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Prostate health

Is it normal to need to urinate more often as I get older?

Some increase in urinary frequency is common with age, often due to a benign enlarged prostate, but frequent or night-time urination should still be assessed because it can have treatable causes.

This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal medical concerns. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

As men age, the prostate commonly enlarges (benign prostatic hyperplasia), which can press on the urethra and cause more frequent urination, urgency, and getting up at night (nocturia). The bladder muscle also changes with age and may hold less. So a degree of increased frequency is common, but it is not something you simply have to live with.

Other causes worth excluding include urine infections, poorly controlled diabetes (which causes thirst and frequent urination), drinking a lot of fluid or caffeine or alcohol in the evening, certain medications, and rarely bladder or prostate problems that need investigation.

See a doctor if frequency disrupts your sleep or daily life, comes with pain or blood in the urine, or appears alongside excessive thirst and weight loss. Seek urgent care if you suddenly cannot pass urine despite feeling full. Simple tests on your urine and sometimes blood can quickly clarify the cause.

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