SUNDAY, 24th October, 2021: A medical expert has urged older men to take better care of their prostrate health to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) as well as other health complications.
Consultant urologist, Prof. Tijani gave this charge while revealing that although UTIs are more common in women, men also suffer from the infection.
According to the consultant urologist, while cases of UTI are rare among young men, it is quite prevalent in men from 50 years of age. This, he said, is due to the state of the prostate.
He said, "“UTI is more common in women than men because the urethra is closer to the anus in women than in men. So, because most UTIs usually come from the anus, that is the major thing. But, yes, men have it but it is not common.
“It becomes more common in men as they become elderly from the 50s and 60s because of the prostate but generally young men rarely have it unless there is an underlying cause.”
He explained that the reason why older men are prone to UTIs is because of the inability of urine to flow freely through the prostate.
Explaining with an analogy, the professor said, “If you have a gutter that is flowing very well, things will not grow in it but if the gutter is stationary and something blocks it, things will start growing in that gutter. That is the same thing with the urinary tract in men.
“So, when they have a prostate enlargement that is slowing down the urine or there’s any problem that is slowing down the urine, this may lead to urinary tract infection.
This buttresses the recent report of 75-year-old former president of the US, Bill Clinton wwho as hospitalised at the University of California, Irvine Medical Centre, due to a urinary tract infection.
According to reports, an aide to the former president confirmed that he had a urological infection that spread to his bloodstream but was on medication.