Question: Often I feel like I have to use the bathroom immediately. What causes this to happen? I am 70 years old.
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
The sudden urge to urinate often occurs when there is a subtle bladder obstruction or the bladder wall is irritated or distended.
In men, this is usually from an enlarged prostate (or sometimes prostate cancer), which causes bladder distension. This can trigger a sudden urge to urinate.
In women, this is usually caused by a bladder infection (rare in men), and the bladder irritability creates a sense of frequency and urgency.
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