Does Enlarged Prostate Cause Constipation

Using Palliative Care To Ease Discomfort

For both urinary and bowel incontinence that is caused by compression of nerves in the spinal cord as a result of prostate cancer that has spread to the spine or bones, palliative treatments for metastasized cancer may be of use. These treatments include radiotherapy, medication, or surgical removal of spinal cord tumors. However, these treatment options are not indicated for every situation. Your doctor will help you determine what path is right for you and to improve your quality of life. As always, coping with quality of life symptoms like these can take a toll on an individual or their caretaker both mentally and physically. For this reason, it can be a good idea to consult a therapist or counselor if needed for extra support.

What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasiaalso called BPHis a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also called benign prostatic hypertrophy or benign prostatic obstruction.

The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a mans life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.

As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retentionthe inability to empty the bladder completelycause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

What Causes Bph At What Age Do Men Develop The Condition

Medical professionals do not have a good understanding of what causes an enlarged prostate.

BPH generally begins in a man’s 30s, evolves slowly, and most commonly only causes symptoms after 50.

In benign prostatic hyperplasia, the prostate gland grows in size. It may compress the urethra, which courses through the center of the prostate. This can impede the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra to the outside. Lower urinary tract symptoms from BPH can be due to one of the factors: dynamic, static, and compensatory. Dynamic factors are related to the tone of the muscle surrounding the prostate and the outlet of the bladder whereas static factors are related to the enlargement of the prostate tissue. Dynamic and static symptoms are prostate-related symptoms. Compensatory factors are the result of changes that occur in the bladder as a result of the bladder working harder to push urine past the bladder neck and prostate.

Signs and symptoms of BPH include lower urinary tract symptoms of weak urine stream, difficulty starting the urine stream , straining to urinate, inability to completely empty the bladder, inability to urinate , blood in the urine , leakage of urine , decreased urine flow , and post-void dribbling of urine.

BPH may also be related to the development of bladder stones, recurrent urinary tract infections, and backup of urine in the kidneys .

What Can I Do To Manage My Constipation

Just as every cancer patients treatment is different, the way each person responds to his treatment is also different. While one person may have constipation, another may not. However, there are things you can do to help deal with this treatment side effect.

• Do not take any over-the-counter medicines for your constipation without talking to your doctor or health care team.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. It is important to put back the fluids you lose. A glass of warm liquid when you first get up in the morning may start your bowels moving.
• Add more fiber to your diet. Eat more whole grains, such as bran muffins and cereals, wheat germ, and whole wheat bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, and prunes or prune juice.
• Eat fewer fatty foods .
• Increase your daily exercise. Even a daily walk can help relieve constipation.
• Try not to push hard during bowel movements. This will lower your chance of getting hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins around your anus, which are itchy or painful.
• Speak to your doctor and health care team about medicines you can take to help you.

Plan For Managing Your Constipation

• What foods and drinks will help relieve your constipation?
• What foods should you stay away from if you have constipation?
• How do you get in touch with your doctor or health care team if you need help?

Treatment For Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia can involve:

• Lifestyle changes, such as limiting a night-time consumption of liquids, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, avoiding medication such as diuretics, decongestants and antihistamines and getting more exercise, as well as dietary improvements, such as eating more fibre, avoiding artificial sweeteners and sweetened beverages.
• Medication, such as alpha-blockers or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.
• Interventions, such as the Urolift® system, a non-surgical proprietary device that uses tiny implants to lift the prostate away from the urethra and thereby relieve BPH symptoms that result from pressure on the urethra.
• Surgical procedures, such as a prostatectomy , transurethral microwave thermotherapy , prostate laser, and Transurethral Resection of the Prostate .
• Herbal prostate treatments, such as saw palmetto extract. Saw palmetto extract is made from the fruit of the saw palmetto, which is native to the southeast and Gulf coasts of North America and may potentially assist in reducing urinary frequency and increasing urinary flow.

Treatment of prostate cancer can involve:

Part 2 Of 3:using Medication To Reduce Symptoms

What Can You Do To Avoid Constipation

As I pointed out earlier, normalization of your stool and bowel functioning may directly improve your prostate health, by decreasing the amount of the toxins getting into your prostate and poisoning your body.

