Little known medical condition causing havoc for men in the bathroom
10 November 2025
Men could be dismissing bothersome bathroom issues, like difficulty urinating, a slow stream, or needing more effort to “go” as a consequence of stress, dehydration, or as something related to their prostate.
However, it could be the result of an often overlooked and misunderstood condition, urethral stricture disease, which occurs when scarring narrows the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) is encouraging all men, especially younger men, to not ignore any “plumbing problems” they have, and to talk openly with their GP if they have symptoms.
“We want men to know that trouble going to the toilet is not just about the prostate, and for younger men especially, it may be a sign of a urethral stricture,” said Dr Giovanni Losco, USANZ Male Lower Urinary Tract SAG Deputy Leader.
“Difficulties going to the toilet can have significant consequences including distress and embarrassment, social avoidance, anxiety, and increased risk of urinary tract infections,” added Dr Losco
“But the good news is, there are treatments and real solutions that restore normal life,” he said.
In Australia, around 1 in 100 men will develop urethral stricture, which can be caused by trauma and injury, medical intervention, or sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhoea and chlamydia. Although for many men, the cause is often never known.
Common symptoms include: slow or weak urine stream; straining or pushing to get flow started; going more frequently or urgently; and spraying or a split stream.
“Men may also notice pain when they ejaculate, which can be incredibly uncomfortable,” Dr Losco said.
“Yet, despite the pain and discomfort, many men just live with these problems either because they believe they’re a normal part of life, or they’re embarrassed.” he added.
“We see young men who have lived with symptoms for months or years before coming to us,” he said.
The symptoms for urethral strictures can appear similar to prostate enlargement, which can lead to unnecessary tests and a missed opportunity to intervene early.
Urologists can order simple tests to see if someone has a urethral stricture, including a urine flow test, bladder ultrasound, other imaging, or a cystoscopy, where a small camera is used to check for strictures.
“If you’re under 50 and you are having trouble going to the toilet, it is important to consider if it's prostate related, but for many that isn’t going to be the case, and patients should be asking for the simple checks for a stricture first,” said Dr Losco.
There are several treatment options for strictures some of which are minimally invasive and can be done as a day procedure.
“Patients who have had successful treatment often can’t believe just how strong their stream can be, and how much easier it is to go to the toilet,” said Dr Losco.
About the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand
USANZ is the peak professional body for urological surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. Urologists are surgeons who treat men, women and children with problems involving the kidney, bladder, prostate and male reproductive organs. These conditions include cancer, stones, infection, incontinence, urination difficulties, sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor problems.
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