title: Male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. 1: Assessment.
abstract: Male lower urinary tract symptoms include frequency, nocturia, urgency, urge incontinence, stress incontinence, post-micturition dribble and post-prostatectomy incontinence. All of these symptoms can be treated conservatively. In this article, the first of two parts, a detailed subjective and objective assessment is provided based on a Delphi study undertaken by the author. The objective assessment includes a digital rectal examination to assess the pelvic floor muscle strength in order to provide a patient-specific exercise programme. The diagnosis of stress incontinence, urge incontinence, post-prostatectomy incontinence, post-micturition dribble and functional incontinence is made from the assessment. Men with lower urinary tract symptoms need a detailed subjective and objective assessment before a diagnosis is made and individual treatment is planned.
authors.affiliation: Somerset Nuffield Hospital, Taunton and North Devon District Hospital Trust, Barnstaple.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dorey
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing*