Complications of Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate is a medical condition that affects men. According to Cure Research, approximately nine percent of men over the age of thirty develop an enlarged prostate and this number rises as men age, with roughly fifty percent of men over age sixty experiencing an enlarged prostate. The exact cause of this condition has yet to be determined, but doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe that age-related hormonal changes play a role. Prostate enlargement can cause complications. These complications occur more frequently in men who have not been diagnosed and in those who are not being treated for this condition.

Frequent Urination

• Frequent urination is an enlarged prostate complication experienced by approximately 63 percent of patients, according to Enlarged Prostate Cure. This complication causes patients to urinate much more frequently than normal. This frequent need to urinate often disturbs their sleep because this problem is often more bothersome at night.

Urinary Urgency

• According to Enlarged Prostate Cure, approximately 18 percent of men with an enlarged prostate experience urinary urgency, or the need to urinate immediately. If they are unable to immediately urinate, they may do so involuntarily before they are able to make it to a toilet.

Weak Stream

• According to Enlarged Prostate Cure, approximately 18 percent of men with an enlarged prostate will experience a weak urine stream. This complication often results in the bladder not emptying completely. It can also cause the patient to need to urinate several time before his bladder is completely empty. According to Enlarged Prostate Cure, approximately 23 percent of men with an enlarged prostate will need to attempt to urinate several times before they feel that their bladder is completely empty.

Urinary Hesitancy

• Urinary hesitancy is a complication of an enlarged prostate that affects approximately 13 percent of patients according to Enlarged Prostate Cure. This complication causes men to have trouble urinating. Because the enlarged prostate blocks urinary flow, they will often feel that their bladders are full yet they cannot urinate.

Acute Urinary Retention

• According to Consumer Health Reports, approximately 1 to 2 percent of men will experience acute urinary retention as a complication of an enlarged prostate. This condition is defined as a sudden inability to urinate because of a blockage. This enlarged prostate complication is painful and unpleasant for patients, and according to Consumer Health Reports, it is considered a medical emergency. Those experiencing this problem will have a catheter inserted into their bladder so that their urine can be drained, and they will have to stay in the hospital for a few days until this complication is treated. Most patients who experience acute urinary retention will need to undergo surgery to have their blockage removed. The risk of developing this complication rises as men age.