What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Enlargement
Not every man with an enlarged prostate has symptoms. But when symptoms do occur, they are related to the prostate obstructing the flow of urine through the urethra. This can lead to problems such as:
- Difficulty in starting or stopping urination;
- Dribbling of urine after urination has stopped ;
- A weak urine stream;
- Pain in the area between the scrotum and the anus; and
- A feeling that the bladder is not empty even after urinating.
Although these symptoms are usually due to an enlarged prostate, they may also be caused by other serious conditions . So men should always see a doctor if they notice changes in the how they urinate, or how often.
The Most Common Prostate Problem Among Men Over Age 50 This Condition Can Cause Embarrassing Urination Issues
While BPH does not increase your risk of getting prostate cancer or having sexual problems, it can affect quality of life, specifically by causing annoying and embarrassing urination problems.
“Since prostate enlargement happens gradually, men often think more frequent trips to the bathroom are a natural part of aging,” says Dr. Howard LeWine, chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “But a little medication can help relieve symptoms, meaning less urinary urgency and fewer nighttime awakenings to use the bathroom.”
Tips For Relieving Bph Symptoms
Four simple steps can help relieve some of the symptoms of BPH:
For more on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases, read;the;Annual Report on Prostate Diseases;from Harvard Medical School.
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Catching The Condition Early
How Common Is Prostate Enlargement
Prostate enlargement is the most common condition affecting the prostate. In fact, almost all Australian men will experience urinary problems due to an enlarged prostate at some point in their lives. Prostate enlargement also goes by several other names, including the term BPH, which is short for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or benign prostatic hypertrophy. The word benign means that the enlargement is not due to cancer, and hyperplasia or hypertrophy means that the prostate has grown bigger.
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How Is Prostate Enlargement Diagnosed
Your GP will take steps to diagnose the cause of your urinary symptoms. Your doctor may:
- Ask about your personal, medical and family history;
- Ask you to describe your symptoms and how much they interfere with your life;
- Do a physical examination this will usually include the doctor checking the size, shape and feel of the prostate by placing a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum ;
- Request urine or blood tests a blood test can check levels of a particular protein. Levels of this protein can become high due to prostate problems such as an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer; or
- Request an ultrasound scan of your prostate, bladder and kidneys. This may include a scan before and after emptying your bladder to see if significant urine remains after voiding.
Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
As mentioned above, the most common symptoms of an enlarged prostate are urination problems. Its because the prostate portion surrounding the urethra narrows the normal passage of urine. These problems become worse as the patient gets older.
The progression prolongs which some patients may not even realize. They learn to live with the symptoms and sometimes wont even report them. However, it is crucial to recognize the symptoms of an enlarged prostate and consult your doctor.
Heres a list of the most important symptoms .
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About Half Of Men Older Than 50 Have An Enlarged Prostate Here Are Some Of The Basic Facts You Need To Know About This Common Condition
As men age, many experience prostate gland enlargement. This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia .
The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the hollow tube that carries urine out of the body. When the prostate gets bigger, it can squeeze or partially block the urethra, which leads to problems urinating.
BPH is quite common in older men. In fact, the condition impacts about 50% of men between the ages of 51 and 60. For men 80 and older, the prevalence of BPH is approximately 90%, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
How Well Does Surgery Work
The International Prostate Symptom Score helps you describe how bad your symptoms are. This index can also be used to measure how well various treatments might work for your symptoms. But the most important thing is how much the symptoms bother you.
TURP
Symptoms get better for more than 70 out of 100 men who have this surgery.footnote 1
Men who are very bothered by their symptoms are most likely to notice great improvement. Men who are not very bothered by their symptoms are less likely to notice a big change.
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Anatomy Review Function Of The Prostate
The main function of the prostate glad is to serve as a reproductive organ. It is responsible for producing prostate fluid, which is one of the main components of semen. The prostate gland muscles also help to transport semen into the urethra during ejaculation.;;
The prostate gland sits just below the bladder, where the bladder and urethra connect. In early life, its about the size and shape of a chestnut, and grows to different sizes throughout a mans life.;
What Causes Prostate Enlargement
The causes of prostate enlargement are not yet fully understood but are thought to be related to the male sex hormone which controls the growth of the prostate. The prostate is initially quite small, but as men age, testosterone feeds the prostate and it starts to get bigger. From birth to around the early teenage years, the prostate increases in size by around 8 times. It doubles again in size from around the early 20s through to 50 years of age, and then doubles again by around the age of 80. With such large increases in size, its easy to see why the prostate can begin to squeeze the urethra and make it difficult to urinate.
