Urinary Problems

Many men experience urinary changes as they age. In many cases, these changes do not need specific treatment.
 

When urinary changes cause problems, they can be treated successfully by lifestyle changes, medication, surgery or a combination of the three.
For problems such as blood in the urine, pain on urination, inability to urinate or uncontrollable urine flow, you should see your doctor promptly.
 

Cause of urinary problems as men age
Many men experience urinary symptoms as they age, which may be caused by inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis). In the older male, symptoms may be the result of a blockage in the tubes due to a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the pro

state gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia – BPH). The most common symptom is difficulty emptying your bladder.

Urinary symptoms may become noticeable enough that they require treatment. Not all urinary symptoms are due to changes to the prostate. Also, some men have enlarged prostates and yet experience few, if any, symptoms.
 

Symptoms of urinary problems
Urinary symptoms commonly experienced with prostate problems include:
the need to urinate frequently during the night urinating more often during the day urinary urgency – the urge to urinate can be so strong and sudden that you may not reach the toilet in time the urine stream is slow to start urine dribbling for some time after finishing urination a sensation that the bladder isn’t fully emptied after urination lack of force to the urine flow, which makes directing the stream difficult the sensation of needing to go again soon after urinating.
 

Although these symptoms often do not need treatment, you should see your doctor if they are causing you particular difficulty, as they can be successfully treated.
 

Urinary symptoms to be followed up
 

See your doctor if you experience:
being unable to urinate painful urination any blood in the urine at all any discharge from the penis Continuous or severe urinary incontinence (you can’t hold your urine).
 

Treatment for urinary problems
If your urinary problems are caused by infection or enlargement of the prostate gland, treatment may include:
a long course of antibacterial medication (for bacterial prostatitis) – because infection is difficult to get rid of, the antibacterial medication will need to be taken for many weeks.
 

Medication to improve urine flow and other symptoms (for obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate)
surgical procedures (for blockage caused by an enlarged prostate) such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), laser resection of the prostate, and for very large glands, open (enucleative) prostatectomy. 

This last procedure involves removing the enlarged prostatic tissue around the urethra and leaving the remaining prostate behind. It is not a common treatment for enlargement of the prostate. The type of surgery required depends on the size of the prostate and the condition of the urethra a number of other procedures that have been developed to reduce urinary symptoms. Talk to your doctor about your options.
 

Medication for urinary problems
Your doctor may suggest various medications to help ease your urinary problems, including:
medications to reduce the tone of the muscles of the urethra and prostate to minimize any constriction to urine flow caused when these muscles contract medications to reduce the size of the prostate gland. These drugs work by blocking the action of male hormones produced by the prostate gland medications to relax the bladder, making unwanted contractions less likely and reducing the symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination the over-the-counter preparation ‘saw palmetto’ (Serenoa repens) is sometimes used. This may help some men, especially if frequent urination at night is a problem. However, recent reviews of the evidence for using saw palmetto as a treatment for mild or moderate urinary symptoms did not show any improvement, compared to no treatment, in men with BPH.