If you are suffering from chronic constipation, you should be aware of foods to avoid and foods that help improve bowel movements.Tanin is a component of green and black tea and may contribute to constipation. Dried bilberries, cocoa-containing products , strong tea, too much coffee, red wines, as well as rice porridge, semolina, and jelly may cause delayed bowel movements and result in consumption.

Inclusion of the following foods in the diet helps to empty the bowel regularly:

Why Does Prostate Cancer Cause Constipation

Prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms at early stage. If it does cause the symptoms, these can be very vague. Constipation is commonly associated with dietary factors. But sometime it can be a consequence from cancer of prostate at advanced stage. Furthermore, some treatments for cancer can contribute to cause constipation, too.

Introduction, prostate cancer symptoms

This form of male cancer is pretty common, even in some countries it is the most common cancer in men. The good news, it is likely to develop slowly not aggressively. Even in many cases, patients are suggested to delay taking the treatment, but the disease is continuously monitored.

The bad news, it is less likely to cause symptoms at early stage. The symptoms are more likely to be noticed at advanced stage. Even there is a chance for some patients to have it for many years without knowing it.

The symptoms occur more often when the affected prostate has been large enough to hit and affect the tube that lines from the bladder to the male genital organ. This tube is medically called as urethra.

The affected urethra due to prostate cancer can be characterized by several symptoms. Some of them may include a feeling of not-completely emptying bladder after you pee, increased urge to urinate, and you need to strain to pass urine. See more early signs of prostate cancer in here!

Common causes of constipation

Bladder And Urinary Troubles

A prostate tumor that has grown significantly in size may start to press on your bladder and urethra. The urethra is the passage the carries urine from your bladder out of your body. If the tumor is pressing on your urethra, you might have trouble passing urine.

One of the common areas for prostate cancer to spread to is the bladder, because the two organs are close. This can cause additional problems with urination and bladder function.

Some symptoms your bladder and urethra are being affected by cancer include:

• urinating more frequently
• getting up in the middle of the night to pee
• having blood in your urine or semen
• feeling like you have to urinate often and not actually passing anything

Its not as common, but prostate cancer can also spread to your bowel. The cancer first spreads to the rectum, which is the part of your bowel closest to the prostate gland.

Symptoms of cancer thats spread to the bowels include:

• stomach pain

Bowel Incontinence And Prostate Cancer Treatment

Just as the ways to develop urinary or bowel incontinence are numerous, so are their potential outcomes. In many instances, urinary or bowel incontinence after prostate cancer treatment resolves on its own, as an individual is recovering from the treatment. For example, after radiation therapy, an individual may lose control of their bladder, but this may resolve without any intervention within a few weeks or months. On the other side, there is a possibility that during treatment the nerves or muscles that control these processes can get damaged permanently, and the incontinence may not subside on its own. Before treatment, and even immediately after, its very hard to predict if youll have these issues, and for how long they may last.

How Can I Tell The Difference Between Prostatitis And Bph

If you do not have any symptoms of BPH or any of the types of prostatitis, which can be the situation for some men, you may not be able to tell if you have either problem. However, a doctor or other health care professional can detect enlargement of the prostate with a digital rectal exam , even if you dont have any symptoms.

If you do have symptoms, they are related to the increase in size of your prostate gland. When the gland enlarges, it can constrict the urethra and produce one or more of these symptoms.

• The need to urinate frequently during the day or night
• The sudden urgent need to urinate
• Difficulty initiating urinary stream
• Feeling like you still need to urinate even though you recently urinated
• Feeling like you need to push or strain to empty your bladder
• A decrease in the force of the urine stream
• Loss of small amounts of urine

The symptoms of prostatitis depend upon the type of prostatitis.

Acute bacterial prostatitis symptoms

• Erectile dysfunction

Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis

Some men may have some of these symptoms with both BPH and prostatitis. If you are over age 50, it is more likely BPH than prostatitis, and if you are under age 35, acute bacterial prostatitis is more likely than BPH. In some patients, prostatitis may be recurrent .

What Procedures Or Tests Diagnose This Prostate Problem

A doctor or other health care professional usually can detect an enlarged prostate by rectal examination. A medical professionals may perform a rectal examination to ensure that there are no “nodules,” which are hard, irregular areas in the prostate suspicious for prostate cancer, as well as to assess the size of the prostate. Assessment of prostate size and shape is better assessed with an abdominal or transrectal ultrasound or cystoscopy. A cystoscope is a long, thin telescope-like instrument that has a light source and lens allowing one to look at the urethra, the prostate, and the bladder when inserted through the opening at the tip of the penis. Cystoscopy and/or ultrasound is recommended prior to surgical treatment of BPH. Other tests that medical professionals may perform include: bladder scanner postvoid residual determination and uroflowmetry . Lastly, a PSA is often obtained and if abnormal may require further evaluation to rule out prostate cancer.

