5 Causes of Urinary Issues

While the male urinary tract may be simple enough in design, there’s a lot that can affect this system, leading to problems with urination — from urinating too often to the inability to control urination.

At The Y Factor, our team of urology and men’s health experts, led by Dr. Russell Williams, specializes in urinary health and we understand the many problems that can cause urinary issues.

To give you an idea of what may be affecting your ability to urinate normally, here’s a look at five of the more common causes of urinary issues.

Urinary incontinence

There are several types of incontinence that can affect men, including:

  • Overactive bladder (OAB), or urge incontinence
  • Stress incontinence
  • Mixed incontinence

Approximately 30% of men in the United States have problems with OAB, which largely stems from prostate issues (more on that in a minute).

Beyond that, prostate problems, however, other factors like age and obesity can lead to problems with incontinence, especially stress incontinence.

What’s more, diabetes can affect the nerves that control your bladder, which can lead to frequent urination and leakage.

Prostate issues

Your prostate’s location next to your urethra means that any issue that affects this small gland may have an impact on your urination. Far and away, the most common problem is an enlarged prostate gland, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which typically affects men as they get older.

This condition is, thankfully, benign and affects urination in several ways, including:

  • A decreased urine stream
  • Frequent urination during the night
  • Difficulty initiating urination
  • A bladder that still feels full after urinating

Outside of BPH, prostate cancer and the medications for prostate cancer may also cause urinary issues.

Urinary infections

While urinary tract infections may be more common in women, men can also develop infections, namely interstitial cystitis. With this type of infection, you may feel a constant urge to urinate, as well as pain when you urinate.

Urethral strictures

If scarring has narrowed your urethra, these “strictures” limit the amount of urine that can pass through, which can make you feel like you have to urinate far more frequently. Further, strictures can lead to problems with spraying, leaking, or dribbling.

Kidney issues

Your urinary tract starts in your kidneys, which produce urine as a result of filtering. If your kidneys have a problem that prevents them from holding onto fluids, it can lead to more urine volume.

As well, if you have kidney or bladder stones, urinary issues can develop, especially painful urination and increased urination.

While we’ve outlined the primary culprits when it comes to urinary issues, the best way to find out what’s behind your difficulties with urination is to schedule an appointment at one of our locations in Houston, Tomball, or Webster, Texas.

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