Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Urology >
  • Conditions We Treat >
  • Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Urology
About Us
Our Services
Conditions We Treat
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Bladder Cancer
Bladder Exstrophy
Buried Penis
Delayed or Absent Ejaculation
Erectile Dysfunction
Hypospadias
Kidney Cancer
Low Testosterone
Male Infertility
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Pediatric Stone Disease
Penile Cancer
Peyronie’s Disease
Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation
Post-Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence
Premature Ejaculation
Prenatal Hydronephrosis
Prostatitis
Testicular Cancer
Undescended Testicle
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
Urethral Stricture
Urinary Incontinence
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Our Experts
Our Research
Donate
Education & Training
Patient Resources
Contact Us
Urology
About Us
Our Services
Conditions We Treat
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Bladder Cancer
Bladder Exstrophy
Buried Penis
Delayed or Absent Ejaculation
Erectile Dysfunction
Hypospadias
Kidney Cancer
Low Testosterone
Male Infertility
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Pediatric Stone Disease
Penile Cancer
Peyronie’s Disease
Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation
Post-Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence
Premature Ejaculation
Prenatal Hydronephrosis
Prostatitis
Testicular Cancer
Undescended Testicle
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
Urethral Stricture
Urinary Incontinence
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Our Experts
Our Research
Donate
Education & Training
Patient Resources
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)

SUI is the accidental leakage of urine caused by sudden pressure on the bladder. These leaks can happen when you laugh, cough, sneeze, or work out.

Male SUI often occurs after prostate surgery.

Treatment may include physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes surgery.


Contact the Department of Urology

To make an appointment with the Department of Urology, please contact a location near you. 


  • Overview
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment

What Is Stress Urinary Incontinence?

SUI is one type of urinary incontinence. It happens when your pelvic floor — the muscles that support the urinary tract — weakens.

A sudden movement — jumping, bending over, coughing — can cause accidental urine leaks.

The leaks can range from a dribble of pee to a full stream that soaks your clothes.

SUI causes

SUI is not a normal part of aging, as some may think.

Prostate surgery is a common cause of SUI in men. Doctors often remove part or all of the prostate to treat prostate cancer or a benign enlarged prostate.

Pressure from the prostate helps hold urine in the bladder. When doctors remove all or part of the prostate, the surrounding muscles may not have enough strength to control urine flow.

Other causes of SUI include:

  • Trauma.
  • Birth defects.
  • Nerve injuries.

Being obese or having a chronic cough can also put pressure on the pelvic floor, making SUI more likely.

Stress urinary incontinence risk factors and complications

Risk factors for SUI in men include:

  • Having prostate or other urinary tract surgery.
  • Nerve injuries.
  • Being overweight.
  • Smoking.
  • Chronic coughing.

Complications from SUI include:

  • Embarrassment from urine odor.
  • Fear of leaking during sex.
  • Withdrawal from social events.

The costs of absorbent pads and adult diapers can also be a burden.

Why choose the UPMC Department of Urology for stress urinary incontinence care?

Our urologic doctors and surgeons are:

  • Experts in diagnosing and treating SUI in men.
  • Leaders in the latest treatments for all types of urinary incontinence in both men and women.
  • Active in urology research to find new and improved ways to treat SUI and other conditions.

Stress Urinary Incontinence Symptoms and Diagnosis

The main symptom of SUI is leaking urine when you:

  • Cough or sneeze.
  • Laugh.
  • Exercise.
  • Have sex.
  • Bend over.
  • Lift something heavy.

Diagnosing SUI

Your doctor will ask you about your history and do a physical exam that may include checking your:

  • Abdomen.
  • Genitalia.
  • Prostate.
  • Rectum.

Your doctor may ask you to cough, step, or squeeze your pelvic muscles to see if you leak urine. They may also ask for a urine sample.

To see how your bladder works, your doctor may order:

  • Urodynamic studies — tests that show how well the urinary system holds and releases urine.
  • Cystoscopy — a test that moves a tiny camera through a narrow tube to look into your bladder.
  • Bladder scan — a test that shows how much urine stays in your bladder after you void.

Stress Urinary Incontinence Treatment

The UPMC Department of Urology provides expert care for SUI in men.

Lifestyle changes to treat SUI

Non-medical treatments for SUI include:

  • Pelvic floor exercises. Your doctor may suggest doing Kegels to regain strength in your pelvic floor. During Kegels, you repeatedly tighten and relax the muscles that stop urine flow. A physical therapist may use biofeedback to help teach you how to do Kegels.
  • Bladder training. Scheduling bathroom breaks — and gradually increasing the time between them — can help strengthen your bladder.
  • Wearing an absorbent undergarment. Some men opt for absorbent underpants or an incontinence pad, especially after prostate surgery. You can switch to a thinner pad if leaks lessen.

Non-surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence

Your doctor may suggest one of the following external devices that don't require surgery:

  • Penile clip. This clamp restricts the flow of urine from the penis. Your doctor can show you how to use the clip.
  • Condom catheter. This device fastens to the penis and collects pee in a bag. You can empty the bag into the toilet.

Surgery to treat SUI

UPMC's doctors perform the following procedures for SUI:

  • Urethral sling. Doctors implant mesh tape to support the urethra, giving you more control over urine flow.
  • Artificial urinary sphincter for men who have severe SUI. Doctors implant an inflatable cuff that helps close the bladder. When you need to pee, you squeeze a pump that opens the cuff and lets urine pass through the urethra.
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login