Why Men Should Talk About Their Waterworks

30th, Jun 2015

I think it’s safe to say that most men don’t like talking about their health problems, especially when the problem relates to their waterworks.

As part of his bi-weekly health column, Dr. Roger Brown discusses the importance of seeing a doctor if you have waterworks issues.

I think it’s safe to say that most men don’t like talking about their health problems, especially when the problem relates to their waterworks. Unfortunately, problems relating to the waterworks are a fact of life for many men aged 50 and over. However, men suffering with this type of problem do not need to tolerate it as there is often a medical or surgical solution.

For men over the age of 50, there are a number of symptoms which could mean you need to see a Doctor about your waterworks including:

•             increased frequency of visiting the bathroom

•             urgency to get there in time

•             incontinence which you may or may not be aware of

•             getting up through the night to pass urine

•             difficulty in passing urine at all

•             discomfort of some sort when passing urine, pain or burning sensation

There are a number of reasons why a man could be experiencing any of these symptoms including malfunction of the prostate gland, the bladder and/or the penis itself.

Sometimes the problem can be caused by a simple urinary tract infection or alternatively, with older make patients, the prostate may have enlarged, causing difficulty with emptying the bladder.

In more complex cases, there may be a more sinister cause with bladder and prostate cancer being among them. If a man passes blood in his urine, this would be a cause for concern. This is something that he should attend a Doctor about as a matter of urgency, as this could be a sign of:

•             infection

•             prostate Cancer

•             cancer of the Bladder

•             disorder of one or both kidneys

GPs and Consultant Urologists are experienced in diagnosing and treating these kind of problems and treatment could be as simple as taking some medication.

There are dedicated assessment clinics for male urology problems, usually referred to as Waterworks Clinics. Your local GP practice may have one or alternatively your GP can refer you to your local hospital for assessment.

At the clinic, the Doctor will take a medical history and discuss your symptoms and complete a physical examination. Following your assessment, the findings will be sent to the patient and/or his GP. Dependent of the outcome, it may be appropriate to be simply treated for some of the more simple causes of waterworks trouble or for more complex cases, your GP can make a referral to a Consultant Urologist who will be able to treat any of the more complicated issues.

There is hope! Please do not despair if you are having these problems. See your GP for assessment and referral if required. Alternatively, waterworks clinics and consultations/treatment with Urologists are available privately.

Find out more about urology or call a patient adviser in confidence on 0845 60 06 352.