Its embarrassing. Its annoying. Its exasperating. And its controllable. Were talking about the distressing inconvenience of the side effects associated with prostate problems. This often means midnight treks to the bathroom to pee, pain when you start and end urination and dribbling when youre done. It can be frustrating when nothing you do seems to help, no matter how careful you try to be.
The key to controlling these symptoms is understanding what causes them, so you can learn how to cope and prevent them in the future.
The walnut-sized prostate gland is situated at the base of the bladder. The urethra runs from the bladder through the prostate and through the penis. As the prostate gets bigger, it constricts the flow of fluid through the urethra, contributing to several unpleasant and annoying symptoms:
- A need to urinate frequently during the night
- Urinating more often during the day
- Urinary urgencya strong and sudden urge to pee
- Slow-to-start urine stream
- Lack of force in the urinary stream
- A slight stinging at the beginning and end of urination
- Urine dribbling some time after urination ends
- The sensation that the bladder hasnt been emptied entirely
- The need to urinate again only a few minutes later
For the most part, these symptoms by themselves dont require medical attention. They can often be controlled by certain urination management techniques that you can practice on your own. If the symptoms are particularly bothersome to you, consult a healthcare professional for help. In particular, you should seek medical care if you experience these symptoms:
- Inability to urinate
- Painful urination
- Blood in the urine
- Discharges from the penis other than urine
- Continuous or severe urinary incontinence
More often than not, using self-help management techniques and natural supplements such as saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, lycopene, red clover and nettle can help manage your prostate health. Its important to remember that frequent urination, stinging and dribbling are often not a threat to your health or your life, although they can be awkward and embarrassing.