Bladder outlet obstruction, or BOO, is caused when the base of the bladder is blocked to reduce or prevent urine from flowing into the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. Many different medical conditions, from scar tissue to bladder stones to tumors, can cause the bladder to become obstructed. Symptoms can vary from mild and uncomfortable to severe and painful and should always be carefully evaluated by a doctor for a definitive diagnosis.
Symptoms Requiring a Doctor Consult
Contact your doctor if you notice a change in your normal pattern of urination, particularly if these changes are accompanied by fever or chills. According to the Mayo Clinic, any of these changes could indicate bladder obstruction. Symptoms of change can include a urine stream that is weaker than usual or even stops and starts. If you have to put effort or strain into urinating, if you notice dribbling after completing urination or if you feel like your bladder is not completely empty after using the bathroom, you should get to a doctor. Last but not least, waking up to use the bathroom more than usual is called "nocturia" and should be checked out by a doctor.
Symptoms Requiring Emergency Treatment
If you can't pass urine and feel like you have urine sitting in your bladder, it is important to get emergency treatment. ER doctors will usually place a urinary catheter tube to drain your bladder. Prompt removal of urine can prevent serious health problems resulting from urine backing up into your system.
Symptoms, Age and Sex
Bladder outlet obstruction and symptoms associated with it are more common in men than women, according to MedlinePlus. The risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, a condition that causes BOO, increases with age. Bladder stones and bladder cancers, which lead to symptoms and diagnoses of BOO, are also more common in men than women.
