Nighttime urination is one of the most common concerns in men with prostate problems.
It happens in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Both conditions involve prostate swelling.
But why does prostate swell at night become worse?
Why is frequent urination at night such a big problem for these patients?
In this article, you will find an answer to some critical questions.
After explaining the reasons for these symptoms, we will also provide a list of remedies to improve prostate urine flow.
Why does the prostate swell at night?
The prostate, which is roughly the size of a walnut is located between the bladder and the urethra. With age, the prostate naturally enlarges, causing urinary problems when it swells. This can result symptoms, such as the inability to urinate, straining when starting to urinate and a dribbling flow of urine.
Patients with prostate enlargement typically experience an increase in urinary frequency. This is known as polyuria and can worsen as we go to sleep.
Frequent urination at night is sometimes the first symptom of prostate problems. This uncomfortable symptom is also known as nocturia.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia with nocturia happens because (1):
- The bladder is not emptying as it should: In BPH, there is a reduction in prostate urine flow, leading to incomplete voiding. When the bladder does not empty, this reduces its capacity. It fills faster, and you end up peeing a lot at night.
- You’re probably drinking more liquid at night: In some cases, patients drink too much liquid at night. Doing so is associated with waking up to pee at night.
- You’re consuming bladder irritants: Some foods and drinks irritate your bladder. They worsen nighttime urination.
- Urine production continues as you sleep: Naturally, your kidneys will keep producing urine as you sleep and fill the bladder. Nocturia results from prostate swelling but does not mean that prostate swelling is worse at night.
Some patients will also experience prostate pain at night. This could respond to your sleeping position.
It can also be due to a condition known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome. In such cases, prostatitis, immune problems, and nerve-related dysfunction should be considered as possible causes.
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How can I stop my prostate from swelling?
The answer depends on what type of swelling you are trying to solve. For instance:
- Inflammation, which is usually due to prostatitis: In most cases, you stop inflammation by taking an antibiotic medication. These should be prescribed by your doctor. After taking your medication, prostate pain at night is likely to improve.
- Volume increases of the prostate gland: Prostate growth is expected as we age. This is the main feature of BPH and prostate cancer. Men peeing a lot at night probably have one of these conditions. Some medications and herbal treatments can slightly reduce prostate volume. We will briefly review them in the sections below.
- Night urination as a symptom of BPH: Cases of nocturia reduce by limiting fluid intake at night and avoiding bladder irritants. There are other recommendations to consider, as you will read below.
Regardless of the method you use, reducing prostate swelling will likely improve excess urination at night (2).
How to improve urination problems at night
Let’s go through the most important recommendations to improve cases of nocturia. Here’s what you can do:
Reduce fluid intake at night
Naturally, if you follow this advice, urine production reduces when you go to bed. This is the first change you should make to find prostate relief.
Avoid consuming bladder irritants
Many foods and drinks can be bladder irritants. An irritated bladder will become more susceptible to voiding signals.
So, try to reduce the consumption of coffee, alcohol, and spicy foods. Soda, citrus fruits, and chocolate can also irritate the bladder.
Avoid using allergy medications if you don’t need them
Some allergy medications and decongestants cause frequent urination at night. They may contribute to your waking up to pee at night.
Schedule your bathroom visits
This is called bladder training or retraining. The purpose is to learn about your body and how it works. Then, create a comfortable schedule that helps you enjoy your night’s sleep.
Kegel exercises
Kegels are a type of exercise used to prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems. They work by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, which can help with urinary control.
To find your pelvic muscles try to stop and start your urine stream when urinating.
When you have successfully slowed down or stopped your urine, you will be able to hit the target muscle. The muscles you use to stop your urine flow are your pelvic muscles, and these are the ones you want to strengthen.
Keep a bladder diary
This is another way to learn about yourself and your body. You may find a pattern in your bladder diary if you take notes of foods, drinks, and other habits. Make changes if you realize that certain habits, foods, and beverages increase nighttime urination or cause urinary discomfort.
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Take your prostate medication at night
Another common recommendation is taking your prostate medication at night. But why take Flomax at bedtime? The reason is that Flomax sometimes causes dizziness. You’re less likely to feel these transient effects if you take them at nighttime.
This medication improves urinary symptoms. But there are also natural therapies and recommendations to increase prostate urine flow in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia with nocturia.
How to naturally shrink your prostate and manage your enlarged prostate symptoms
Some medication and herbal treatments control urinary symptoms and shrink the prostate. Volume changes are not always dramatic, but they are an improvement.
These herbal options include (3):
Saw palmetto
This is one of the most popular remedies for benign prostatic hyperplasia. It helps in cases of nocturia and reduces postpaid residual urine volume. In other words, saw palmetto improves how your bladder deals with urinary volume.
Pygeum africanum
This is an anti-inflammatory herb and reduces prostate swelling. It also improves bladder function.
One of the first symptoms that will improve after taking Pygeum africanum is nocturia. That’s why it is commonly used in benign prostatic hyperplasia with nocturia.
Stinging nettle
A German study compared stinging nettle with the medication known as finasteride. Both herbal and medical treatments showed similar improvements in night urination and other symptoms.
Quercetin and other antioxidants
Healthy foods with antioxidants and supplements may also reduce excess urination at night. If you also suffer from prostate pain at night, these medications can be helpful.
Quercetin, in particular, is a potent anti-inflammatory ingredient found in tea, apples, leafy greens, and other foods. It reduces swelling by inhibiting inflammatory substances.
Curcumin
A recent study about curcumin showed that this ingredient in turmeric reduces urination frequency and improves the urinary stream. It is useful in nocturia, and its anti-inflammatory effects can be helpful to counter prostate pain at night (4).
These herbal treatments can make a real difference and improve your quality of life. But whatever you do, be sure to follow medical advice and let your doctor know about the new supplements you start taking.
Conclusion
Frequent urination at night is caused by a combination of reduced bladder capacity and urine production. This then leads to peeing a lot at night in males with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.
In such cases of nocturia, there are plenty of natural therapies and lifestyle modifications you can follow. One of them is reducing your liquid intake at night and avoiding irritant foods and drinks. You can also use remedies such as saw palmetto and curcumin.
These recommendations can naturally solve the problem of peeing a lot at night. But you should follow medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about your treatment options and how your habits and lifestyle contribute to your symptoms.
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