This is the study of urinary flow rate and bladder pressures. This is the objective pressure testing of the lower urinary tract. The prostate gland forms the outflow tract of the urinary bladder. Poor urinary flow is caused by either prostate enlargement, or urethral stricture disease. However hypotonic bladder is another cause of low flow, in the absence of prostate enlargement.

Mixed urinary symptoms where the ‘irritative / bladder symptoms’ are predominant, may not relate to the prostate alone. Urodynamic testing helps clarify this, and requires a trained nurse with the Urologist to insert small pressure and filling lines into the water pipe and rectum.

Overactive bladder or neurologic conditions can impact the lower urinary tract and urodynamics helps clarify the causes. Often urodynamic testing helps the patient avoid an otherwise unnecessary operation on the prostate. Frequency, urgency and nocturia can co-exist with prostate issues, and again flow and urodynamics studies helps clarify the primary underlying cause of the problem, in order for accurate directed treatment to be most effective.