Slow urine flow is usually associated with men, while invariably it is incontinence or uncontrollable flow that is associated with women. However, slow urine flow can affect both men and women, and in this article, we deal specifically with what the causes are.
Although there could be other causes for slow urine flow, the condition is invariably due to an enlarged prostrate. It is estimated that up to 85 % of all men will suffer some degree of enlargement in their lifetime. The prostate gland is a donut-shaped gland that encircles the ureter. One of its major functions is to produce fluid that helps keep sperm alive. Owing to its position, encircling the ureter, an enlargement of the prostrate will constrict the ureter. This means that even when the bladder is relaxed, urine does not flow down the ureter. Depending upon the severity of the enlargement and how much the ureter has been compressed because of this, the reduction in flow can either be very mild to be noticeable or so severe as to be a slow dribble.
There is a lot of bladder pain associated with this condition, and as a result many men would avoid frequent visits to the washroom. This unfortunately will result in the bladder getting full to the point where the urine travels back up to the kidneys due to back pressure, resulting in kidney damage. The only way to cure this is to treat the enlarged prostrate. The enlargement in the prostrate is usually a result of an infection, and although the infection may be removed, the aftermath of the infection is such that the minute tubes that produce the seminal fluid get blocked.
A slow urinary flow in women is usually not very common. In fact for 85% of women, it is the other way around. However, there are a few instances where women too can have slow urinary flow. In many cases, this is due to psychological reasons such as stress, fear, or other negative emotions. These can trigger a tightening of the sphincter muscles and cause it not to relax completely during urination. This means that the flow of urine becomes restricted. There is currently no information to suggest that slow urination at night is the only problem. Other causes can be an obstruction of the ureter or an infection of the urinary tract that causes women to reduce the frequency of urination and to control the flow.
Although there are a number of treatment options that doctors recommend, none of them are known to provide a definite cure. Most people see surgery as an effective option; however this is considered as a last resort since it could have adverse consequences.
The first thing you can do to help the doctor diagnose a slow urine and urinary flow is to check the color of the urine. In both slow urination in females as well as in males, the color of the urine can help. If the color is dark, it means that you are dehydrated, and therefore, the urine production is less. When you begin drinking water, hopefully, the symptoms will subside. Burning during urinating can be caused due to concentrated urine that is acidic in nature.
Prostate massages are known to help, though there is no much scientific proof to support the theory. The massage forces the blockage out, clearing the tubes of accumulated fluid, which causes the enlargement of the prostrate. The massage should be practiced regularly every day, and the recommended duration is between 5 and 15 minutes. Those who have tried this treatment option have reported that benefits are seen in about a month’s time, and the urinary stream starts getting stronger. There are a few cases where men have followed the massage treatment for a few years and have reported a complete cure. This treatment is, however, currently still under study, although many doctors have started practicing or prescribing this treatment already.
Infection can be treated by a course of antibiotics, and the kind of medication used depends on the kind of infection.
An obstruction is usually not an internal obstruction but is instead an external one. Causes such as fecal impaction or pelvic organ prolapse can cause external organs to push into the ureter causing an obstruction. The treatment differs for both. Although pelvic organ prolapse is much more difficult to treat. If age is not a criterion, regular exercise to strengthen the pelvic region that will keep the ligaments and muscles that hold the pelvic bones in place is a good option. Other options such as urethral narrowing or an inability to relax the urethral sphincter did not have many options until now. A recent study where a tiny amount of botulinum toxin was injected into the muscles of the sphincter has shown to be of a lot of benefit. Botulinum toxin has been found to be effective at relaxing smooth muscles, and injections directly into the affected muscles are effective for around 8 or 9 months. This treatment however currently is not a recommended course of treatment even for those who suffer from an inability to relax their urethral sphincter.
Regular exercise and eating well are considered very important because exercise helps to relax muscles, while sufficient fiber in the diet will prevent fecal impaction. Other problems such as pelvic organ prolapse and even cystocele can be prevented with regular exercise.
In fact, exercise has been shown to be effective at treating not only slow urination in women but also urinary incontinence.