Bladder Wall Thickness May Predict Bladder Outlet Obstruction (BOO) Severity

New research has emerged linking bladder wall thickness with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) severity. Researchers studied 236 men with lower urinary tract symptoms and found that when BOO increased, so did bladder wall thickness. The thicker the bladder wall, the more severe the BOO, including symptoms and reduced bladder capacity.

What Causes BOO in Men?

BOO occurs when the base of the bladder is blocked, interrupting urine flow and causing difficulty urinating. BOO ultimately can cause complications, such as urine traveling backward and ultimately leading to urinary problems.

Causes of BOO in men include:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Bladder stones

Bladder tumors

Pelvic tumors

Urethral stricture

Foreign objects

Posterior urethral valves

Urethral spasms

Urethral diverticula

Prostate cancer

Keeping your bladder healthy is a concern – particularly for older men – that isn’t often talked about. There are a few natural ways you can keep your bladder in shape. They include not holding in urine, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, practicing kegels, being smart about drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages (which cause you to need to urinate quickly) and drinking cranberry juice.

How Would I know if I had BOO?

Symptoms of BOO can include:

Stomach pain

Constantly feeling like your bladder is full

Frequent urination &/or inability to urinate

Pain during urination

Problems starting urination

Slow urine flow

Urinary tract infection

Urinary intermittency – stop and go urine flow

Waking up to urinate

Nausea, fatigue, and fluid retention if kidney failure occurs

Bladder problems can be hard to diagnose. Testing for bladder wall thickness to determine the severity of BOO is a noninvasive way to diagnose. This research is significant because doctors can test bladder wall thickness to determine the severity of BOO and start treatment quicker as well.

Bladder Wall Thickness