by Allen Gelbl


Many men experience an increase in the frequency at which they have to urinate as they get older. This is exceedingly common among older men. However, if you are a man that is "always having to go", don't just dismiss it as aging. There are many causes of frequent urination and the symptom needs to be checked out by a physician.

Frequent urination defined

Always having to go or feeling the need to urinate more often than is usual is called frequent urination. This differs from urgent urination which is an urgent, compelling need to urinate. This can be accompanied with bladder discomfort.

If the need to urinate occurs at night, it is termed nocturia. Normally, a person can sleep for between 6 and 8 hours without the need to urinate.

Common causes

When experienced simultaneously, a frequent, urgent need to go to the bathroom is a classic symptom of an infection in the urinary tract. Typically, the infection will cause an inflammation of the bladder which, in turn, reduces the bladder's capacity to hold urine. In this case, even a small amount of urine can be uncomfortable.

These symptoms can also be caused by:

* Diabetes.

* A condition called interstitial cystitis, which is a chronic, constant inflammation of the bladder. This is more common in women than men, but bears checking out.

* Diuretics as well as other medicines.

* Therapeutic radiation.

* Dysfunction of the bladder.

* Cancer of the bladder.

All of these are known to cause frequent urination, but there is one extremely common cause that is overlooked by many men. That is an enlarged prostate and affects more men than you probably know.

The prostate gland is a walnut sized gland that secretes seminal fluid (the fluid that carries the sperm cells). The gland itself surrounds the urethra, which carries urine out through the penis. As the prostate grows larger, it may exert pressure on the urethra and cause problems with frequent urination.

Causes of enlarged prostate

The prostate wraps around the urethra between the rectum and the pubic bone. Early in the development of an enlarged prostate, the muscle of the bladder contracts more powerfully than usual and pressurizes urine through the urethra. The bladder muscle responds by gaining thickness and sensitivity. This causes the need to urinate often.

The larger the prostate grows, the tighter is squeezed. The bladder then cannot compensate for the problem and empties entirely.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate

Actually, an enlarged prostate is accompanied by no symptoms at all. There a re a few things to watch for, like:

* A weak stream of urine or a stop/start during urination. * Finding it difficult to start urinating. * Dribbling of urine after urination. * Feeling like you are not done. * Leakage of urine (incontinence). * Frequent urination or an urgent need to go, especially during the night time.

If you have experienced any of the above, go to a doctor and get checked out immediately. An enlarged prostate only gets worse over time if it is overlooked. It could also lead to other more serious conditions.

by Allen Gelbl


A condition that is common in older men, usually over the age of 40, is benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. It has been discovered that a fourth of all men will have some form of swollen prostate by the time they reach the age of 50. However, it is in a small number of cases that hyperplasia will be severe enough to require a surgical procedure or medicines. Either way, an enlarged prostate is very uncomfortable and painful so it is not a condition that should go undiagnosed.

A normal prostate is slightly larger than a peanut and weighs around 20 to 30 grams. A swollen prostate can weigh anywhere from 50 to 100 grams. It should also be stated that prostatic hyperplasia is not a sign of prostate cancer. When you go in to the doctor to determine if you have an enlarged prostate, before the doctor can diagnose you they will test you for numerous things to make sure that it is prostatic hyperplasia instead of cancer.

There are several symptoms that will help you determine if you should visit the doctor for a diagnosis. The first sign of an enlarged prostate is urine leakage as well as feeling overall uncomfortable. As the problem persists, you will have a frequent urge to urinate, which is shortly followed by not being able to urinate at all.

The most common way for the doctor to check for an enlarged prostate before conducting tests is through a rectal exam. While this can be very uncomfortable, it is the only way for the doctor to see if your prostate is swollen or enlarged. However, many times the doctor is not able to diagnose the condition with a simple rectal exam. Instead, an x-ray picture of the urinary tract and prostate, or ultrasound pictures is the best way for the specialist to diagnose you properly.

After the doctor has determined your condition, you will have several treatment options. In most cases the doctor will try medicines first. Finasteride is an approved drug that forces the prostate gland to shrink naturally. The doctor will also prescribe an Alpha-blocker that helps relieve the pressure of the enlarged prostate.

In the event that the medicines were not effective, there are two types of surgery procedures that can be done. The first surgery procedure is the transurethral resection of the prostate. This is when the specialist will scrape an amount of tissue from the core of the prostate to help relieve pressure. The second option that many men are requesting is the transurethral incision of the prostate. Instead of scraping away at the core, the specialist will make several cuts in the gland to help relieve pressure.

In some cases, the patient's condition is already so severe that the medical treatment would not be effective first. Instead, the person has to undergo immediate surgery in order to prevent the bladder from experiencing more damage. If you are experiencing some or just one of the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, then you should not wait to see if it will improve.