One bothersome symptom of having benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is frequent urination at night. Nighttime urination or nocturia. This happens because your enlarged prostate presses against the urethra (the tube where your urine out of your body) and obstruct the flow of urine. As a result, your bladder wall gets irritable. Then your bladder begins to contract even though when it only has a small amount of urine.

This irritating problem of frequent nighttime urination is more common among men than women.  Usually a man’s prostate gland starts to enlarge after he reaches 40 years of age. Having enlarged prostate is the most common health problem for men who are more than 60 years of age. The actual reason why one’s prostate increases in size is still not known. Even though benign prostatic hyperplasia  aka BPH is not cancerous, but in some cases, blockage from prostate enlargement may cause repeated urinary tract infections. The problem is it could lead to  bladder or kidney damage.

The Driving Awareness of Urinary Symptoms Cartoon Contest by GolinHaris Malaysia  is still on until 23rd July 2012. Here is a sample of  one o the cartoons.

(with permission from tan lay khim)