prostate

One of the most common and frustrating side effects of prostate surgery is urinary incontinence. It affects about half of all patients who undergo surgery, interfering with social, work and sexual life. The most common type of incontinence patients will experience is stress incontinence.

This week is a special time to celebrate the men in your life. National Men’s Health Week focuses on raising awareness of men’s health issues and encouraging early detection and treatment of diseases in men.

Every year, I look at what our best selling products are since January. And to no surprise, the Vinyl Pants and Reusable Waterproof Underpads are always at the very top of the list. The best sellers list this year also includes three brands of male guards: Tena, Prevail and Attends.

If you’re wondering why men have stopped shaving this month, it’s probably because they’re celebrating Movember, a 30-day charity campaign dedicated to raising awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer (after skin cancer) among men. Murray Hill, a columnist for The StarPhoenix, had his prostate removed in April. One of the unfortunate side effects of prostate surgery is urinary incontinence – something Hill has been learning to manage with his everyday life. In his most recent blog post, Hill provides an honest, at times comical, account of his experience with incontinence post-surgery.

Prostate cancer affected an estimated 2.8 million men in the United States last year, according to cancer.org. It is the most common cancer – after skin cancer – among American men, and approximately 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with the disease in his lifetime. Fortunately, the survival rate is quite high if the cancer is detected and treated early.

Many men will experience bladder leakage after prostate surgery. Simple tasks and movements, such as riding a bike, sneezing, and getting up from a seated position, can all result in you wetting yourself. This loss of bladder control can last a few weeks or months, and can cause men to feel embarrassed and withdraw from social activities.

Tony Siragusa, former NFL player and host of DIY Network’s “Man Caves”, is telling men who experience a little leak here and there to “guard their manhood” with Depend Guards and Shields, Ad Age reports.

Siragusa is the official spokesman for Depend’s first-ever ad campaign, “Guard Your Manhood“, aimed at men who suffer from light bladder leakage, a condition that affects 23 million men, according to Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Oftentimes, men begin to experience prostate gland problems as they get older. Bladder control problems may arise from an enlarged prostate or due to prostate cancer surgery. In fact, as many as 50% of men report urinary leakage in the first few weeks following prostate surgery and even after six months, 10-25% of patients will not have regained full bladder control, according to the National Association for Continence.

February is National Cancer Prevention Month, so we thought it would be appropriate to talk about how to lower the risks of getting prostate cancer, the most prevalent type of cancer in men (after skin cancer).

“I am about to have prostate surgery and the doctor says I may lose bladder control. He suggested buying adult diapers but there are so many to choose from! What would you recommend?”

Many men will suffer from urinary incontinence post-prostate surgery. Bladder leakage is usually temporary, lasting a few months.