Recognising prostate problems

Question: My father who is very frail and walks with a frame recognises the urge to go to the toilet but by the time he gets to the bathroom, takes off his clothes and sits on the toilet he has leaked urine and needs to be changed. What could be causing this and how can we help him?

Answer: There could be quite a few factors at work here. If it is purely a matter of mobility, this is called Functional Incontinence. There are also issues such as ease of removal of clothes (perhaps install velcro instead of buttons or zips, or elastic wasted pants). 

However, it is rarely as simple as this! Stress incontinence where weak pelvic floor muscles are not as much in control as they should be, or perhaps a prostate problem where a swollen prostate gland is interfering with the easy flow of urine from the bladder down through the penis (rarely is this cancer).  It’s called LUTS (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) and is quite common in older men.

Hesitancy of starting urination, interrupted flow, and “after-dribble” are all common symptoms of prostate problems. Using a disposable pad or pull-up style of pants will at least allow containment of urine and hopefully less embarrassment.  Reviewing your dad’s medications may reveal some drug that contributes to the problem. Discuss this with your doctor.

Article by:

Anne Ramus, Continence Foundation of Australia
Steve Marburg,  National Continence Helpline
19/03/08

The National Continence Helpline 1800 33 00 66
www.continence.org.au