Male Incontinence Diagnosis and Testing

January 21, 2026

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Humberto Villarreal, M.D., assistant clinical professor, Division of Urology and Urologic Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Duarte.

For men experiencing a loss of bladder control (incontinence), several tests and tools may help doctors diagnose and treat this concern. Diagnosis of male urinary incontinence typically starts with a physical exam and a review of the patient’s medical history, but additional testing may be involved. The primary objective is to differentiate between stress urinary incontinence, urgency urinary incontinence, or mixed urinary incontinence.

This guide is designed to help patients learn more about male incontinence diagnosis and testing.

Pad Weight Test

A pad weight test allows doctors to measure how much urine is lost during a set time period. During the test, the patient wears a sanitary pad during normal daily activities and may be asked to also wear it during exercise to see how it’s affected by pressure and movement.

Patients may need to wear the pads for up to 24 hours and will be instructed to keep used pads in a sealed bag. Afterwards, the medical team weighs the used pads to determine how much urine was lost due to incontinence.

This test may help doctors determine the severity of a patient’s incontinence, as measuring urine loss is more accurate than asking a patient to give an estimate.

Urodynamic Testing

Urodynamic testing incorporates a variety of tests that check how well the lower urinary tract is performing. The lower urinary tract consists of the urethra, bladder and sphincter muscles.

During urodynamic testing, doctors measure how well the bladder stores and releases urine, and they check to see if bladder contractions occur or if they occur at the wrong times, which could cause urine leakage. Types of urodynamic testing may include cystometric tests, postvoid residual urine measurement and uroflowmetry, all described in more detail below.

Cystoscopy

A cystoscopy is a medical procedure that uses a thin tube called a cystoscope with a light and camera on the end to look inside the lower urinary tract. After administering anesthesia, so that patients do not feel discomfort, the cystoscope is inserted into the urethra. It helps doctors look for anatomic irregularities such as urethral strictures, areas of narrowing within the urethra that restrict urine flow.

If strictures are found, they must be treated before doctors perform any incontinence treatment procedures. This is especially important if a patient has undergone a previous procedure for their prostate. Several treatment options for strictures are available, depending on their severity and location.

Cystoscopy may be used to learn more about bladder problems, including incontinence or blood in the urine, or to obtain tissue samples for a biopsy. It may also be used to perform a type of cancer treatment called transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) to remove small tumors.

Postvoid Residual (PVR) Test

A postvoid residual volume (PVR) test measures the amount of urine left in the bladder after a normal urination.

For a PVR test, the patient is asked to arrive at the doctor’s office with a full bladder. The patient is instructed to urinate into a special funnel. As the bladder empties, the funnel measures the strength of the urine stream. Doctors then measure how much urine remains in the bladder, via ultrasound or a bladder catheterization.

If an ultrasound test is used, a probe or portable bladder scanning device will obtain images of the pelvic area, allowing doctors to calculate the amount of urine remaining in the bladder.

If bladder catheterization is used, a local anesthetic is administered to numb the area around the urethra and prevent discomfort. Then, a catheter is inserted into the urethra to drain any remaining urine from the bladder. The volume of drained urine is then measured.

Uroflowmetry

During a uroflowmetry test, how much urine exits the bladder and how quickly it exits are both measured. The patient will be asked to urinate into a special toilet or urinal equipped to measure how long urination takes, the speed at which it occurs and the volume of urine expelled.

This test is most appropriate when the patient has a full bladder.

Cystometric Study

A cystometric study helps doctors measure fullness of the bladder, including how much urine it is able to hold and the pressure it creates to urinate.

During this test, a catheter is inserted to help the patient completely empty the bladder. Then, a pressure-monitoring device, called a manometer or cystometer, is attached to it. Small, sticky pads containing electrodes are also placed near the rectum, to help collect data.

Warm water is then put into the bladder at a controlled rate, as the manometer measures bladder pressure. The patient is asked to tell the doctor when he or she feels the initial need to urinate as well as when the bladder feels full.

Other Incontinence Tests

In addition to the above, the patient’s medical team may ask for additional tests. These may include the following.

A physical examination: A doctor examines the patient and reviews his medical history. This may include a prostate exam, as prostate issues (such as an enlarged prostate) may cause urinary incontinence. The patient may also be asked to keep a bladder diary before the appointment, detailing how much fluid they consume and if/when bladder leakage occurs.

Urinalysis: Laboratory tests of urine samples may help identify problems such as infections and substances that are not normally found in urine, such as blood, sugar and bilirubin. 

Blood test: Blood samples are studied to look for health issues that may relate to incontinence, including chemical imbalances or problems with kidney function.

Ultrasound or other imaging tests: Imaging tests help doctors get a clearer look at structures inside the body, in this case the bladder and urinary tract.