chapter five
Tips: There is often a tendency to reduce fluid intake when incontinence is experienced. However, it is important to remain hydrated. By limiting fluid, urine becomes thicker and acts as an irritant to the bladder. This leads to more frequent urination bouts. Drink little and often throughout the day instead.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they are both diuretics that can create irritation in the bladder. Some spicy or acidic foods may also exaggerate symptoms. Tobacco may also aggravate the urinary tract and if you’ re overweight, reducing weight can be advantageous as it naturally reduces pressure on the bladder.
II. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia( BPH) is an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland endures two growth periods as man ages and can double in size during puberty. The second phase begins around the age of 25 years and BPH may follow this second phase. Discomfort or pain may also be experienced as the prostate begins to enlarge and this occurs as the urethra is squeezed due to the prostate enlarging. The walls of the bladder may become gradually thicker and as a result, one may be unable to empty completely, resulting in urine being left within the bladder. These are just some of the problems commonly associated with BPH.
It is important to note that BPH is benign and this means that it is not cancerous and it does not lead to cancer. It is important to note that cancer may be present at the same time, but it is not due to BPH. This is a very common condition and approximately half the male population of those aged between 51 and 60 years will develop BPH while approximately 90 % of those men aged over 80 years of age will develop BPH.
Common symptoms of BPH are as follows:
• Discomfort or pain
• Weak flow of urine
• Feeling that urination is not possible
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