Some men have a blockage to the flow of urine and the bladder no matter how much it contracts or squeezes they cannot fully empty the urine contents residing in the bladder. As a result, there may be a constant dribbling of urine. This is referred to as overflow incontinence. Overflow incontinence is more common in older men and is often due to an enlarged prostate.
The diagnose of overflow incontinence is confirmed by an ultrasound of the bladder after the man attempts to empty the bladder and there is consider urine left in the bladder.
Men with an enlarged prostate may be helped by drugs called alpha blockers, such as Flomax (tamsulosin), which relaxes the muscles in the prostate gland and decreases the blockage of the flow of urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
There are numerous herbals and supplements such as saw palmetto, but there is no evidence to show any effectiveness at countering an enlarged prostate.
If medications are not successful, then surgery may be required to remove the obstruction in the prostate gland. There are minimally invasive procedures such as the UroLift which is an outpatient procedure that inserts tiny pins in the prostate gland that open the prostate and reduce the blockage.
Bottom Line: Overflow incontinence is easily diagnosed and with proper treatment can be controlled or even cured.