urinary leakage in men, how they're sorted out, and the treatments for each, from pelvic floor therapy to an artificial sphincter.
Written and reviewed by Shervin Badkhshan, MD · Last reviewed
November 2026
Part of:
Leakage and bladder control
Office & outpatient
Fellowship-Trained Reconstructive Urology
AT A GLANCE
From symptoms to treatment
1. SYMPTOMS
• Leaking with coughing or lifting • Leaking with sudden urges • Dribbling or not emptying
2. TESTING
• Pad count or bladder diary • Flow test and bladder scan • Cystoscopy, sometimes urodynamics
Test result guides →
3. TREATMENT
• Pelvic floor therapy • Bladder treatments for urgency • Male sling or artificial sphincter
Surgical options →
Urinary leakage in men has a few different causes, and the right treatment depends on which one you have. Many men have more than one.
Types of leakage
Stress incontinence: leaking with coughing, lifting, standing, or exercise. Most often after prostate surgery or radiation, when the sphincter muscle is weakened.
Urge incontinence: a sudden, strong urge and leaking before you reach the bathroom. Caused by an overactive bladder.
Overflow: leaking because the bladder doesn't empty, often from a blockage such as a stricture or enlarged prostate.
How I evaluate it
A history, a pad count or bladder diary, a flow test and bladder scan, and an in-office cystoscopy. Some men need urodynamics, a test of bladder pressure and function, especially after radiation.
Treatment
Pelvic floor therapy, especially in the first year after prostatectomy
Medication, bladder Botox, or nerve stimulation for an overactive bladder
A male sling for mild to moderate stress leakage
An artificial urinary sphincter for moderate to severe leakage, or after radiation
Fixing a blockage first when overflow is the problem
Related
Leakage after prostate treatment · Artificial urinary sphincter · Male sling · Self-assessment
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Your actual test results, visit notes, and messages with your care team are in your patient portal, the same one you use to book visits. Send questions through the portal or call the office at (516) 535-1900. For anything urgent, call the office or go to the nearest emergency room.