Page 24 - Seniorstoday July-2023 Issue
P. 24
diuretics, such as alcohol and caffeine. be problematic as they result in blockage.
Urgency These stones form due to the chemical
Described as a sudden, overwhelming imbalance in the urine.
need to urinate, it is often accompanied by Urinary hesitancy
burning or pain in the urinary tract. Very As the name suggests, it is a condition
often, the person will pass little to no urine, where people have trouble either in starting
though the urge persists, making it a very or maintaining a urinary flow. Though
uncomfortable condition. most common in elderly men, it can affect
UTI is the most common culprit, followed women too.
closely by pregnancy, increased liquid BPH, infections, nerve damage, surgeries
intake, alcohol, pregnancy. are some of the causes of hesitancy. It could
Hematuria also be psychological, where a person
Presence of blood in urine should cause hesitates to pas s urine in font of others,
a person to be alarmed, but surprisingly, causing problems in certain situations.
a majority of patients either ignore it or This condition is called paruresis. Certain
wait for a second episode before visiting a medication, such as anti-allergic, anti-
physician. It’s a symptom that shouldn’t depressants can also cause hesitancy.
be ignored though, being one of the early Symptoms of urinary disorders vary from
and common symptoms of bladder or renal person to person and based on the cause of
cancer. the disorders. Common urinary symptoms
BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia) include:
is an enlarged prostate- a gland that •Abdominal cramping
surrounds the male urethra. BPH is •Abdominal, pelvic or back pain that can
common in older men. It is not directly be severe
connected to prostate cancer. Although in •Hematuria – blood in urine
some cases, BPH can increase the chances •Cloudy urine
of prostate cancer. •Fever and chills
The condition of BPH can cause •Foul-smelling urine
uncomfortable urinary symptoms such •Frequent or urgent need to urinate
as blocking the urine, heaviness in the •General feeling of malaise
bladder, urinary tract, or kidney problems. •Leaking of urine
The symptoms of BPH arise due to the •Pain during sexual intercourse
increased pressure on the urethra due to •Pain or burning with urination (dysuria)
prostatic inflammation. Kidney stones, •Unexplained weight loss
narrowing of the urethra, or scarring in the Observing your urine-
bladder due to previous surgery are also Keeping an eye on urine can often tell you
responsible for prostate enlargement. any condition you might be predisposed
Ureteral calculi to, or suffering from. The color, odor and
These are kidney stones that get stuck in urine temperature can change if affected by
one or both ureters. Ureters carry urine certain conditions, such as –
from kidneys to the bladder. Ureteral COLOUR- The standard urine colour,
stones can block the flow of the urine and called urochrome, is a pale yellow, in
cause severe pain. The larger stones can normal conditions and when you’re well
24
