The prostate is a reproductive gland that produces fluid to carry sperm during the process of ejaculation. The prostate envelops the urethra, the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body to eliminate waste. When a prostate becomes enlarged, it is often referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, and the condition can lead to a host of bladder and urination problems. When seeking medical advice on this condition, ask the right questions so you can make informed medical decisions that are right for you.
What are My Chances of Having an Enlarged Prostate?
According to website of the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), more than half of men in their 60s and as many as 90 percent in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of an enlarged prostate. MedlinePlus--the National Library of Medicine's and the National Institutes of Health's website--states that the chances of developing an enlarged prostate increase with age. If you suspect an enlarged prostate, there may be other factors at play that your doctor should evaluate.
Are My Symptoms Those of an Enlarged Prostate?
Less than half of all men with an enlarged prostate experience symptoms, and most men with symptoms are older than 60. Symptoms include problems urinating such as incontinence or dribbling at the end of urination, an inability to urinate or fully empty your bladder, the need to urinate frequently (particularly at night), pain during urination and a perceived change in the speed or rate of urine flow.
How Will You Diagnose Whether I Have an Enlarged Prostate?
Your doctor will usually take a complete medical history, then perform a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland and determine whether it is too large. Depending on what he finds, your doctor may recommend a urine-flow and pressure-flow-rate test to see how fast and how strong your urine stream is. He may ask for a post-void test to determine how much urine is left in your bladder after urination.
What Else Could Be Wrong?
Doctors usually rule out all other options to diagnose a condition. Diagnosing an enlarged prostate is no exception. In addition to a digital rectal exam, your doctor will also take samples of blood and urine to look for blood in the urine or for other signs of infection. Blood may also be taken to screen for prostate cancer.
How is an Enlarged Prostate Treated?
In the majority of cases, an enlarged prostate is nothing to be concerned about, and self-care can help minimize any uncomfortable symptoms, according to MedlinePlus. Depending on the severity of the symptoms and the size of the prostate, medication or even surgery may be recommended as part of treatment.
Can an Enlarged Prostate be Handled Without Medications?
If symptoms are mild, self-care steps can help ease discomfort, after which point a yearly exam is performed to track any changes. Steps include urinating whenever possible, whether or not you have to go. The bottom line is to not wait when you first get the urge. Avoid drinking a lot of fluid at one time, and instead spread your fluid consumption throughout the day. Steering clear of alcohol and caffeine, especially after dinner, is recommended, as is avoiding any drinks within two hours of bedtime. Minimize your consumption of decongestants or medications with antihistamines that can increase prostate-related symptoms.
Are There Any Exercises that Help?
MedlinePlus recommends keeping warm and exercising to help keep symptoms at bay, or at least keep them from getting worse. Pelvic strengthening exercises known as Kegels, which involve the tightening and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles, are a way to help reduce symptom severity.
When is Surgery Necessary?
When symptoms are severe, or if medication and self-care treatments have failed to alleviate discomfort, surgery is considered. While there are different types of surgical options, surgery may be the preferred treatment if blood continuously appears in the urine, if you have frequent urinary tract infections, if you have become incontinent or are unable to fully empty your bladder, or if you have bladder stones. In addition, if your kidney functioning suffers as a result of the prostate's size, surgery is likely. MedlinePlus outlines surgical options ranging from a transurethral resection of the prostate known as TURP--in which a scope goes through the penis to remove the prostate piece by piece--to a prostatectomy, where the inner part of the prostate gland is removed via an abdominal incision.
What Happens if an Enlarged Prostate Goes Unchecked?
The longer you go without treating an enlarged prostate, the greater the chances of developing symptoms that will likely grow worse over time. Incontinence, urinary tract infections, painful urinary stones and kidney damage are all possibilities if no measures are taken to treat an enlarged prostate. A doctor should help rule out the possibility of more serious conditions, such as prostate cancer. The NKUDIC website states, "while in eight out of 10 cases symptoms suggest BPH, but they also can signal other, more serious conditions that require prompt treatment. These conditions, including prostate cancer, can be ruled out only by a doctor's examination."
Where Can I go To Learn More?
Your doctor should be able to provide you with literature about an enlarged prostate, and she may recommend you seek additional support information from one of two organizations--the American Urological Association Foundation at auafoundation.org, or the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse at kidney.niddk.nih.gov. Both sites are full of information that should answer any other questions that may arise after you leave the doctor's office.
