Does Bph Cause Overactive Bladder

What Are Some Common Prostate Problems

• BenignProstaticHyperplasia. This is when the prostate gets gradually larger. This often starts in middle age. About one in four men will need surgery for this problem. There are many successful treatments for prostate problems. BPH does not lead to cancer.
• ProstateCancer. Prostate Cancer is often found before you have any warning signs. Your doctor may find it with a blood test called a PSA. They may find changes in your prostate with a digital rectal examination. This is a common cancer. There are treatments available which you can discuss with your doctor.
• Prostatitis. Prostatitis is swelling and soreness of the prostate gland. This may be due to a bladder infection. It is more common in young men.

Talk to your doctor if you have any pain or discomfort when you empty your bladder.

What About Antimuscarinic And Alpha Blocker Combination Therapy

Several studies have looked at this. They showed a tolterodine and alpha blocker combination improving quality of life, while tamsulosin, or Flomax, by itself did not show these improvements. The combination also showed improvements in flow, voiding pressures, and symptom score, and had little to no chance of retention. You will find similar results when you use Flomax with solifenacin or darifenacin, which is marketed as Enablex, I believe.

Here is a study looking at that tolterodine and tamsulosin combination. It is from one of our Greek colleagues, Athanasopoulos. The study used a questionnaire to assess quality of life and looked at 25 men in a tamsulosin group and 25 men in a tolterodine and tamsulosin group, then compared baseline data to results after 12 weeks. Flomax alone did not show not significant change in terms of quality of life. However, if you give patients the combination, there was a significant improvement. Thats what we want. We want happy patients.

Now, lets look at Meta-analyses. Hao et al reviewed 18 randomized trials, with 1978 men on just alpha blockers and 2106 men on the combination therapy. In this case, the combination therapy wins. There were significant improvements in the symptom score, quality of life, number of times the patients voided in 24 hours, and urgency episodes, without any significant differences in flow, total score, or voiding.

What Is Meant By Frequent Urination In Men

Urination is our bodys natural mechanism of getting rid of waste fluids. Your urinary tract includes your kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra.

Urine is produced in the kidneys where the waste and toxins are filtered from the blood. Then the urine flows through the ureters and gets stored in the bladder. Through the urethra, the urine is passed from the bladder and out of our bodies. On average, a person urinates nearly 4-8 times during the day.

Frequent urination in men is exactly what the name entails. It is majorly a symptom of an underlying condition that causes a person to pass urinate several times throughout a day. In this condition, a man experiences a reduced ability to hold urine in the bladder and an increased urge to pass urine.

Frequent urination is often associated with an underlying health condition. It can even compel you to wake up several times in the night to urinate. The condition in which your bladder forces you to wake up in the middle of the night is known as nocturia.

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What Causes An Overactive Bladder

Aging is by far the most prevalent cause of overactive bladder. 30% of adults over 65 suffer from OAB. However, an overactive bladder isnt a normal part of aging and you should seek treatment.

OAB affects both men and women.

Some other medical condition which may lead to urinary symptoms include:

• Poor kidney function

Tips For Relieving Bph Symptoms

Four simple steps can help relieve some of the symptoms of BPH:

For more on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases, read the Annual Report on Prostate Diseases from Harvard Medical School.

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What Is Urinary Incontinence In Men

Urinary incontinence is the accidental leaking of urine. It’s not a disease. It’s a symptom of a problem with a man’s urinary tract.

Urine is made by the kidneys and stored in a sac made of muscle, called the urinary bladder. A tube called the urethra leads from the bladder through the prostate and penis to the outside of the body. Around this tube is a ring of muscles called the urinary sphincter. As the bladder fills with urine, nerve signals tell the sphincter to stay squeezed shut while the bladder stays relaxed. The nerves and muscles work together to prevent urine from leaking out of the body.

When you have to urinate, the nerve signals tell the muscles in the walls of the bladder to squeeze. This forces urine out of the bladder and into the urethra. At the same time the bladder squeezes, the urethra relaxes. This allows urine to pass through the urethra and out of the body.

Incontinence can happen for many reasons:

• If your bladder squeezes at the wrong time, or if it squeezes too hard, urine may leak out.
• If the muscles around the urethra are damaged or weak, urine can leak out even if you don’t have a problem with your bladder squeezing at the wrong time.
• If your bladder doesn’t empty when it should, you are left with too much urine in the bladder. If the bladder gets too full, urine will leak out when you don’t want it to.
• If something is blocking your urethra, urine can build up in the bladder. This can cause leaking.

