MALE URINARY INCONTINENCE
Male urinary incontinence: understand your symptoms and your options
Male urinary incontinence means urine leaks when it is not intended. It can happen with activity, urgency, after prostate treatment or for other reasons, so the pattern of symptoms matters when deciding what to do next.
Your information is treated with care.
Understand the service and your options, with no pressure.
We’re here to explain the service and answer questions about what to expect.
COULD THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Common signs of male urinary incontinence
Male urinary incontinence does not look the same in every man. Leakage may happen during movement or exertion, after a sudden urge to urinate, or alongside other urinary symptoms.
Leakage with activity
Leakage can happen when coughing, sneezing, lifting, exercising or during other activities that put pressure on the bladder.
Urgency and frequency
A sudden need to urinate can be difficult to delay and may occur with frequent daytime trips or waking at night.
Leakage before reaching the toilet
Some men leak when an urgent need to pass urine becomes difficult to control before they reach a toilet.
When to seek advice
New, persistent, worsening or unexplained urinary symptoms should be discussed with a GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
What is male urinary incontinence?
Stress-related leakage
Urgency symptoms
Other urinary symptoms
How male urinary incontinence is managed
Assessment first
A GP or other healthcare professional can review your symptoms, urinary pattern and medical history. Assessment can help identify problems that need treatment and guide the next step.
Pelvic-floor muscle training
Aids, products and other options
Male urinary incontinence products can help manage leakage while you are being assessed or treated. Depending on individual need, these may include absorbent products, handheld urinals and external collecting devices such as a urinary sheath. These products manage leakage; they do not treat its underlying cause.
Discuss private EMS suitability
Incontinence Direct provides a private mobile electromagnetic pelvic-floor stimulation service. Research has investigated magnetic or electromagnetic stimulation in men, but the evidence remains limited and varies by intervention, device, protocol and patient group.
Private EMS should not replace diagnosis or established medical care. Suitability for this service depends on individual circumstances and cannot be determined from the presence of urinary leakage alone.
IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING PRIVATE EMS
A straightforward process
Consultation
Discuss your symptoms, relevant medical history and questions about the service with our team.
Suitability
We explain the service and discuss suitability from the information you provide. We do not diagnose the cause of urinary symptoms.
If you proceed
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Book a consultation
Get clear information about male urinary incontinence from direct incontinence and the private EMS service, then decide whether a consultation is right for you.
SUITABILITY & SAFETY
Important information before considering treatment
The service is not appropriate for everyone. Suitability depends on individual circumstances, and some urinary symptoms should be medically assessed before considering a private treatment service.
Key considerations
New or unexplained urinary symptoms can have different causes and should not be assumed to be suitable for private EMS.
Male urinary incontinence devices, products and other management options should be chosen according to individual circumstances and, where appropriate, professional advice.
Seek medical advice for blood in the urine, significant pain, fever, difficulty passing urine or other concerning symptoms.
Blood in the urine, significant pain, fever, difficulty passing urine, recurrent infections or other concerning symptoms should be medically assessed rather than managed solely through a private treatment service.
Male urinary incontinence questions
Clear answers about symptoms, what to do next, management options, aids and products, and where private EMS fits.
What is male urinary incontinence?
Male urinary incontinence is the unintentional leakage of urine. It can happen with physical activity, urgency, after prostate treatment or for other reasons. The cause and pattern matter when deciding what assessment or management may be appropriate.
Source: NHS — Urinary incontinence
What to do for male urinary incontinence?
Start by considering the pattern of leakage and speaking with a GP or another appropriate healthcare professional if symptoms are new, persistent or troublesome. Assessment can help identify the cause and guide management rather than assuming one treatment fits every man.
How to manage male urinary incontinence?
Management depends on the cause and type of incontinence. NHS information includes lifestyle measures, pelvic-floor muscle training and bladder training, while medicines, procedures or other options may be considered when appropriate. Continence products can help manage leakage but do not treat the underlying cause.
Sources: NHS — Non-surgical treatment · NICE CG97
How do you control male urinary incontinence?
There is no single way to control male urinary incontinence. The practical approach depends on whether leakage is stress-related, urgency-related or linked to another urinary problem. For men with stress urinary incontinence after prostatectomy, NICE recommends supervised pelvic-floor muscle training for at least 3 months before other options are considered.
How to treat male urinary incontinence?
How male urinary incontinence is treated depends on the cause. Established approaches can include pelvic-floor muscle training, bladder training, lifestyle measures, medicines, continence products and, for some people, procedures or surgery. A private EMS service should be considered separately from diagnosis and established medical care.
Sources: NHS — Non-surgical treatment · NHS — Surgery and procedures
Can male urinary incontinence aids, products or a sheath help?
Male urinary incontinence aids and products can help manage leakage. Depending on individual needs, examples include absorbent products, handheld urinals and a male urinary incontinence sheath is one example of an external collecting device. They are for managing leakage rather than treating its underlying cause. Devices or products should be chosen according to individual circumstances and appropriate advice.
Source: NHS — Non-surgical treatment
Evidence-informed information for men
Published research has investigated extracorporeal magnetic stimulation for urinary incontinence in men, including men following prostatectomy. A 2026 rapid evidence assessment identified nine studies involving 181 men treated with EMS, but noted small studies, variation between protocols and a need for larger, higher-quality research. Evidence for one electromagnetic system should not be assumed to apply to every device or service.
Incontinence Direct is an independent provider.
We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or part of the NHS or NICE.
