Patient/caregiver was instructed upon signs and symptoms of BPH as follows:
Prostate is a gland in males that surrounds the urethra and located between the urinary bladder and penis. For reasons unclear, prostate gland in some individuals can be enlarged. Hormonal disturbances in elderly males is considered to be an important factor contributing to the enlargement of prostate.
As prostate normally surrounds the urethra, enlargement of prostate presses onto and narrows/closes the urethra, which results in the following signs and symptoms –
- Weak stream of urine and reduced urine output volume: Narrowing down of urethra in individuals with BPH poses difficulty to initiate urination and pass urine at a constant pace. This leads to weak urine stream and reduced volume of urine output during urination.
- Interrupted urine flow: Patients can present with interrupted flow of urine that often stops and starts back.
- Painful urination: Inhibition to flow of urine with BPH can result in painful urination or dysuria.
- Backing-up of urine into bladder: Obstruction to the outflow of urine from the bladder in individuals with BPH can result in difficulty emptying the urinary bladder. This leads to back-up and residual urine in the bladder.
