Symptoms

Storage bladder symptoms include:

• Frequency – going to pass urine too frequently
• Urgency – the uncomfortable inability to defer urination
• Overactive bladder – a combination of these factors
• Urge incontinence – As above with urine leakage
• Nocturia – waking at night to pass urine

Voiding bladder symptoms can occur if there is a restriction to the flow. These include:

• Hesitancy – delayed start of urination
• Poor flow
• Intermittent stream
• Dribbling at the end of voiding

Blood in the urine is divided into visible and invisible (or found on testing)

Visible blood usually needs urgent investigations, especially in anyone over the age of 40, but often at any age.

Invisible blood can be a normal finding for some individuals. However, if it is found on two separate occasions or with other urinary symptoms, then this also requires investigations for most people over the age of 50 or younger if there are risk factors such as smoking.

This discomfort or pain is often difficult to localise. It can be a dull ache in the perineum (area between scrotum and anus) or feel as though one is sat on a golf ball. It can radiate down the penis and also cause discomfort in the low abdominal or even upper thighs. The intensity of the pain can vary and may or may not be associated with other urinary symptoms.