DOCTORS: urinary incontinence in an 18 year old male?

This is going to sound like a strange story, but I hope you can appreciate my situation and offer me some help. Since I was young (too young to remember) I have had stress and overflow incontinence. My parents never believed me (I used to play sick when I was younger, I guess they just assumed I was making it up), and I never saw a doctor about it. Now that I am relatively independent, I an going to see a doctor about it later this week, but was hoping you guys could give me some help figuring this out.

I havent used a urinal in 10 years, becuase when I urinate, More tends to come out whenever I exert the slightest physical effort after going. Also, exercising can cause some to come out. Ive tried kegel exercises, but they dont really help much.

The internet doesn't seem to have an idea as to what the problem could be. does anyone out here?

but what is causing it?

I'm guessing you have a small bladder, which is no big deal. I hope you are going to see a urologist for this problem, because that's what a urologist specializes in. There is a procedure and / or exercise that can be done to extend the bladder to make it larger or large enough to hold all of your urine. In the mean time, there are products available for guys with your type of problem. They fit comfortably in your briefs and the only person who knows it's there is you. Good luck

Sounds like you already know! Urinary incontinence. You were probably born with the condition. You may need surgical intervention.

you need to be seen by a urologist and investigated for the cause. there may be a condition called spina bifida occulta, which gives a partial paralysis. Xrays of the spine will help. also another condition which causes partial paralysis is a tethered spinal cord. this is when the spinal cord is 'too tight' at its attachment. there are special tests including urodynamic studies which will help in giving a correct diagnosis and treatment.

You have a problem with the sphincter valve.
THERAPY FOR STRESS INCONTINENCE
In contrast to urge incontinence, treatment of stress incontinence focuses less on bladder behavior than on the structure and function of the bladder and sphincter valve. Kegel's exercises designed to improve pelvic muscle strength have in important role in mild degrees of stress incontinence and in maintaining health and function of the lower urinary tract. For more significant degrees of exertional leakage many options are available. These include temporary devices to support, close or plug the urethra, injection of Urethral bulking agents into the bladder neck and sphincter area to help its closure, and surgical procedures to restore function of the valve mechanism.

Stress incontinence is thought to result from either loss of support for the bladder neck and sphincter area or intrinsic damage to the urethra and sphincter itself. Again, each of these entities may be present singly or in combination, and accurate diagnosis is important for treatment planning. Many procedures done previously, such as the Kelly plication and bladder suspension of the Raz, Stamey and Peyreyra type, have not shown satisfactory durability to warrant their use.

Surgical procedures for restoring continence can be performed through an abdominal incision, laparoscopically, or through a vaginal approach. The most reliable of these procedures in women are the Burch colpocystourethropexy and the Pubovaginal sling. The sling procedure places a strong material beneath the urethra and bladder neck to provide strength to the sphincter valve and restore its function. Results show excellent durability with low complication rates for patients of all ages. For males with significant stress incontinence, the favored surgical therapy is placement of an Artificial Urinary Sphincter. This is a mechanical device designed to replace the sphincter valve. It provides closure of the valve on a continuous basis and is opened by squeezing a small pump implanted beneath the skin of the scrotum. This allows unrestricted voiding, after which the device closes automatically.

Urethral bulking agents
Part of the mechanism of stress incontinence involves failure of the sphincter valve to form a seal adequate to hold back leakage. This lack of sphincter closure is due to changes in the muscular wall and lining of the urethra. A minimally invasive therapy for this condition involves the injection of a bio-compatible material into the sphincter area to help its closure. The material used is similar in type and technique to that used by plastic surgeons in treating facial wrinkles and contouring. The procedure can be performed in the office under a local anesthetic and is well tolerated. A cystoscope is inserted into the urethra and used to direct the injection into the appropriate site.

In the majority of cases, 2-3 sessions are necessary to achieve a satisfactory result. These sessions are usually done at 4-6 week intervals. The rate of improvement in continence is 60-70% while the overall cure rate (complete dryness) is lower (15-25%). Results are generally poor in men suffering from incontinence as a result of radical prostatectomy.

Hope this helps