Medical professionals advise men over the age of 40 to pay extra attention to prostate diseases as they are inevitable due to changes in male hormones.
The disorders cause enlargement of the prostate that will then compress the urethra, leading to urination difficulties. Says a specialist in urology, Dr Richard Lo Kwong-yin : 'Men spend the first half of their life making money, and the second half making water'.
According to statistics, more than half of the males aged over 40 in Hong Kong are suffering from hyperplasia of the prostate and the numbers double to more than 80 per cent among those over 80 years of age.
But fearing a loss of face, most men do not share these concerns with their families or friends and even hesitate to consult a doctor when they encounter urination problems at first, usually from mid 50s.
'The symptoms come gradually and silently, not as obvious as a cold or a fever,' says Dr Lo.
The effect of this also varies from person to person as some are tolerant to the changes while find it very difficult to cope up with.