The Prostate and Surrounding Structures
2008 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc.
These symptoms are indications that your bladder is not emptying completely:
- Incomplete emptyinga sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finish urinating
- Early returnhaving to urinate again less than two hours after you finished urinating
- Urgencyhaving a strong urge to urinate that is difficult to postpone
- Nocturiahaving to get up out of bed to urinate during the night
Note: Nighttime urination can be a sign of incomplete emptying. In addition to heart failure, nighttime urination can also be a sign of other medical conditions, so see your doctor if it persists.
Other common symptoms include:
- Intermittencyfrequent stopping and starting of your urine flow during a single urination period
- Hesitancy having the urge to urinate, but needing to wait until the flow actually starts
- Weak streamurine that trickles out rather than flows strongly
- Straininghaving to push or strain in order to urinate
- Incontinenceinability to hold urine in (leakage of urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body)
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Dribbling at end of urination
- Deep discomfort in the lower abdomen
An obstructed urine flow often means that there is some urine stuck in the bladder (called residual urine). Having residual urine makes you vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can be either frequent or chronic. If you have a UTI, you may have additional symptoms, such as burning when you pass urine. UTIs by themselves also cause urgency and frequent urinating.
There is at least one common exception to the usual gradual development of symptoms. Sudden complete urine obstruction may occur in an elderly person due to dementia, inability to get out of bed, or drug side effects. The bladder may stretch to the size of a six-month pregnancy and fill the lower half of the abdomen. In such a case, emergency catheterization is required.
References:
American Urological Association Pracctice Guidelines Committee. AUA guideline on management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol 2003; 170:530-47
Burnett AL, Wein AJ. Benign prostatic hyperplasia in primary care: what you need to know. J Urol. 2006;175:S19-24.
Dull, P, Reagan RW Jr, Bahnson RR. Managing benign prostatic hyperplasia. Am Fam Physician. 2002;66:87-88.
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. Available at: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/ .
Last reviewed April 2007 by David Juan, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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