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LUTS in Men: Diagnosis & Assessment in London

Consultant urologist reviewing LUTS diagnosis results with a patient in London

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS): understanding your body’s signals & getting the right diagnosis

LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms — problems with urination) affect millions of men. Mr Ollandini provides expert assessment to identify the cause — from BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia — a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate) to overactive bladder — and guide the right treatment.

This page is undergoing review

If urinary symptoms are starting to run your day — planning journeys around toilets, waking at night, or worrying about a weak stream — you're not being "dramatic". LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms — problems with urination) can quietly reshape sleep, confidence, and social life.

The good news: LUTS are common. A clear, evidence-based pathway exists to investigate them. Diagnosis aims to understand your pattern, find (or rule out) important causes, and choose the least invasive options that fit.

Feeling overwhelmed by details? You don’t need to memorise this page. Use it to recognise what you’re experiencing and understand what usually happens next — step by step.

Seek urgent help if you cannot pass urine at all. Also seek urgent help if you have fever or rigors with urinary symptoms, severe pain, new weakness or numbness in the legs, or visible blood in the urine with clots.

On this page

1. What LUTS are

Medical Evidence

NICE guideline CG97: Lower urinary tract symptoms in men: management (last reviewed 19 Dec 2024). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Source:NICE.ORG.UK

NICE guideline NG123: Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women: management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

PIF TICK accredited information

The Patient Information Forum is the UK membership organisation and network for people working in health information and support. The PIF TICK is the UK-wide Quality Mark for Health Information.

Author —Published —Last update 13 December 2025Next review 13 December 2026Version —

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This content has been produced for educational purposes and reflects current evidence-based practice. Although GGO Med Ltd is a private urology service, all patient information is compiled with the aim of being accurate, evidence-based, and free from commercial bias. If you feel this content does not meet that standard, we would welcome your feedback — please contact us here.

Your Health is Our Priority

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS): understanding your body’s signals & getting the right diagnosis

NICE guideline CG97: Lower urinary tract symptoms in men: management (last reviewed 19 Dec 2024). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

NICE guideline NG123: Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women: management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

PIF TICK accredited information

1. What LUTS are (in simple terms)

At a glance

2. Symptom groups

3. Why causes differ by gender and life stage

4. Common causes of LUTS

5. The UK diagnostic pathway

6. FAQs

International Continence Society (ICS): Overactive Bladder factsheet, urgency definition, and nocturia definition. ICS Standardisation Committee.

EAU Guidelines: Management of Non-neurogenic Male LUTS (2024; 2025 reprint). European Association of Urology.

Coyne KS, Sexton CC, Thompson CL, et al. The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the USA, the UK and Sweden: results from the Epidemiology of LUTS (EpiLUTS) study. BJU International. 2009;104(3):352–360.

Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2002;21(2):167–178.

Your Health is Our Priority

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS): understanding your body’s signals & getting the right diagnosis

Evidence & Medical Sources6 Sources Verified

NICE guideline CG97: Lower urinary tract symptoms in men: management (last reviewed 19 Dec 2024). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

NICE guideline NG123: Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women: management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

PIF TICK accredited information

1. What LUTS are (in simple terms)

In-depth: why LUTS matter medically, not just socially

In-depth: how common are LUTS?

At a glance

2. Symptom groups

Storage LUTS (holding urine): frequency, urgency, nocturia, leakage

Voiding LUTS (emptying urine): weak stream, hesitancy, straining, stop–start flow

Post-micturition LUTS (after-weeing): post-void dribble, “not empty” feeling

3. Why causes differ by gender and life stage

Men

Women

Younger adults

LGBTQ+ inclusive care

4. Common causes of LUTS

Urological causes

Neurological and systemic causes

Medication and lifestyle contributors

5. The UK diagnostic pathway

Step 1: your story (history) + symptom scoring

Step 2: examination (tailored)

Step 3: baseline tests

Step 4: simple function tests (often the “workhorses”)

Step 5: targeted specialist tests (only when needed)

6. FAQs

Is getting up at night to wee “normal”?

Does a weak stream always mean “prostate trouble”?

Why do I need tests if I can describe my symptoms clearly?

International Continence Society (ICS): Overactive Bladder factsheet, urgency definition, and nocturia definition. ICS Standardisation Committee.

EAU Guidelines: Management of Non-neurogenic Male LUTS (2024; 2025 reprint). European Association of Urology.

Coyne KS, Sexton CC, Thompson CL, et al. The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the USA, the UK and Sweden: results from the Epidemiology of LUTS (EpiLUTS) study. BJU International. 2009;104(3):352–360.

Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2002;21(2):167–178.