As a man matures the prostate gland goes through two periods of growth. The first happens during puberty when the gland actually doubles in size. The second is growth period actually happens years later as a man ages and results in benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia. This condition rarely causes symptoms in Amman before the age of 40 but some statistics list more than half of the men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 80s as having some form of benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Although the prostate continues to enlarge as a man ages, a layer tissue around it stops it from expanding and causes the gland to press downward against the urethra like clamp. The bladder wall then becomes thicker and more your dribble and begins to contract when it contains even a small amount of urine. Eventually, the bladder itself becomes weaker and loses the ability to completely empty. This combination of a narrower urethra and partially full bladder is the root of many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The cause of this overgrowth is not well understood and researchers are on able to document a definitive cause. For centuries doctors have known that BPH occurs mainly in older men and does not develop in and whose testicles were removed before puberty. Some researchers believe that the factors which are related to aging and the testicles are what trigger the growth in the prostate glands.

One theory identifies the falling levels of testosterone in an aging man’s body and rising levels of estrogen which suggest that the gland growth is triggered by the estrogen in the bloodstream. Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone which is a substance that is derived from testosterone. The human male apparently continues to produce and accumulate the substance which may eventually encourage the growth of cells.

Men experience symptoms which include a hesitant or interrupted weeks stream of urine, urgency and leaking during the day as well and for more frequent urination, especially at night. BPH is also one of the causes behind urinary incontinence in men. In some cases demand may not even know he has prostatic hypertrophy until he faces acute urinary retention. This is a condition in which he suddenly finds himself unable to urinate at all and is often triggered by taking over-the-counter cold or allergy medications which contain a decongestant. If there is a slight obstruction present this retention can also be triggered by alcohol, cold temperatures or a long period of immobility.

In eight out of 10 cases the symptoms described above were a result of benign prostatic hypertrophy and not prostatic cancer. It is very important to have these symptoms evaluated by your primary care physician in order to rollout the more serious conditions that require immediate treatments.

Do not overlook the symptoms of BPH because they themselves can cause serious problems over time. As the bladder weekends in the individual retains more urine it can lead to urinary tract infections, kidney damage, bladder stones and incontinence. If the condition is overlooked for a long period of time the bladder damage can be permanent and any treatment for BPH will be ineffective.

Some men notice symptoms of BPH initially while others are diagnosed during a routine prostate examination. If BPH is suspected demand may be referred to a urologist, physician who specializes in the urinary tract. Several different tests may be done in order to decide whether surgery is required in order to treat the condition.

The first it is usually an examination done in the office and called a digital rectal examination. This gives the doctor a general idea of the size and condition of the prostate glands. The doctor may also recommend a PSA blood test which measures are protein produced by the prostate cells. Researchers are continuing to evaluate the effectiveness and methods of the interpreting these levels in order to discriminate between cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Other tests which may be ordered include rectal ultrasound, prostate biopsy, urine flow study or cystoscopy. These tests are all done on an outpatient basis and give the physician a better idea of the type of problem being faced by the man.

Men who have BPH usually need some kind of treatment but there continues to be a debate about when treatment should be started. The results of early studies indicate that early treatment may not be needed because symptoms clear up without treatment in as many as one third of all cases that are mild. Instead, researchers suggest that regular checkups in order to follow the condition and treatment should begin when the condition poses a danger to the health of the man or a major inconvenience.

The first line of treatment is usually medications which help to shrink the size of the prostate glands and mouse alleviate the symptoms. Drug treatment is not effective in all cases and so minimally invasive therapies have also been developed which includes a transurethral microwave procedure. In this procedure a device is used to send computer regulated microwaves through a catheter to selectively kill some of the prostate gland.

Transurethral needle ablation has also been approved by the FDA and delivers low level of radiofrequency energy to burn away a defined region of the enlarged prostate. This procedure improves urine flow and relieves symptoms with very few side effects when compared to the old surgical transurethral resection of the prostate that often left a man either incontinent, impotence or both.

