Male Incontinence Treatment

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.

As medical research continues to advance treatments, patients are often able to enjoy an improved quality of life by engaging in one or a combination of treatment options for male urinary incontinence. The options range from simple, less-invasive exercises and lifestyle changes, which are often tried first, to more invasive devices and procedures.

This guide to male incontinence treatment is designed to help patients learn more about their options.

Pelvic Floor Therapy

Pelvic floor muscles sometimes become weakened, leading to incontinence, especially in men who have had prostate surgery. Pelvic floor therapy is a series of exercises designed to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles found under the bladder and bowel. Pelvic floor exercises are sometimes referred to as Kegel exercises.

Pelvic floor therapy teaches men how to use their muscles to stop and start urine flow repeatedly, which helps to improve muscle strength over time. A health professional, such as a physical therapist, explains how to perform each exercise and can help patients discover other supportive care options for male incontinence.

Medications

In some patients, medication may provide symptom relief. Incontinence medication may be administered via a liquid, pill or patch that attaches to the skin. The most common incontinence medicines include the following.

Anticholinergics: This class of medication targets bladder receptors that are responsible for spasms or contractions. Reducing bladder contractions may reduce incontinence.

Tricyclic antidepressants: This medication treats incontinence by relaxing the bladder’s smooth muscle.

Beta-3 agonists: This medication activates a type of protein found in bladder muscles called beta-3 receptors, which help relax the muscle. Myrbetriq^® (mirabegron) is in this new class of medications.

Lifestyle Changes

Making lifestyle changes may also reduce incontinence symptoms over time. The care team may recommend working with an occupational or physical therapist to learn more about these lifestyle changes, which often include the following.

Smoking cessation: Tobacco use increases a patient’s risk of bladder cancer and stress incontinence.

Dietary changes: By consuming more fiber-rich foods, patients may help prevent constipation. Constipation may worsen incontinence.

Increased physical activity: Regular exercise is important to everyone, and maintaining a healthy body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) may help prevent and manage diseases that may cause incontinence, such as diabetes.

Managing fluid intake: Reducing consumption of liquids in the evening and limiting caffeinated beverages may help reduce incontinence.

Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation, or electrical stimulation, may ease incontinence in some men. It uses pulses of electricity to reach nerves connected to the bladder.

Sacral Neuromodulation: This is a device that is implanted into the lower back to target the sacral nerve with continuous electrical pulses. By blocking certain signals in the nervous system, it helps the bladder relax. It may be used in patients for whom oral medication is not helpful. When this treatment is successful, the results last for quite some time.

Tibial nerve stimulation: This treatment uses an acupuncture needle with electrodes inserted lightly in the ankle. An electrical current stimulates the tibial nerve while the patient is sitting. The treatment must be repeated periodically to maintain results.

Incontinence Devices

External incontinence devices are products worn outside the body that help patients manage urinary incontinence. Each works slightly differently, so patients should seek medical advice regarding which product is most suitable for their needs.

Male incontinence devices include the following.

Pads and incontinence underwear: A variety of sanitary pads that may be inserted into underwear to collect leakage. Waterproof incontinence underwear is also designed to collect urine or hold a pad liner.

Condom catheter: This sheath fits snugly over the penis, with a tube that leads to a small urine collection bag tied to the patient’s leg that may be emptied as needed.

Drip collector: For men with mild incontinence, a padded, waterproof device called a drip collector may be used. It fits over the penis and absorbs urine leakage.

Cunningham clamp: This device fits over the penis, with a clamp that keeps the urethra shut. The patient releases it when he needs to urinate.

Artificial Urinary Sphincter

An artificial urinary sphincter is a device that is surgically inserted into the body to prevent urine from leaking when a man’s own sphincter muscles are not able to prevent urine leakage. Sphincter muscles hold and release urine from the bladder, and an artificial sphincter mimics the natural ability to hold urine.

During surgery to insert the artificial urinary sphincter, incisions are made in the perineum (area between the anus and the scrotum) and the lower abdomen. A cuff containing fluid is then placed around the urethra to occlude it.

Next, a small balloon filled with fluid and responsive to changes in abdominal or pelvic pressure is placed in the abdomen and a pump is placed in the scrotum where it will be manipulated (squeezed) in order to control when urine exits the body. The procedure may be performed under general or spinal anesthesia, but the patient will not experience discomfort with either method.

Once healed, when a man needs to urinate, he presses the pump in his scrotum. This moves fluid from the cuff into the balloon, which opens the urethra and allows for urination.

The artificial urinary sphincter is considered the gold standard for treating all degrees of stress urinary incontinence.

Urethral Sling

A urethral sling is a synthetic strip of material that helps reposition the urethra, pulling it up into the body. The sling is surgically implanted. This allows the sphincter muscles to work more successfully, so a sling is only appropriate if the patient has functioning sphincter muscles.

Several types of slings are available, some of which are adjustable, but the AdVance™ XP male sling is most commonly used. It is placed inside the body to support the urethra and help restore bladder control.

All sling types work to reduce urine leakage and may be an option for men who have already made lifestyle changes and tried pelvic floor exercises. It is also commonly used in men experiencing incontinence after prostate surgery.

Adjustable Continence Balloons

Adjustable continence balloon therapy, or ProACT, is a surgery by which paired inflatable compressive balloons are placed through small perineal incisions while the patient is under general anesthesia. The doctor uses cystoscopy and X-ray guidance to position the balloons at the level of the bladder neck or just downstream from the prostate (if the patient still has his prostate). The balloons are prefilled with fluid and have tubing connected to a port located in the scrotum that is adjustable by adding or removing saline fluid using a needle and syringe.

Other Male Urinary Incontinence Treatment Options

Additional male incontinence treatments are also available. These may include the following.

Botulinum toxin A: Commonly known as botox, this medication may be injected into the bladder, which relaxes the muscle and reduces leakage.

Bulking agents: Injections of a gel or paste near the urethra may help thicken the skin near the bladder opening, which may reduce incontinence.

Bladder surgery: In men with an enlarged prostate, part of the bladder may become obstructed. Surgery may reduce incontinence by widening the urethra or removing some of the prostate in a procedure known as a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). In men with bladder nerve damage, the bladder may sometimes be surgically enlarged, providing more space for urine storage.

As medical treatments continue to advance, more male incontinence treatments are likely to emerge. Patients with concerns about incontinence are advised to seek personalized advice from their doctor.