5 Things You Need to Know About Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

1. Got BPH Discomfort?

Symptoms from an enlarged prostate gland, also known as BPH, range from mild to debilitating. The most likely symptoms include trouble initiating urination, weak urine flow, excess dribbling after urination, continuous need to urinate, night waking to urinate, sense of urgency to urinate, inability to empty the bladder completely, painful urination and blood in urine. There is no correlation between the degree of enlargement and the severity of symptoms. Minor enlargement may result in severe symptoms while significant enlargement may not produce any symptoms.

2. Origins of an Enlarged Prostate

Doctors haven't identified exactly what causes and enlarged prostate; however, they know that prostate problems increase with age. This is because the prostate continues to grow throughout life, reaching its peak weight in the seventh decade. Most men don't experience symptoms of BPH before the age of 40; however, many men over the age of 60 report some symptoms. Heredity also plays a role in BPH. Your chances of experiencing BPH go up if your brother, father or grandfather had problems. Finally, if you're Caucasian or black, you're more likely to experience symptoms than an Asian man.

3. Proving the Prostate Problem

Call the doctor if you're experiencing persistent and disturbing BPH symptoms. The doctor will likely perform a prostate exam, during which one finger is inserted into your rectum. This may be uncomfortable, but it's the best way for the doctor to feel your prostate. Your doctor may also request a urine sample to determine if something else is causing your symptoms. Sometimes doctors request more complicated tests including transrectal ultrasound, cytoscopy, a CT urogram, urinary flow test and a postvoid residual volume test. Finally, most doctors do a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) to rule out prostate cancer.

4. Easing the Prostate Gland

Medication is the least invasive and most common treatment for BPH. Alpha blockers, such as doxazosin, tamsulosin, and alfuzosin help by relaxing the muscles surrounding your bladder and making urination easier. Medications called, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, function by reducing the size of your prostate. Both medications minimize symptoms, but it generally takes longer to see the results from 5-alpha reductase inhibitors than alpha blockers. More invasive treatments include microwave therapy, transurethral needle ablation, interstitial laser therapy and prostatic stents. Surgery is reserved for severe cases of BPH which don't respond to less invasive treatment.

5. Promote Prostate Health

Prostate problems may lead to more serious conditions, such as acute urinary retention, urinary tract infection, stones in the bladder, damage to the bladder and damage to the kidney. Therefore it's important to take care of your prostate. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, since both can aggravate symptoms. Prevent night wakings by reducing beverage consumption prior to bed. Schedule regular opportunities to relieve your bladder and eliminate whenever you have the urge. Use antihistamines and decongestants only when absolutely necessary.