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Enlarged Prostate
It is very common for the prostate
gland to enlarge with age. This known as benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH). The prostate goes through two main stages of growth in an
average lifespan. The first happens in the initial stages of puberty
when the prostate doubles in size. Then in one’s mid 20’s the
prostate begins to grow again. This growth spurt often (many years
later) leads to BPH.
Benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the medical term for an enlarged
prostate. It is very common and will happen to most men if they live
long enough. The prostate goes through two main phases of growth. The
first in puberty where the prostate doubles in size. The second
happens at around 25years when the prostate starts growing again.
This can often lead to BPH many years later. When the prostate
enlarges, there is a layer of tissue around it that stops it from
expanding. However this presses against the urethra and makes the
bladder wall thicker and more irritable. The bladder begins to become
sensitive to even the smallest amount of urine, causing the constant
need to urinate. After a while the bladder loses the ability to
properly empty, so urine stays in the bladder. What causes BPH is
not known. Doctors know that BPH occurs mostly in older men and it
does not happen to males who had their testes removed before puberty.
The older a man is the less amount of active testosterone he has in
his blood leaving a higher proportion of estrogen (the female
hormone). Research on animals show that BPH may happen because of
more estrogen in the prostate gland which increases the activity of
cell growth. Symptoms of BPH include:
Constant
need to urinate
Interrupted
sleep because of needing to urinate
Difficulty
starting urination
Weak
urine stream
Dribbling/leakage
of urine
Urinary
tract infections
Blood
in urine
Benign
prostatic hyperplasia can be treated in several ways. For men with
mild BPH ‘watchful waiting’ is often advised. During this period
men receive regular checkups and report any unbearable pain related
to BPH to their doctor. Some males find that the symptoms of BPH are
just an annoyance and do not need drug therapy, however for those
whose symptoms affect day to day activities or endanger their health
drugs are advised. Alpha blockers are usually given to help soothe
the muscles of the prostate releasing some of the pressure around the
urethra and reducing resistance to urine flow. In some cases however
drug therapy does not provide the desired results and surgery is
needed.
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