Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Prostate usually increases over age. This increase is called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH and is commonly found among older men. The increase in prostate can block leakage of urine from the bladder and cause problems and concerns associated with bladder, urinary tract or kidneys. Treatment for this condition at the discretion of your doctor may consist of lifestyle changes, drug therapy and surgical therapy.

What is the prostate

Prostate is a gland that only men have. It is located under the bladder. It passes through the urethra - the last part of the urinary tract that conducts urine from the bladder to the outside environment. This gland has a size of chestnut, and its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm.

After 50th year of age prostate gradually increases. A very large part of men older than 70 have an enlarged prostate.

Reasons

It is not known why BPH occurs only in some men.

Symptoms

Usually symptoms get worse over time. Symptoms caused by BPH can include:

Weakened gush of urine

Difficulties during starting to urine

Interruptions during micturition

Frequent or urgent urges for urination

Frequent urination at night ( nocturia )

Not having the ability to totally void the bladder

Blood in the urine ( hematuria )

Frequent urinary tract infections

Stones in the bladder

Impaired renal function

The degree of enlargement in prostate does not always correlate with the degree of expression of symptoms. The severity of symptoms caused by prostate enlargement varies from person to person. Some men even though the prostate is very enlarged expressed no concerns and vice versa.

Risk factors

Age- about two - thirds of men over 70 have problems associated with enlarge prostate

Family predisposition

Complications

Acute retention of urine

- Occurs if there is a complete blockage of urine flow

Chronic retention

- By failing to empty the complete bladder. It can cause:

incontinence - inability to retention of urine

frequent urinary infections

occurrence of stones in the bladder, which in turn can be a cause of frequent infections, irritation or obstruction of the bladder

bladder damage

failure of kidneys

BPH does not increase the risk of occurrence of prostate cancer

Diagnosis

BPH is usually diagnosed based on typical symptoms and medical examination. Tests are not always necessary. However, sometimes it is advisable to do some tests to rule out other reasons for the symptoms, to exclude possible complications and to assess the degree of prostate enlargement.

Therapy

Did you treat BPH primarily depends on severity of symptoms. Often the condition causes no impairments or complications, so treatment is not always required.

Careful monitoring

After diagnosis it may estimate that it is best not to start with treatment. Then passes the so-called careful monitoring "watchful waiting". This is the best option if you have mild symptoms that do not affect the quality of your life. In this case it is necessary regularly monitoring of the situation.

Drug therapy

There are two main groups of drugs

Alpha blockers

Their mechanism of action is that they relax the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck. Such drugs as terazosin, prazosin, tamsulosin and many others.

Inhibitors of 5 alpha reductase

Their mechanism of action is the blocking of an enzyme that participates in conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is considered responsible for increasing prostate. By reducing its concentration decreases the size of the gland.

Your doctor will decide about which medication to use and whether a combination of drugs is need. We recommend you to consult a doctor about the length of treatment and the potential side effects of these drugs.

Herbal medicines

Currently there is no firm evidence about the thesis that herbal medicines reduce symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate.

Surgical therapy

If symptoms are more strongly expressed and drug therapy fails to deliver the desired reduction of the same, then the surgical therapy or removal of the gland is needed.

It removes the central part of the gland and thus expands the canal through which urine flows. This operation differs from the operation of prostate cancer, in which the gland is removed. There are several types of operations, and for more details about them ask your surgeon. Below we will mention only a few of them:

Transurethral resection of the prostate

Open prostatectomy

Transurethral incision of the prostate

Laser prostatectomy