The American Urological Association recommends that men with BPH complete the AUA-symptom index , which assesses the degree to which symptoms bother. It is a useful way to assess changes in bothersome symptoms with treatment.

Whats The Connection Between Your Bowel And Bph

You are sitting on the toilet… the clock is ticking the seconds away… you are waiting… still waiting… and for once it is not your bladder that is refusing to divulge its contents, but your bowel.

Constipation and prostate problems may seem like two unrelated conditions but, in fact, they are more connected than they may initially seem.

To understand this connection better, this blog will look at the following points:

• What is constipation?
• What’s the link between the prostate and constipation?
• How do you ease constipation?

How To Reduce Prostate Size

This article was medically reviewed by Janice Litza, MD. Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,131 times.

The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system that can enlarge with age, putting uncomfortable pressure on the urethra. This can cause urinary difficulties, urinary tract infections , and even bladder stones. By making lifestyle changes and using medication, most men can reduce their urinary troubles. A few men, though, may need to consider minimally invasive or traditional surgery options to feel their best.

More Information About Prostatitis

The following is an English-language resource that may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.

• Prostatitis Foundation: This organization provides access to relevant publications , patient testimonials, a list of providers who treat prostatitis in the United States and the United Kingdom, and access to third-party prostatitis-based web sites in French, Swedish, and Italian.

Can Prostatitis And Bph Be Cured

The prognosis for BPH for most patients that undergo treatment is good to fair, depending upon how well patients respond. BPH that requires surgery may result in complications such as erectile dysfunction. The prognosis for patients with more severe BPH symptoms that require surgery and medication for symptom relief is fair. There is no cure for BPH.

Most men with prostatitis may have significant symptom relief, and most men can be cured with long-term appropriate antibiotic treatments. The prognosis for prostatitis ranges from good to fair because some patients have a tendency to have recurrent bouts of the condition.

Bladder Incontinence In Women

Bladder incontinence is more common in women than in men. Other than the possible causes listed above, some things that may increase risk of bladder incontinence in women are:

• Changes to urinary or vaginal tissue from hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy
• Hormonal changes from menopause
• Pelvic prolapse – the bladder, uterus, and or rectum may slip backward or downward into the vaginal canal because of weak pelvic wall muscles
• Pregnancy
• Hysterectomy

What Have I Learned By Reading This

You learned about:

• Why chemotherapy can cause constipation
• How to treat your constipation
• Things you can do to help manage your constipation
• When to call your doctor

If you have any questions, please talk to your doctor or health care team. It is important that you understand what is going on with your prostate cancer treatment. This knowledge will help you take better care of yourself and feel more in control so that you can get the most from your treatment.

Managing Bladder Or Urinary Incontinence

Sometimes urinary incontinence can last a short time, depending on what’s causing it. But sometimes incontinence can be long-term and uncomfortable, making some everyday activities difficult to manage.

Your health care team will ask you questions to determine the type of bladder incontinence you might have. Then, you might need tests to verify the type and learn the cause of it which will help them know the best way to manage it.

• Pelvic floor muscle strengthening may be recommended. A physical therapist that specializes in pelvic floor muscle exercises can help. This might help muscle strength and bladder control get better by doing exercises that tighten and relax muscles that control the flow of urine.
• Bladder training canhelp manage how often you need to urinate throughout the day, by assigning certain time intervals to empty your bladder.

Symptoms Of Enlarged Prostate

BlogBPHbph treatmentdifficulty urinatingenlarged prostatemens health

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, is the enlargement of the prostate gland. About half of men over age 75 will experience symptoms of BPH. BPH is a very minor condition and is not related to prostate cancer. However, symptoms can cause discomfort and be inconvenient.

