Enlarged Prostate Symptoms

 

The cause of an enlarging prostate is a mystery, but research indicates that age-related changes in the levels of male hormones circulating in the blood may be a factor.

 

Whatever the cause, an enlarged prostate gradually narrows the urethra and obstructs the flow of urine from the bladder through the penis. Even though the muscle in the bladder wall becomes stronger in response to this increased pressure attempting to push your urine through the smaller urethra, in time, the bladder fails to empty completely.

The urine that collects in the bladder can become infected and lead to stone formation. The kidneys themselves may be damaged by infection or by urine constantly "backing up."

 

 

Here are the physical symptoms that you may have an enlarged prostate:

•  increasing trouble starting the urine stream.

•  need to urinate more often, perhaps two or three times at night (nocturia).

•  need to urinate can become very urgent and, in time, urine may dribble out to stain a man's clothing.

•  a weak and sometimes a split stream and general aching or pain in the perineum (the area between the scrotum and anus).

straining hard to force out the urine, small veins in the bladder wall and urethra may rupture, causing blood to appear in the urine.

• urinary stream can become totally blocked, urine will collect in the bladder and cause severe discomfort, a condition called acute urinary retention.

• urine that stays in the bladder can easily become infected causing a burning feeling during urination and fever are clues that infection may have developed.

• if urine backs up long enough it may increase pressure in the kidneys, though this rarely causes permanent kidney damage.