Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a medical term to describe an enlarged prostate, a condition that can make urination difficult or even impossible. The growth of the prostate gland squeezes the urethra, which can restrict urine flow from the bladder, causing inconvenient urinary symptoms.
The prostate is a male gland located just below the urinary bladder of men. The size of the prostate gland increases with age. The causes of enlarged prostate are not known; risk factors include age and function of testicles. When the prostate increases in size, the condition is referred to as Benign prostatic hyperplasia and is not cancerous. It is normal for the prostate gland to grow as you get older. Sometimes, the size of the prostate increases in size due to certain medical conditions.
In most cases, it does not lead to prostate cancer. Many men get confused with prostate cancer symptoms as the signs of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer are quite similar. Symptoms of prostate cancer include blood in the urine, trouble urinating, bone pain, blood in the semen, and decreased force in the stream of urine.
More than half of all men over the age of 60 and 80% of all men suffer from prostate gland enlargement, which is not cancerous.
Effect of enlarged prostate on the bladder
An enlarged prostate can press around the urethra, interfering with the urine flow through the urethra, which means the bladder needs to apply more pressure to get the urine out. This causes the thickening of bladder walls, which reduces the capacity and contractibility, reducing its ability to expel urine. The result may be frequent urination accompanied by a weak stream and sudden urges to urinate. If the bladder cannot pull itself together and the urine inside can’t be squeezed out, the build-up of residual urine can be the breeding ground for bacteria that lead to urinary tract infections. Other associated complications include leakage or backflow of urine into the kidneys, damaging them.
Recognizing the Symptoms of BPH
The BPH symptoms blocking the urethra include difficulty in emptying the bladder, weak urine flow, trouble resisting the urge to urinate, the need to urinate often and at night, and feeling that the bladder is not completely emptied.
The problems associated with bladder emptying can sometimes completely stop the urine flow and cause urinary tract infections that are difficult to treat. The symptoms may also result from other illnesses of the urinary system. One must take the advice of a doctor if one or more of these symptoms persist. BPH treatment is required to help treat the condition before it worsens.
An enlarged prostate begins to squeeze the urethra, and when that happens, an affected individual might find difficulty in passing water. He must go to the toilet more often during the day or night. Because it is difficult for your bladder to squeeze out the urine, it will never complete, and it takes a shorter time to fill up again.
Over time, other symptoms of an enlarged prostate begin to develop. As the bladder muscle has to do extra work, the bladder wall can become thicker and less flexible, and the bladder can also become overactive. This causes the need to pass urine urgently, often called a surge continence.
Diagnosing & Treating BPH
An individual with an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia might undergo several different tests to find out if he is dealing with benign prostate enlargement. A urine test and other tests must be carried out at a health care center. There will be a need for some tests to rule out other conditions that cause similar symptoms to BPH prostate, such as prostate cancer. So be careful and look out for the symptoms of prostate cancer that are mentioned above.
Enlarged prostate treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms. There is no need for immediate BPH treatment in case of mild prostate symptoms, but it is essential to have a regular prostate check-up. An individual with an enlarged prostate is often advised to make lifestyle changes such as linting alcohol intake and caffeine and drinking fewer artificial sweeteners. Medications for enlarged prostate help to reduce the size of the prostate and relax your bladder. Symptoms may be recommended to treat the moderate to severe symptoms of BPH. Different types of medication are available that help to reduce bladder infection symptoms and improve to get rid of bladder pain.
Another prostate care option, surgery, is recommended for men with moderate to severe symptoms of enlarged prostate that have failed to respond to the medicinal therapy. Discuss with a doctor to learn more about prostate treatment that helps to reduce the side effects of enlarged prostate.
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