Losing Control Of Your Bladder

Urinary incontinence can range from uncontrolled release of a full bladder to slower leakage. Leaking urine can also present in varying ways, from leaking a few drops after coughing, exercising, or bending, to leaking large quantities or leaking during sex. This usually improves over time if its a result of prostate cancer treatment, however, it can be longer-lasting if its from spinal cord compression. The good news is, there are some ways to manage losing control of your bladder, if needed, including:

• Absorbent pads or pants
• Pelvic floor muscle exercises
• Bed protectors
• Urinary sheaths

If urine incontinence continues for longer periods of time, or becomes a serious impairment to quality of life, there are other additional options including:

• Artificial urinary sphincter
• Internal male sling
• Anti-cholinergic medications

All of these options for serious impairment require surgery with the exception of medications. Your doctor will help you determine the side effects and potential benefits for your specific case. Additional lifestyle changes may also be beneficial to help fight urinary incontinence, including eating a well-balanced diet with fiber , exercising , avoiding alcoholic, fizzy, or caffeinated drinks, quitting smoking, and retraining your bladder by creating and maintaining a urination schedule.1-4

What Causes Prostatitis Vs Bph

The cause of BPH or enlarged prostate is by benign growth that enlarges the prostate gland. Researchers do not know exactly what causes the gland to enlarge, but they have speculated that it might be related to hormonal changes as men age.

In men under the age of 35, the most common type of prostatitis is acute bacterial prostatitis, while in older patients non-bacterial prostatitis is the most common type. There are four types or syndromes of prostatitis.

• Type I – Acute bacterial prostatitis
• Type II – Chronic bacterial prostatitis
• Type III Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome
• Type IV is asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.

The cause of acute bacterial prostatitis is by bacteria that may be present in the urethra and then infect the prostate gland. Chronic bacterial prostatitis occurs because of inadequate treatment or because of a structural/functional problem in the urinary tract. Researchers and doctors do not completely understand the cause of chronic prostatitis, but it is speculated that the cause may be initiated by neurological injury and/or related to infection.

Surgery For An Enlarged Prostate

For most men with very enlarged prostates, surgery can relieve symptoms — but there are both risks and benefits with each type of operation. Discuss them with your doctor. After a careful evaluation of your situation and your general medical condition, your doctor will recommend which is best for you.

TURP : This is the most common surgery for an enlarged prostate, and considered to bring the greatest reduction in symptoms. Only the tissue growth that is pressing against the urethra is removed to allow urine to flow easily. The procedure involves an electrical loop that cuts tissue and seals blood vessels. Most doctors suggest using TURP whenever surgery is required, as it is less traumatic than open surgery and requires shorter recovery time.

With the TURP procedure, patients can expect to have retrograde ejaculation afterwards, says Westney. This is a condition in which a man ejaculates backward into the bladder instead of through the urethra. “Retrograde ejaculation generally isn’t painful,” she tells WebMD. “It shouldn’t be an issue unless fertility is a concern.” Other possible side effects include blood loss requiring transfusion , painful urination, recurring urinary tract infections, bladder neck narrowing, and blood in the urine.

After TURP, the odds of erection problems range from 5% to 35%. However, this is often temporary — and the ability to have an erection and an orgasm returns after a few months.

The Relationship Between Constipation And The Prostate Is Kind Of Like The Old Chicken And Egg Conundrum

The egg: Constipation, aka the build-up of feces in the intestine , can put pressure on the bladder and the prostate, which can cause symptoms resembling those associated with an enlarged prostate. The chicken: an enlarged prostate can put pressure on the rectum and cause constipation. But wait, theres more

Sonia Chartier

Sexual Function After Surgery

Many men worry about whether surgery for BPH will affect their ability to enjoy sex. Some sources state that sexual function is rarely affected, while others claim that it can cause problems in up to 30 percent of cases. However, most doctors say that even though it takes awhile for sexual function to return fully, with time, most men are able to enjoy sex again.

Complete recovery of sexual function may take up to 1 year, lagging behind a persons general recovery. The exact length of time depends on how long after symptoms appeared that BPH surgery was done and on the type of surgery. Following is a summary of how surgery is likely to affect the following aspects of sexual function.

Living With Bowel Incontinence

You can help manage bowel incontinence by following a bowel care plan and using the toilet before you leave home. You can also make sure you carry your medications, supplies, fecal deodorants, and a change of clothes with you.

Anal discomfort, itching, and irritation can be common. Here are some ways to help manage these symptoms:

• Wash the anal area after a bowel movement or use baby wipes.
• Use a moisture-barrier cream in the anal area.
• Use wick pads or disposable underwear.
• Change soiled underwear frequently to keep the anal area clean and dry.