The symptoms of benign prostate enlargement are caused by the enlarged prostate placing pressure on the bladder and urethra (which carries urine from the bladder to the penis).
This can affect urination in a number of ways. For example, it can:
- make it difficult for you to start urinating - known as hesitancy
- weaken the flow of urine or cause "stopping and starting" - intermittency
- cause you to strain to pass urine
- cause you to need to urinate frequently
- cause you to wake up frequently during the night to urinate
- cause a sudden urge to urinate, which can result in urinary incontinence if you can't find a toilet quickly enough
- cause you to not be able to empty your bladder fully
- cause blood in the urine
It can also present with urinary retention and other complications such as bladder stones, bladder infections and kidney damage.
Men above 50 years of age need to be aware of these changes, which will occur with age in every male sooner or later. Some people experience early onset of similar complaints in their fourth / fifth decade of life.
Awareness is the first step to seek help.
Taking longer to pee is an age related issue, but don't wait for it to increase tremendously. Seek help from a Urologist timely.