Is My Frequent Urination Related to My Enlarged Prostate?

A small gland at the bottom of the bladder in men, the prostate provides the fluids that carry semen during ejaculation. As you get older, your risk of enlarged prostate increases. Called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it’s the most common non-cancerous tumor that occurs in men.

When the prostate gland starts to grow, it obstructs the flow of urine through the urethra. Your first sign may be an increase in the number of times you wake during the night with a strong urge to urinate.

A BPH specialist like the team at Gulf Coast Urology can diagnose your condition, providing treatment when it becomes necessary. Without it, serious complications may develop. Today, you have more options for treatment with early recognition of your condition.

Signs of BPH

Symptoms of prostate enlargement typically fall into two classes: those directly resulting from urethral obstruction and those caused by changes to the bladder.

Obstructive symptoms include:

• You have difficulty starting a stream of urine
• Your urine stream is weak and interrupted
• You have incomplete draining and dribbling when done

When your bladder starts to change, you may experience:

• Frequent urges to urinate
• Urinary urges that start suddenly
• Incomplete urination, feeling as though the bladder isn’t empty

Bladder changes also cause sleep disturbances due to the urge to urinate. This can escalate to nighttime incontinence, where your bladder empties before you wake, or you can’t respond quickly enough to the urinary urge.

Pain and burning sensations may accompany urination during a bladder infection, in the presence of a bladder tumor, or when bladder stones form.

Diagnosing BPH

BPH shares symptoms with other conditions. For example, a diabetic with uncontrolled blood glucose levels could experience frequent nighttime urges to urinate that doesn’t involve the prostate. While they may also have strong and uncontrollable urges, their urine stream could remain strong.

An exam for BPH starts with a medical history and review of your symptoms. This is typically followed by a physical examination of the prostate and a urine sample for testing. More advanced symptoms may warrant a cystoscopy to observe the prostate from inside the body.

Prostate treatments

Your treatment depends on your symptoms and their severity. In mild cases, medications can relax prostate muscles and the bladder, relieving urinary symptoms. However, this will not reverse the underlying problem. Severe symptoms may require surgery.

Gulf Coast Urology specializes in minimally invasive procedures to resolve voiding complaints caused by an enlarged prostate. We utilize the latest technologies such as urolift, iTind, and more to offer therapies with minimal side effects that can treat the underlying problem. We also offer transurethral resection of the prostate and robotic surgery for more severe instances.

We have two offices, in Houston and Clear Lake/Nassau Bay, Texas, and you can schedule a consultation with the nearest location by phone or online. Since untreated BPH can lead to serious complications including bladder failure, prompt assessment is the smart response to symptoms. Book your appointment today.

Author

Travis Green, MD Dr. Travis Green is a urologist who completed his fellowship in sexual medicine and men's health at The University of Texas McGovern School of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.