Urinary Retention In Men

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Urinary (UR-in-er-ee) retention (re-TEN-shun) is a condition when urine is not completely emptied from the bladder. Urinary retention usually occurs as men get older. Obstruction (blockage) of urinary flow may keep urine from leaving the body and cause a build up of urine in the bladder. An obstruction may include a stricture (narrowing) of a tube, such as the urethra, a tumor, or a bladder stone. Foreign bodies (things that are not normally found in the urinary system) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) may cause an obstruction. Bladder diverticula (pockets) may also keep the bladder from fully emptying. Damage to nerves going to and from the bladder, certain medicines, drinking too much fluid, and infections may also cause urinary retention. Urinary retention may be acute (sudden) or chronic (long-standing). Acute urinary retention occurs when there is a sudden inability to pass urine. In chronic urinary retention, there is always some urine left in the bladder as it never completely empties.
  
  
• The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs in the back of the abdomen (stomach) on both sides of the spine. They filter the blood to remove waste products and make urine. The urine flows from the kidneys down through tubes called ureters. From the ureters, the urine goes down and is stored for a short time in the bladder. Urine passes out of the body through another tube, called the urethra. In men, the bladder lies just above a walnut-sized gland called the prostate. The prostate gland wraps around the neck of the bladder and the urethra.
  
  
• Signs and symptoms may include trouble passing urine or not being able to pass urine at all. You may also have pinkish to reddish-colored urine or abdominal (stomach) pain. A digital rectal exam (DRE) may be able to determine if you have an enlarged prostate. You may also need blood or urine tests, a kidney scan or ultrasound, cystourethrogram, and urine flow tests. A computerized tomography (CT) scan and kidney, ureter, bladder (KUB) x-rays may also be done. Treatment may include medicines to ease your symptoms, placing a catheter or shunt (hollow tube), and surgery. With treatment, such as medicine and surgery, further problems may be prevented and your quality of life improved.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take your medicine as directed:

Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

Bladder care:

• Catheter: You may need to learn how to insert a catheter by yourself if you cannot urinate on your own. A catheter is a soft rubber tube that you put into your urethra to drain your urine. Ask your caregiver for more information on self-catheterization.
  
  
• Voiding: Do not let your bladder become too full before emptying it. Set regular times each day to urinate. Urinate as soon as you feel the need. Try to urinate every three hours while awake and avoid drinking liquids before going to bed. At bedtime, urinate before lying down. This will keep you from having to get up to urinate after going to bed.

Diet:

Eat a variety of healthy foods. These include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, bread, meat, poultry (chicken), fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. A good, well-balanced diet may help you feel better, have more energy, and heal faster. You may also need to decrease the amount of salt in your diet. Examples of salty foods are chips, cured meats, and canned soups. Caregivers may also tell you not to eat spicy foods, such as chili peppers. This will help you find out if spicy food is causing your urinary retention symptoms. Ask your caregiver if you need to change your diet.

Having sex:

You may have sex if you feel well. Being sexually active may help keep your urethra open. Do not get sexually aroused without ejaculating because your urethra may get blocked. Some treatments may also cause you to have sexual problems. These problems usually do not last forever and most can be helped. Talk to your caregiver if you are worried or have concerns. He can help you find ways to handle these problems.

Self-care:

• Do not drink alcohol: Some people should not drink alcohol. These people include those with certain medical conditions or who take medicine that interacts with alcohol. Alcohol includes beer, wine, and liquor. Tell your caregiver if you drink alcohol. Ask him to help you stop drinking.
  
  
• Constipation: Do not try to push the bowel movement out if it is too hard. High-fiber foods, extra liquids, and regular exercise can help you prevent constipation. Examples of high-fiber foods are fruit and bran. Prune juice and water are good liquids to drink. Regular exercise helps your digestive system work. You may also be told to take over-the-counter fiber and stool softener medicines. Take these items as directed.
  
  
• Do not smoke: Smoking causes lung cancer and other long-term lung diseases. It increases your risk of many cancer types. Smoking also increases your risk of blood vessel disease, heart attack, and vision disorders. Not smoking may help prevent such symptoms as headaches and dizziness for yourself and those around you. Smokers have shorter lifespans than nonsmokers.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have a fever.
  
  
• You have chills or feel weak and achy.
  
  
• You have blood in your urine.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your condition, treatment, or care.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• You cannot urinate, or if you have a catheter, no urine is filling the bag.
  
  
• You have a blocked catheter or it comes out of the urethra.
  
  
• You have lower abdominal (stomach) pain or back pain that does not go away.
  
  
• You have redness, pain, blood, or drainage where the catheter enters the penis.
  
  
• Your symptoms are getting worse or coming back.
  
  
• Your urine becomes very cloudy and foul (bad) smelling.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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