Nocturia is not restful. It’s a condition that causes you to wake up twice or more each night to go to the bathroom. Nocturia impacts men and women and can be caused by anything from drinking too much before bed to certain medications that contain diuretics.
For men, one of the most common causes of Nocturia is a growing prostate.
The Prostate
The prostate gland sits at the base of the bladder, behind the penis. Through its center runs the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. A man’s prostate grows throughout his life, but if it grows too large, it compresses the urethra and makes it hard to urinate.
About half of all men by age 60 will experience this issue, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In fact, BPH is the leading reason men visit a urologist.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
The good news for men is that BPH is not cancerous, hence the word “benign.” The bad news is that BPH causes many irritating symptoms, including:
- A frequent need to urinate both day and night
- A weak or slow urinary stream
- A sense that you cannot completely empty your bladder
- Difficulty or delay in starting urination
- An urgent need to urinate
- A urinary stream that starts and stops
Untreated BPH Can Progress
BPH is more than a nighttime nuisance. Untreated, it can progress with serious health consequences.
- Adult diapers. If the urethra is closed off, the bladder must contract harder to push urine out. Over time, this weakens the bladder and can lead to incontinence.
- Urinary catheter. If your urethra becomes too obstructed or if bladder weakness becomes too severe, a catheter may be needed to drain the bladder fully.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney stones. If your bladder isn’t fully draining, the residual urine left increases the risk of UTIs and kidney stones.
- Kidney damage. The kidneys are attached to the bladder through two ureters, the ducts through which urine passes. If urinary retention causes pressure on the bladder, it could eventually damage the kidneys. Also, if the bladder is infected, that infection could spread to the kidneys.
BPH Can Be Treated
The first place to start treating BPH is with conservative management and behavior modifications. This includes steps like limiting beverages in the evening, limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption, avoiding bladder-irritating foods, and avoiding certain medications that can impact urination.
Your urologist can prescribe medications to help urine flow better and shrink the size of the prostate.
For more severe urinary symptoms, minimally invasive procedures like UroLift® and Rezum® can significantly improve your urinary health and quality of life.
Do not ignore the symptoms of BPH. You’ll sleep more soundly and live more fully when you prioritize your urinary health.
Wondering if your symptoms could be BPH? Learn more about BPH symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment at Advanced Urology Institute of Florida.