Bladder Stones in Men

Bladder Stones in Men

Bladder stones are formed by small minerals that are created in your bladder. They grow when the urine turns into concentrated, which causes the minerals in it to crystallize. Hence, the crystallized urine can often be the result of the inability to empty the bladder. This may be because of enlarged prostate.

They can be "quiet" - not causing any symptoms until they are surprisingly found during tests for other health problems. However, when the signs occur, they can vary between blood in the urine to abdominal pain.

The smallest ones can sometimes pass by their natural way through the urine, but in other cases they ought to be removed by a surgeon. If they are not corrected, in time they can cause more serious problems.

What are the causes of bladder stones in men

Usually, they begin when the bladder does not empty completely. Crystals could form from your urine which is left, that eventually will become bladder stones. Most commonly some other condition can affect the bladder`s ability to empty fully. Some of the conditions that can influence a formation of bladder stones are:

- Enlarged prostate. When the prostate is large, it can interrupt the urine flow by compressing the urethra, thus causing the urine to stay in the bladder. This can lead to bladder stones in men.

- Damaged nerves. Nerves take, generally, the messages from your brain to your bladder muscles, telling your bladder muscles to release or tighten. If they got damaged, the bladder may not empty fully.

- Weak bladder wall.

What are the risk factors of bladder stones?

The condition is common among children in the developing countries - usually because of dehydration or infection, but in other places they occur mostly in men. These factors have a tendency to increase the risk of the condition:

- Your sex. Bladder stones develop most often in men.

- The age. They generally occur in people above 30 years old. On the other hand, younger people can also be affected by the condition.

- Bladder outlet obstruction. This refers to any condition that does not allow the urine to flow from your bladder to the uretha (the tube in which the urine flows out of the body). Enlarged prostate is probably the most common cause.

- Neurogenic bladder. Various problems that can damage the nerves which control the functions of the bladder are: herniated disk, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson`s disease, stroke.