Men with mild to moderate symptoms often find that the changes in fluid intake, medication use, and bladder habits listed below can noticeably relieve BPH's bothersome effects. Living with BPH: A toolbox for managing urinary symptomsīPH progresses slowly, so most men can decide for themselves if and when they would like to consider medication or surgery. The IPSS test cuts through the subjectivity with this additional question: "If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition just the way it is now, how would you feel about that?" If the answer is, "I could live with it," then holding off on drug therapy or surgery might be best for you.īut not taking medication or having surgery doesn't mean "do nothing." It should include strategies to lessen symptoms or make them easier to cope with. Two men can have the same symptom score, and one can tolerate it just fine but the other can't. Above a score of 8 there is actually a spectrum of bother. Typically, men who score 8 and above are more likely to think their condition needs treatment, but it varies from man to man. It's a seven-item questionnaire about typical BPH symptoms that provides a score from 0 to 35. How bothersome is it?ĭoctors use the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to measure how frequent a man's symptoms are. The question that should drive that decision is this: How much do your symptoms bother you? Whether it is getting in the way of doing the things you want to do should be the primary driver of treatment. This can cause problems like the need for more frequent visits to the bathroom and difficulty fully emptying the bladder.įor some men, the symptoms of BPH don't demand immediate treatment. As the bladder works against the restriction, its muscular walls thicken. The urethra-the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to outside the body-passes right through the prostate, so it doesn't take much prostate growth to make urination difficult. In many men, the prostate gland may begin to grow larger over time. Strong and sudden urge to urinate, sometimes with involuntary leaking of urine.Frequent urination during the day or night.This approach is broadly available to men who have lower urinary tract symptoms that have been attributed to BPH, but who are not bothered enough to take on the small but finite risks of treatment, such as drugs or surgery. But for men with milder symptoms that don't interfere much with their daily lives, simple changes in behavior can help to take the edge off urinary symptoms. Drug therapy relieves symptoms, and for severe problems, surgery may be considered. Better known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), this condition can cause bothersome problems like frequent urination at night, difficulty completely emptying the bladder, and the urgent need to urinate at inconvenient times.īPH triggers noticeable problems in a third of men in their 60s and nearly half of those in their 80s. If you are a man over age 50, chances are you know-or will soon-someone taking a medication for an overgrown prostate gland. And you can always switch to medication later. They also provide a wide range of continence-related resources and referrals to local services.For frequent urination or urgency in men, these methods really work. The National Continence Helpline is staffed by Nurse Continence Specialists who offer free and confidential information, advice and support. Speak to your doctor or contact the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. having to change your lifestyle because of problems with your bladder or bowel.having to get up one or more times during main sleep time to empty your bladder ( nocturia).burning, discomfort or pain when emptying your bladder.feeling the need to urgently empty your bladder. a slow urine stream when emptying your bladder.It is important that you seek professional help if you have post micturition incontinence and any of the following symptoms: SEEK HELP for post micturition incontinence Place your fingertips (three fingers wide) behind your scrotum and apply gentle pressure upwards and forwards to encourage the flow of urine along and down the urethra, then shake or squeeze the penis in the usual way. Repeat this movement twice to make sure the urethra is completely empty.Sit down on the toilet to empty your bladder.The following can help minimise post micturition incontinence : A common cause of post micturition incontinence is an enlarged prostate or weakened pelvic floor muscles. This stops the bladder from fully emptying. Post micturition incontinence (commonly known as after-dribble) can occur when the muscles that surround the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis) do not contract properly. External health professional directories.National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).DVA Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP).
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