Try These Techniques To Relieve Common Urinary Symptoms Without Medication

For frequent urination or urgency in men, these methods really work. And you can always switch to medication later.

If you are a man over age 50, chances are you knowor will soonsomeone taking a medication for an overgrown prostate gland. Better known as benign prostatic hyperplasia , 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.

BPH triggers noticeable problems in a third of men in their 60s and nearly half of those in their 80s. Drug therapy relieves symptoms, and for severe problems, surgery may be considered. But for men with milder symptoms that dont interfere much with their daily lives, theres another option: watchful waiting.

In watchful waiting, you and your doctor monitor your symptoms closely and then take action only when you feel it is necessary. In the meantime, simple changes in behavior can help to take the edge off urinary symptoms. This approach also avoids the costs and risks associated with more aggressive treatment.

Watchful waiting 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, says Dr. Michael J. Barry, a clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who helped to write national guidelines on how to treat BPH.

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What Tests Are Recommended In Men With Symptoms Suggesting Bph

• References

Recommended tests are serum prostate-specific antigen measurement and urinalysis. Optional tests include postvoid residual urine measurement if history and physical examination findings suggest urinary retention, and use of a frequency volume chart if nocturia is the predominant symptom. Pressure flow studies, ultrasonography of the prostate or upper urinary tract, endoscopy of the lower urinary tract, and serum creatinine measurement are not recommended.

Pharmacologic Treatment In Men With Nocturia And Pelvic Pain

Using the ICS definition, the prevalence of nocturia in adult males is estimated to be 914%, and higher rates are seen in elderly men and those with LUTS/BPH . While the etiology of nocturia is often multifactorial, the two main mechanisms are polyuria and diminished bladder capacity, with the latter occurring in the context of both OAB and BOO . As for daytime storage symptoms, the majority of studies for pharmacologic treatment of nocturia have been conducted with -blockers and antimuscarinic agents. Using responses to question 7 of the IPSS as a surrogate for treatment success, several immediate- and extended release formulations of -blockers have exhibited beneficial effects on nocturia in placebo-controlled, double-blinded trials . Finasteride was not shown to improve nocturia in a placebo-controlled trial . Likewise, an improvement in nocturia episodes was also found in double-blinded trials including several antimuscarinic agents . Although these benefits were typically moderate in nature, they were felt to be too weak to be considered as specific treatments for isolated nocturia .

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How To Prevent Urinary Problems In Ibs

There are also some steps that people with IBS can take to prevent urinary problems or stop them from becoming worse.

Kegel Exercises

One of the most effective methods for preventing urinary problems is strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. The best way to do this is to perform regular Kegel exercises. They involve tensing the muscles that stop the flow of urine and prevent you from passing gas.

It is possible to do Kegel exercises while standing, sitting, or lying down. However, it is important that the bladder is empty before starting:

• Relax in a comfortable position and take a few deep breaths.
• Tighten the pelvic floor muscles and hold for three to five seconds, then release.
• Relax for three to five seconds and repeat.
• Perform 10 repetitions, three times a day.

Bladder Breaks and Training

Some other helpful techniques include scheduling bathroom breaks and bladder retraining. Holding on for a few extra minutes each time you need to urinate can help to increase bladder strength.

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 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
• surgical procedures the type of surgery required depends on the size of the prostate and the condition of the urethra. Types of procedures include:
• transurethral resection of the prostate
• transurethral incision of the prostate
• laser resection of the prostate
• open surgery prostatectomy
• removal of prostate tissue using water jets or steam

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Diagnosing Benign Prostate Enlargement

You might have several different tests to find out if you have an enlarged prostate.

A GP may do some of these tests, such as a urine test, but others might need to be done at a hospital.

Some tests may be needed to rule out other conditions that cause similar symptoms to BPE, such as prostate cancer.

How To Stop Frequent Urination In Men

The treatment of frequent urination depends upon the reason behind it. Your healthcare provider will aim to manage or treat the underlying cause leading to urinary symptoms.

If you are passing urine frequently due to diabetes, your doctor will offer effective management of your blood sugar levels. If the same is caused due to an infection such as UTI, then you will be offered certain medications to treat the bacterial infection.

Along with medication, your healthcare provider will help you regain bladder control through training and exercises. There are different forms of bladder training techniques used by doctors to control the constant urge to urinate male.

