Enlarged prostate and poor flow

An introduction to poor or weak flow

The term ‘poor urine flow’ encompasses a range of urination problems. These include: dribbling at the end of urination; stopping and starting throughout urination; difficulty starting; and a weak stream. In men over the age of 45, the most common reason for these symptoms is an enlarged prostate.

Symptoms of poor urine flow are generally minor, but they can cause difficulty directing the stream of urine, which can be both annoying and messy. In addition, trips to the bathroom may take longer than usual.

There are other causes of poor urine flow so it is important to be sure that your symptoms really are the result of an enlarged prostate. Take our enlarged prostate symptom checker, and if you still think this is the cause of your poor urine flow, it is important you see a GP to rule out any other more serious prostate problems.

Why does an enlarged prostate cause poor flow?

These kinds of problems occur because of the prostate’s location. It sits under the bladder and around the urethra, which is the tube through which urine flows out of the bladder. As the prostate enlarges, it is prevented from growing outwards by the tissue surrounding it, so instead begins to ‘squeeze’ the urethra, interfering with the normal flow of urine out of the bladder.

Self-help tips

There are a few things you can do to try to relieve this symptom.

• You could try applying heat, such as a hot water bottle, to your lower abdomen, as this relaxes the bladder muscles and should make it easier to pass urine. Make sure the hot water bottle is wrapped in a towel so you don’t burn your skin
• Check what over-the-counter medicines you are taking; cold and flu medicines, for example, often contain chemicals that can prevent the bladder opening from relaxing, which can make it difficult to pass urine
• It is important to check your diet: there are a number of good foods and bad foods for an enlarged prostate that treat or exacerbate the condition as a whole rather than this specific symptom. You may want to take these into account, since improving the condition and general symptoms can only help improve a poor flow. Make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as high-fibre foods, because constipation will increase the pressure around the urethra and bladder.
• Pumpkin seeds have traditionally been used to treat reduce an enlarged prostate and manage its symptoms so you may find these helpful
• You may find that simple yoga and kegel exercises may help withpoor flow by strengthening the muscles around the urinary tract, giving you more control over your bladder. Try the exercises shown in the video below.

Natural/herbal remedies

The treatment we would recommend for symptoms of an enlarged prostate is the extract of Saw Palmetto, which has traditionally been used to help treat the general urinary problems that result from this condition. This extract is available in A.Vogel’s Prostosan capsules.

Conventional treatment

Conventional treatments aim to treat the source of the problem: the enlarged prostate itself.

There are a number of conventional medications available, and also a number of surgical options, which involve removing the prostate, applying heat to the prostate to reduce its size or using high frequency radio waves to reduce size.

These treatments are detailed on our enlarged prostate treatment page.