Use this zone to check your symptoms and get some simple and straightforward advice that might help you to improve your symptoms and take back control over your life.
You should always seek medical advice from your GP or other Medical Professional if you notice any of the following:
- Blood in your urine or stool
- A need to urinate more frequently than normal
- Sudden urge to urinate
- Pain when passing urine or stool
- A persistent change in bowel habit
- Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating
Self Help for Men
Do you visit the toilet too often during the day (more than 7 times) to pass urine? or Do you find it difficult to hold off using the toilet, even for a few minutes?
A few things you could try:
- Gradually reduce your caffeine intake
- Double voiding – when you stop urinating sit down (if you normally stand to pass urine) or stand up (if you normally stand to pass urine), count slowly to 20 and sit back down or stand back up and attempt to urinate again
- Make sure you’re drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid each day
- Do daily pelvic floor exercises
- Try not to go to the toilet “just in case”
- Check your bowel habit, could you be constipated?
- Ask your GP for advice as this might be related to your prostate
Do you have a small urine leak after your main flow that results in wet or stained trousers?
A few things you could try:
- Double voiding – sit down (if you normally stand to pass urine) or stand up (if you normally stand to pass urine), count slowly to 20 and sit back down or stand back up and attempt to urinate again
- “Milking” – pushing the last few drops of urine from the penis with your fingers before the final shake
- Ask your GP for advice as this might be related to your prostate
Do you have to get up twice or more to pass urine during the night? Are you sure the need to pass urine is what’s waking you?
A few things you could try:
- Gradually reduce your caffeine intake, especially during the afternoon and evening.
- Stop drinking 2-3 hours before going to bed but make sure you still drink 6-8 glasses of fluid each day.
- You might prefer to sip small amounts of fluid rather than stop all fluids after a set time in the evening. (Try sucking ice cubes or ice lollies).
- Make time to ensure you have fully emptied your bladder and double void before going to bed.
- Always double void when you get up during the night.
- Only change one thing at a time so you can identify what is working for you.
Review the medicine you are taking
Many tablets and medications can cause bladder and bowel symptoms or make the symptoms you have worse. If you have noticed any changes in your bladder and/or bowel habits since starting new medication you may want to discuss this with your doctor.
Self-Management Booklets
Self Help for Women
Do you leak urine if you cough, laugh, sneeze or on exercising? or Do you visit the toilet too often during the day (more than 7 times) to pass urine? and Do you find it difficult to hold off using the toilet, even for a few minutes?
A few things you could try:
- Gradually reduce your caffeine intake
- Double voiding – when you stop urinating stand up, count slowly to 20 and sit back down and attempt to urinate again
- Make sure you’re drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid each day
- Do daily pelvic floor exercises
- Try not to go to the toilet “just in case”
- Check your bowel habit, could you be constipated?
Do you have to get up twice or more to pass urine during the night? and Are you sure the need to pass urine is what’s waking you?
A few things you could try:
- Gradually reduce your caffeine intake, especially during the afternoon and evening.
- Stop drinking 2-3 hours before going to bed but make sure you still drink 6-8 glasses of fluid each day.
- You might prefer to sip small amounts of fluid rather than stop all fluids after a set time in the evening. (Try sucking ice cubes or ice lollies.)
- Make time to ensure you have fully emptied your bladder and double void before going to bed.
- Always double void when you get up during the night.
- Only change one thing at a time so you can identify what is working for you.
Review the medicine you are taking
Many tablets and medications can cause bladder and bowel symptoms or make the symptoms you have worse. If you have noticed any changes in your bladder and/or bowel habits since starting new medication you may want to discuss this with your doctor.