Another minimally invasive procedure is the water induced thermotherapy in which he did water it is used to destroy the excessive tissue. Physicians also have the opportunity to recommend patients for clinical trials using high-intensity focused ultrasound, the FDA has not yet approved it.

When medication and minimally invasive treatment protocols are not successful physicians will turn to surgical options that include a transurethral surgery, open surgery and laser surgery all of which are all performed with the expressed goal of relieving symptoms of BPH. In some instances the surgical procedures will also leave a man incontinent or impotent.

Thankfully the majority of men do not have to reach the level of surgical treatment in order to relieve the symptoms of their BPH. If you or someone you love is suffering from these symptoms seek the advice of your primary care physician in order to determine your best course of action before the problem gets too big.

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Many men do not talk to their physicians or anyone else about urinary incontinence and often spend their days only too aware of where the next bathroom is. However, because of advances in technology and diagnostic evaluation many men are able to receive successful treatment protocols and recommendations when they are able to speak directly and honestly with their primary care physician and seek the help that they so richly deserve.

The urinary tract system is made up of four major organs. The first is the kidneys where the urine and is produced and stored for a short period of time. When it’s time urine travels through the urethra into the bladder where the body stores the urine until it’s ready to be expelled. At this time a complex orchestration of neurotransmitters and muscular contractions begin so that the urine can travel through the urethra and out of the body.

Urinary incontinence can happen at different ages and for different reasons. Men have a much lower risk of developing urinary incontinence but a much higher risk of developing overflow incontinence. In either case it is important to address the underlying medical condition in order to affect a successful treatment protocol.

There are several different types of treatable urinary incontinence.

• Stress incontinence is the loss of urine during specific actions that increase the pressure on the bladder, such as sneezing, coughing or lifting.
• Urge incontinence is the loss of urine following an overwhelming urge to urinate that the individual cannot stop.
• Overflow incontinence, which is most common in men, is constant dribbling of urine that is usually associated with urinating frequently and in small amounts.

The urinary tract system operates as a complex mechanism that is controlled by the brain and in which nerves and muscles must work together. At any point during this process damage can be done that will affect the way in which the urinary tract system works. For instance, nerve damage can affects the peripheral nerves in men who have had diabetes. Individuals who have strokes, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis can also help bladder emptying problems because of the damage done at the level of brain.

A spinal cord injury can also affect the way in which the bladder empties by interrupting the nerve signals.

However, the most common cause for men to have difficulty with the urinary tract system are prostate problems that lead to urine overflow and incontinence. The prostate is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra just below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

As the prostate gland enlarges it squeezes on the urethra and causes an inability to completely empty the bladder. Symptoms will vary but the most common one involves changes or problems with urination, such as hesitancy, interrupted stream or urgency and leaking.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy can also affect the way in which a man urinates.

Urinary incontinence in a man is diagnosed using an intensive medical history, extensive physical examination and a voiding diary. This voiding diary is a record of fluid that the man drinks in the number of trips to the bathroom each day as well as any episodes of urinary incontinence.

By studying this diary the primary care physician or urologist has a better idea of the specific symptoms and can help direct additional testing or accurate diagnosis of any underlying problems.

Other diagnostic testing which your physician may recommend includes an EEG to evaluate dysfunction in the brain, EMG to evaluate nerve activity in the muscles, ultrasound to view the actual structures and urodynamic testing that focuses on the ability of the bladder to store and empty urine.

The urodynamic testing can also show whether or not the bladder is having abnormal contractions, either before or during or after urination, that can cause leakage.

Treatment for urinary incontinence in men is tied directly to any underlying medical condition. No single treatment will work well for everyone and the recommendations for treatment will depend upon the type and severity of the problem, the individual’s lifestyle and the preferences of the patient. Many men can regain control by changing just a few of their lifestyle habits and doing exercises to strengthen the muscles.

For instance, some men can avoid incontinence by simply limiting the amount of fluids they drink at certain times of the day or planning regular trips to the bathroom.

