Especially if you’re a man over 50, bladder and prostate problems are common. If you have problems going to the bathroom, you’re not alone. Older men are more likely to have difficulties with urination.
In older men, conditions such as overactive bladder and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is an enlarged prostate, are quite common. Recognizing the signs of prostate and bladder problems early on can help you know when to see a doctor and seek treatment.
Here are some prostate and bladder problems to look out for:
Conditions:
- Urinary Incontinence- The involuntary loss of urine when you’re coughing, sneezing, or lifting, including the involuntary urge to urinate, or a constant dribble of urine.
- Damaged Nerves in Your Urinary Tract- Your nerves can get damaged from diabetes, stroke, or other conditions, causing bladder control to be interrupted.
- Overactive Bladder- Your bladder can misfire, squeezing at the wrong time and leading you to need to go to the bathroom more frequently or to need to urinate suddenly.
- Prostate Cancer Signs- Problems with passing urine (slow or weak stream), followed by an exam by your doctor checking the size, firmness, and texture of your prostate. The doctor will look for hard areas, lumps, or growth spreading from your prostate, and if you experience any pain by pressing on your prostate.
- BPH- An enlarged prostate that is not yet cancerous, it can squeeze the urethra and affect the urine stream, causing it become weak. It can also make you need to go more frequently, especially at night.
Treatment Options
For BPH, the first line of treatment is active surveillance, which is essentially waiting to see if the condition worsens. Medications like Rapaflo can also treat the symptoms of your enlarged prostate. Your doctor can also suggest surgery to help urine flow or alternative methods such lasers, microwaves, or radio waves to treat urinary problems.
For overactive bladder problems in men, your doctor may begin by asking to keep a voiding diary, which would include fluid intake, bathroom trips, and any leakage episode. Your physician may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to examine your prostate.
DRE may lead to ultrasounds, antigen blood tests to test for prostate cancer, and urodynamic tests to measure bladder pressure. Depending on these results, your urologist will be able to recommend a treatment.
Conclusion
Bladder and prostate problems can be serious, especially in older men. It’s important to go to your doctor for regular checkups, especially if you’re having urination problems. Through regular maintenance and checkups, it’s possible to stay on top of your bladder and prostate problems and mitigate your risk.
