Jul
7
SYMPTOMS OF AN ENLARGED PROSTATE
Do you have any of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate? Here is a list of those problems that relate directly to BPH. Study the list critically. Have you experienced any of them?
• A slowing of your urinary stream and its force.
• A slowness to begin urination. You say “start now,” but it may be a few seconds before your stream begins.
• A problem with stopping urination. You tighten the muscles to stop the flow or to prevent any more, but you get a series of continuing dribbles.
• A sensation that your bladder is not completely empty when it should be.
• Frequent urination. You may not notice this during the day, especially if you’re near a bathroom. But at night this is much more evident. Doctors call this nocturia, and it may get you up two, three, four times a night.
• In extreme cases, urinary retention — when you simply can’t urinate. The discomfort and pain can be tremendous.
• Nausea, dizziness, unusual sleepiness brought on if retention has caused kidney damage.
A SIMPLE TEST YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF
Below is a chart with the symptoms listed above. Some of them are worded differently. At the top are the points to be given for each symptom and its severity. Along the left side are the symptoms.
TOTAL SCORE
POINTS 0 1 2 3 4
STREAM Normal Variable Weals Dribbling
Abdominal
VOIDING No Strain strain or re”
HESITANCY None Yes
INTERMITTENCY None Yes
BLADDER Don’t know Variable Incomplete Single Repeated
EMPTYING or Complete retention
Yee ii ,Wd .9 INCONTINENCET— =
URGE None Mild Moderate Savers
tlmo-d~)
NOCTURIA 0-1 2 3-4
DIURIA ci>llh q2-3h qt-2h ci<lh
Intermittency means that your stream starts, stops and starts again once or more before you feel empty. Incontinence means that you can’t stop urinating when you want to, or you dribble, or pass some water when you don’t want to.
Diuria, means how often your need to urinate during the day. Zero points for three hours or more and 3 points for the need to void each hour during the day.
Mark down what you think your symptoms are. If your score reaches 10 or more, you should probably see your doctor soon about the chances you have BPH.