• Kegel exercises: Kegel exercises are helpful in strengthening the muscles below the bladder and control urination.
• Bladder training: Your healthcare provider will assist you to train your bladder and control urination for longer than usual.

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How Can I Stop My Overactive Bladder

There are several actions you can take to address overactive bladder. They include:

• Limiting how much caffeine and alcohol you consume
• Getting regular exercise
• Managing diabetes or other chronic conditions
• Practicing Kegel exercises, which are the tightening and relaxing of pelvic floor muscles that help tone them

If learning about overactive bladder and taking these steps to address it doesnt provide relief, your doctor can prescribe medication that relaxes the bladder and reduces the number of episodes of urgency you experience. There also are surgical treatments for OAB if needed.

Treatment For Ibs And Urinary Problems

There are several treatment options that can help with both urinary problems and IBS. However, the most appropriate methods will depend on the exact cause:

Overactive Bladder Syndrome

People with OAB and IBS may benefit from treatment with anticholinergic drugs. They work by targeting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to regulate smooth muscle contractions in the bladder and bowel.

Another option is tricyclic antidepressants. These medicines alter activity in the central nervous system to control bowel and bladder activity.

In severe cases, Botox injections may be useful as they can help to relax the bladder muscles.

Interstitial Cystitis

Tricyclic antidepressants may also be useful for treating interstitial cystitis. In addition, doctors may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve inflammation and pain.

Another medication for interstitial cystitis is a drug called Elmiron. However, this medicine can thin the blood and patients should not use it alongside NSAIDs.

Finally, treatments such as physical therapy, biofeedback and nerve stimulation may offer some relief.

Chronic Prostatitis

In some cases, prostatitis can be the result of an infection. Therefore, antibiotics may be an effective treatment.

Anticholinergic medications and drugs called alpha blockers might also help. The latter work by blocking adrenaline receptors to relax smooth muscle.

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What To Think About

Exercise is important for your physical and emotional health. Even if being active causes some leakage, get regular exercise. It can help you manage stress and keep your muscles in tone.

Continence products absorb urine or apply pressure to keep urine from leaking. To learn more, see Other Treatment.

How Is It Treated

Treatments depend on the type of incontinence you have and how much it affects your life. Your treatment may include medicines, simple exercises, or both. A few men need surgery, but most don’t.

There are also some things you can do at home. In many cases, these lifestyle changes can be enough to control incontinence.

• Cut back on caffeine drinks, such as coffee and tea. Also cut back on fizzy drinks like soda pop. And limit alcohol to no more than 1 drink a day.
• Eat foods high in fiber to help avoid constipation.
• Don’t smoke. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
• Stay at a healthy weight.
• Try simple pelvic-floor exercises like Kegels.
• Go to the bathroom at several set times each day. Wear clothes that you can remove easily. Make your path to the bathroom as clear and quick as you can.
• When you urinate, practice double voiding. This means going as much as you can, relaxing for a moment, and then going again.
• Use a diary to keep track of your symptoms and any leaking of urine. This can help you and your doctor find the best treatment for you.

If you have symptoms of urinary incontinence, don’t be embarrassed to tell your doctor. Most people with incontinence can be helped or cured.

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Herbal Therapies For An Enlarged Prostate

Several herbal supplements are marketed for enlarged prostates. Saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, and pygeum are all are widely used in Europe. They are available in the U.S. and dont require a prescription.

However, researchers and doctors are cautious about advising patients to try herbal supplements. Because they are not FDA-regulated, there are concerns about a products quality from batch to batch, according to the NIHs Office of Dietary Supplements. Also, the safety of an herbal product depends on many things the chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the dosage.

Something else to consider: Like any drug, a herbal remedy can affect how other medications or treatments work, or interact dangerously with your other medications. They can also have side effects. And, the AUA points out, they have not been well-studied for effectiveness or safety.

Before trying any alternative treatment, learn as much as you can about it, the AUA says. Most importantly talk to your doctor before you try an herbal remedy. Many doctors consider alternative therapies like saw palmetto to have no effect on symptoms, except as expensive placebos, Slawin tells WebMD.

Beta-sitosterol: This compound is extracted from pollen of rye grass. There has been some evidence that it provides relief from urinary symptoms. However, in four studies the supplement did not increase urinary flow rates, shrink the prostate, or improve bladder emptying.