What is it about ?
A weak urine stream means that you are passing urine with less force. In men, this problem is usually caused by swelling of the prostate (for example, benign prostatic hyperplasia). In women, this is usually the “descent” (prolapse) of the uterus and / or bladder.
But there are also other possible causes for this problem, including:
- a narrowing of the urethra (for example after an injury or an operation);
- bladder muscle dysfunction;
- a dysfunction of the circular muscle that surrounds the urethra at the junction between the bladder and the urethra (urethral sphincter): a condition of the nerves or spinal cord that is often the cause of the problem.
How to recognize it?
You have noticed that your urine stream is less powerful. If you are a man, you will not be able to urinate as far as before. Sometimes droplets continue to flow after urinating. Sometimes it takes longer to start urinating. And you also urinate more frequently, but in very small amounts. Sometimes you feel like you need to urinate urgently when your bladder is barely filled with urine. You often have to get up at night to urinate.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will examine your stomach to see if the bladder is full or not. In men, it also examines the prostate through the anus (digital rectal examination). The women have a pelvic exam.
In the event of a serious problem, you will be referred to the urologist. Sometimes women are also sent to their gynecologist.
The urologist measures the volume of urine that remains in the bladder after urinating (residual urine). This measurement is done by ultrasound or by catheter. Normally, there should be less than 100 milliliters; from 200 milliliters, additional examinations are necessary. If the volume in the bladder exceeds 400 milliliters, the bladder is emptied using a catheter. We take the opportunity to measure the urine flow. For this test you must urinate with a full bladder into a suitable toilet, which measures the power of the jet while you urinate. This can give the doctor a better idea of the cause of the problem.
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