Top 10 tips

Here you will find a number of tools to help you keep track of your BPH and tips to help you manage the condition. Click here to see how other men have adapted their lives to cope with their irritating peeing habits.

Don't forget that you can get your bladder problems sorted out. Talk to a healthcare professional if you're worried about your symptoms.

  1. Try to relax when you pee. This will help it to flow better.
  2. Try to hold on a bit longer each time you need to go. This way your bladder gets used to holding more urine it's called bladder retraining.
  3. Herbal remedies can sometimes help improve urinary symptoms there is evidence both for and against such treatments working2. You can get these from health food stores.
  4. When you don't want to interrupt an occasion with constant trips to the loo, don't drink much for an hour or two beforehand but take care not to limit your overall intake of drinks, you still need about 1.5 litres per day.
  5. Minimise alcohol consumption. Alcohol can irritate the bladder resulting in an urge to pee.
  6. Steer clear of coffee, tea and other caffeinated drinks. These act as diuretics, making your body produce more urine so you need to go more often.
  7. Try what doctor's call 'double voiding': when you think you're finished, try going again. This helps to make sure your bladder is empty.
  8. Breathing exercises and distraction can help you deal with an urgent need to pee.
  9. Foods containing zinc, lycopenes, and pomegranate seeds are reputed to be good for the prostate gland. These can be found in cooked tomatoes, tomato ketchup, broccoli, wheat germ, and shellfish3.
  10. Make sure your diet includes an adequate amount of fibre (fresh fruit and vegetables) and not too many foods high in saturated fats4.