Self-Management Helps Men with Lower Urinary Symptoms

Men with lower urinary tract symptoms attributable to prostatic hypertrophy usually end up receiving medications or surgery. However, lifestyle modifications have the potential to reduce symptoms and the need for additional treatment.

British investigators recruited 140 men older than 40 (mean age, 63) with lower urinary symptoms and randomized them to either usual care (i.e., watchful waiting) or self-management. The self-management group took part in three small group educational sessions emphasizing bladder retraining, double voiding, urethral milking, fluid intake management, avoiding caffeine, and modifying alcohol consumption. Patients taking urinary or prostate medications were excluded. The main outcome measure was treatment failure,…