Relieve Common Urinary Symptoms Without Medication
If you are a male aged 50 or over, chances
are you know someone taking medication for an overgrown prostate gland,
better known as benign prostatis hyperplasia (BPH). This condition can
cause bothersome problems including frequent urination at night, as well
as 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 is often used to relieve symptoms, and for severe problems,
surgery may be considered. But in the case of men with milder symptoms,
BPH may not interfere with their daily lives much, so another option
will be watchful waiting.
During watchful waiting, you and your
doctor monitor your symptoms closely and take action only when you feel
it is necessary. Till then, simple changes in behavior can help to take
the edge off urinary symptoms. This approach avoids the costs and risks
associated with more aggressive treatment.
Do you have BPH?
Irritative symptoms (problems with bladder function) include:
Frequent urination during the day or night
Strong and sudden urge to urinate, sometimes with involuntary leaking of urine.
Obstructive symptoms (problems with the flow of urine) include:
Difficulty starting urination
Straining to urinate
Incomplete bladder emptying
Weak or intermittent urine stream
Dribbling after urination.
What is BPH?
The prostate gland may begin to grow larger over time in many men. The
urethra is the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to outside the
body. It passes right through the prostate, so it doesn't take much
prostate growth to make urination difficult. As the bladder works
against the restriction, its muscular walls begin to thicken which can
cause problems like the need for more frequent visits to the bathroom
and difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
For some men, the symptoms of BPH don't demand immediate treatment.
However, it is important to ask yourself questions like 'How much do
your symptoms bother you?' Determining whether it is getting in the way
of doing the things you want to do should be the primary driver of
treatment.
How bothersome is it?
To measure the frequency of a man's symptoms, doctors use the
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). It's a seven-item
questionnaire that delves into typical BPH symptoms, providing a score
from 0 to 35. Typically, men who score 8 and above are more likely to
think they need treatment - but this can vary from man to man.
Nevertheless, for men who choose to watch and wait, it doesn't mean
doing nothing. It should include strategies to lessen symptoms or make
them easier to cope with. In one study, men who attended classes on such
self-management techniques lowered their IPSS symptom scores by 6
points within three months.
Living with BPH and managing urinary
symptoms
BPH progresses slowly, so most men can decide for themselves if and when
they would like to consider medication or surgery. In most cases, men
with mild to moderate symptoms often find that changes in fluid intake,
medication use, and bladder habits can relieve BPH's bothersome effects.
Let's take a look:
1. Medication Use
Alter the use of medications that may potentially worsen urinary
symptoms.
Be sure to talk to your doctor about any medications that may
contribute to BPH. Note that antihistamines and decongestants can cause
problems for some.
Don't take medications that may cause you to urinate more right
before driving, traveling, attending an event, or going to bed.
Don't rely on ineffective dietary supplements.
2. Fluid restriction
Change how much fluid you drink and when you drink it to prevent
bothersome bathroom visits.
Don't drink fluids before driving, traveling or attending events
where finding a bathroom will be difficult.
Avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages after dinner or within two
hours of your bedtime.
3. Bladder habits
Change the time and manner in which you empty your bladder to reduce
symptoms or make them less disruptive.
Don't hold it in. Be sure to empty your bladder when you first get
the urge to.
When out in public, go to the bathroom and try to urinate when you
get the chance, even if you don't feel the need.
Take your time when urinating, emptying your bladder as much as
possible.
After each time you urinate, try again right away.
Try urethral milking, this will prevent post-void dribbling. Gently
squeeze the base of the penis after urinating and work your way outward
to force urine out of the urethra.
This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.