Other treatments can include medications that affect control in different ways. Some medications will block abnormal nerve signals while others slow the production of urine. Some medications can shrink the prostate while others will relax the wall of the bladder and make it less spastic.

Alpha blockers are medications that are used to treat problems caused by prostate enlargement and relax the smooth muscle of the prostate allowing a normal amount of urine flow. 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are medications which inhibit the production of than male hormone DHT thought to be responsible for prostate enlargement. Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that relaxes muscles and blocks nerve signals that can cause bladders spasms. In the final medication classification are anti-spasmodic which work to relax the bladder muscle and relieve spasms.

For some men medication is not an option and they must turn initially to surgical treatments. These treatments can help men who have urinary incontinence as a result of nerve damage. An artificial sphincter is an implanted device that keeps the urethra closed until you’re ready to urinate. It does not solve incontinence caused by uncontrolled bladder contractions but rather from nerve damage that interferes with sphincter control.

Another surgical option is called the sling. In this procedure of the surgeon creates a support for the urethra by wrapping a strip of material are rounded and attaching the ends to the pelvic bone. This keeps constant pressure so that it does not open until the patient consciously releases the urine. The urinary diversion is done if all of the bladder function is lost because of nerve damage or if the bladder itself must be removed. A reservoir is created using a small piece of intestines and creating a stoma to the outside where urine can be drained into a catheter or bag.

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Women experienced urinary incontinence over twice as often as men. Much of the difference can be accounted for by the structure of the female urinary tract, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause, all of which significantly impact the function of the urinary tract system. Both the men and women can become incontinent from other issues such as neurological injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and other physical conditions that are associated with aging.

Incontinence happens because there are problems and issues with the muscles and nerves that control the release and the ability to hold urine. The body stores urine in the bladder which is an organ shaped much like a balloon. The bladder is connected to the urethra which is a tube through which urine leaves the body. The process of urination is a complex orchestration of nerve innervation and muscle control. The muscles in the wall of the bladder contracts which forced the urine out of the bladder at the same time that sphincter muscles relax.

There are actually several different types of urinary incontinence. The first of which is stress incontinence in which laughing, coughing and sneezing can put enough pressure on the bladder to allow leakage. This is the most common type of bladder control problems that women experience and in many cases it can be treated.

The most common causes for stress incontinence involves the stress or injury to the pelvic structures that support the bladder, such as childbirth. Many women find that stress incontinence will worsen during the week before her menstrual period when estrogen level of our lower that leads to lower muscular pressure around the urethra.

Another type of urinary incontinence is urge incontinence which is when the individual has a strong need to urinate but cannot reach the toilet in time. This happens to women even when the bladder is holding a small amount of urine. Some have no warning at all before they accidentally leak urine. This can happen when they are drinking water or when they hear running water.

Another cause of urinary incontinence is an overactive bladder. In this condition there are abnormal nerve signals sent to the bladder at the wrong time which causes the muscles to squeeze without warning. Not all individuals who have an overactive bladder also suffer from urinary incontinence. Men and women who suffer from an overactive bladder find that they have to go to the bathroom more than seven times each day. They often feel the sudden and strong urge to urinate immediately and can suffer from leakage often awakening at night in order to urinate.

Some individuals suffer from functional incontinence that results from a medical condition which interferes with thinking, moving or communication. For instance, a person who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease may not plan a trip to the bathroom in enough time or an individual in a wheelchair may have trouble getting to the bathroom in time.

Some individuals will suffer from a combination of reasons for incontinence and this can be referred to as mixed incontinence. Most women and men did not have one pure reason and some studies have shown that mixed incontinence is actually the most common type of urinary incontinence in women.

Men and women who suffer from urinary incontinence can experience a range of symptoms from an occasional leaking when coughing or sneezing to having the sudden urge to urinate and not being able to get to the toilet on time. Urinary incontinence will affect day-to-day activities and even now it may feel a bit embarrassing, you should not hesitate to see your primary care physician and discuss both diagnosis and treatment options. In most cases very simple lifestyle changes or medical treatments can make your daily activities much more functional and stop urinary incontinence.

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