Overactive bladder is usually associated with older women, but a recent representative cohort study indicates the number of men with overactive bladder is on the rise.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the U.S. to establish recent overactive bladder trends among U.S. adult men. The results show that prevalence increased from 11.3% in 2005–2008 to 14.5% in 2015–2020, with the greatest effect among non-Hispanic White and Black men aged 40–59.
While the finding is new, experts suspect plenty of men have been living with overactive bladder all along.
“Overactive bladder is common in both men and women, but I haven’t seen an increase in prevalence among men in my practice,” Craig Comiter, MD, professor of Urology at Stanford Health Care, told Verywell. “We are an aging population and overactive bladder is becoming more common in men—not because of the environment, but because there is more awareness and screening.”
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
What Is Overactive Bladder?
Overactive bladder is not a disease but a group of symptoms that include the frequent urge to urinate multiple times during the day or night. It may occur in tandem with leakage or stress urinary incontinence.
Prior to this study, data showed overactive bladder affects 30% of men and 40% of women in the U.S. Many people may be too embarrassed to ask for help.
Causes are typically associated with faulty nerve endings between the bladder and brain or overactive bladder muscles. Risk factors include:
Neurologic disorders
Hormonal changes
Weak pelvic muscles
Urinary tract infections
Certain medications (beta-blockers, diuretics, antidepressants)
Diseases that affect the brain and spinal cord
Why Men Experience Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is likely common yet underdiagnosed in men, Jason Kim, MD, a urologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Verywell.
“Men might be less likely to report symptoms due to embarrassment or a belief that such issues are a normal part of aging,” he said.
While childbirth, urinary tract infections, and menopause-related hormonal changes all compound to make many women more susceptible to overactive bladder later in life, age-related prostate issues tend to result in overactive bladder symptoms for men. In some cases, though, it’s important to differentiate between prostate issues and overactive bladder.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)—an enlarged prostate that isn’t caused by cancer—affects about 14 million men in the U.S. It can exhibit symptoms similar to overactive bladder, which can lead to a misdiagnosis and lack of proper treatment.
How Is Overactive Bladder in Men Treated?
The differences in anatomy between men and women lead to slightly different treatment options. In men, prostate issues must be ruled out first. Kim said treating BPH tends to alleviate symptoms of overactive bladder.
For overactive bladder caused by true bladder issues, common treatments include:
Lifestyle modifications (limiting caffeine and alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight)
Medications such as antimuscarinics and beta-3 adrenergic agonists
Pelvic floor exercises
Botox injections into the bladder
Surgery (when other treatments have failed)
Prevention is possible, too—but more men need to know what to do.
“Women are always told to do their kegel exercises. Why don’t [men] do that?” Comiter said. “Men should start doing kegels at a young age. They should also avoid the myth [that increased fluid intake is beneficial]. Drink less if you pee too much.”