Urinary retention can involve an inability to urinate, urinary hesitancy or difficulty starting to urinate, or the inability to fully empty the bladder. There may be a frequent urge to urinate, but little or no urine may pass. The level of urinary retention can indicate the severity of the condition. A complete inability to urinate often points to acute urinary retention, the most serious degree of retention which can require immediate medical attention.
Enlargement of the prostate is a common cause of urinary retention in men. According to the University of Michigan Health System, age-related prostate growth is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that affects half of men over 50. As the prostate enlarges, it compresses the urethra and can inhibit urination. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also associated with a frequent urge to urinate and regularly waking up in the middle of the night to pee.
Prostate cancer can cause urinary retention in men, but experiencing difficulty urinating usually indicates something else. For men over 40, regular prostate exams should detect signs of prostate cancer long before any noticeable symptoms materialize. Men who get annual prostate exams and experience difficulty urinating usually need not worry about prostate cancer, though medical advice should still be sought if the symptom materializes.
Another cause of urinary retention in men is bladder stones, a condition sometimes caused by an enlarged prostate. Bladder stones can obstruct the flow or urine from the bladder to the urethra, causing difficulty urinating. According to the UK’s National Health Service, bladder stones develop over time due when urine spends too much time in the bladder. Waste solids can group together to form stones which then grow, eventually inhibiting urination. Urinary tract infections can also cause urinary retention in men, but they are far less prevalent in men than they are in women.
There are also a few medications which can cause urinary retention in men. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health reports that several medications designed to block certain signals in the body can also block the urinary function. Allergy medications like Allegra and Zyrtec, antispasm drugs like Ditropan and Anaspaz, and antidepressants like Tofranil and Aventyl can cause urinary retention in men and women alike.
Among the most common causes of urinary retention in men are benign prostatic hyperplasia, bladder stones, and medicinal side effect. While difficulty urinating can be a symptom of prostate cancer, the symptoms of prostate cancer take far longer to develop than signs that can be detected through routine prostate exams. Men who experience urinary hesitancy should talk to their doctors about the potential causes and treatments.
References:
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)/Urinary Retention. University of Michigan Health System.