There may also be a genetic link to prostate enlargement, because the sons of men with an enlarged prostate are more likely to develop prostate disease.
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What If I Can’t Have Surgery
Surgery isnt always an option you may not be fit or well enough for an operation, or you may not like the idea of it. If surgery isnt suitable for you and lifestyle changes and medicines havent worked, your doctor or nurse may suggest using a catheter. This is a thin, flexible tube used to drain urine from your bladder. The catheter may be permanent or temporary.
A permanent catheter;is passed up into the bladder through your penis, or through a small cut in your abdomen. The catheter is usually attached to a drainage bag, which you strap on to your body under your clothing. Your doctor or nurse will usually change your catheter every 12 weeks.
A temporary catheter; is where you put a catheter in yourself when you need to urinate, rather than leaving one in all the time. Your doctor or nurse will show you how to put the catheter in and tell you how often to use it. Some men can urinate quite well without a catheter and only use it once a day to make sure they empty their bladder regularly. Other men need to use a temporary catheter several times a day.
You can lower your chances of getting a urine infection by keeping your catheter and the area around it clean. You may find the following tips helpful.
Let your nurse know if your catheter isnt draining properly. If urine hasnt drained from your bladder for 2 to 3 hours, contact your GP or district nurse straight away.
Your Quality Of Life With An Enlarged Prostate
If your enlarged prostate symptoms are mild and not bothersome, there’s likely no need for treatment. One-third of men with mild BPH find that their symptoms clear up without treatment. They may just watch and wait.
However, when enlarged prostate symptoms are bothersome or are affecting your quality of life or overall health, it’s time to talk to your doctor about the treatment options. Together you will determine if you would benefit most from medication, a minimally invasive procedure, or surgery.
It’s important to talk with a doctor when you begin noticing changes in urinary function. You need to find out what’s going on so you can be treated for enlarged prostate if necessary. For many men, especially those who are young when the prostate starts growing, getting early treatment can head off complications later on.
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Natural Supplements For An Enlarged Prostate
At Bens Natural Health, we have formulated natural supplements to improve prostate health and reduce prostate size. When it comes to managing your BPH, we firmly believe that natural is the way to go. Not only will natural remedies help to heal your prostate, relieving you of uncomfortable symptoms, but they will do so without any adverse side effects.
Men Suffering With Symptoms From An Enlarged Prostate Could Be Offered A New Type Of Nonsurgical Treatment Thanks To Changes In Nice Guidance
25 April 2018
NICE the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has for using Prostate Artery Embolisation as a treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The prostate is a small walnut sized gland found only in men. It produces the fluid component of semen and grows naturally with age. Problems occur when the change in size puts pressure on the tubes that drain urine from the bladder.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the medical term used to describe a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate. Symptoms like needing to pass urine more frequently, trouble starting to urinate and loss of bladder control affect more than a third of men over the age of 50.
There are a number of current treatments for an enlarged prostate including medication or surgery. However, these treatments can have side effects and do not suit all patients.
PAE offers an alternative option. It blocks the blood supply to the prostate with small particles, which causes the prostate tissue to shrink and die. It can be performed under local anaesthetic, which will help patients who cannot tolerate general anaesthetic. And it can be done as a day case, which will mean the patient does not need to be admitted to hospital.
NICE first looked at PAE in 2013, but felt that more research was required to determine whether the procedure was effective and safe.
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International Prostate Symptom Score
You’ll be asked to complete;a;questionnaire;to assess your symptoms. Each question has;five possible answers that carry a score, and;your overall score;is used to assess the severity of your symptoms.
The checklist includes the following questions.
Over the past month:
- How often have you had the sensation of not completely emptying your bladder after urinating?
- How often have you had to urinate again less than two hours after finishing urinating?
- How often have you found that you stopped and started again when urinating?
- How often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?
- How often have you had a weak stream of urine?
- How often have you had to push or strain to begin urinating during the course of one night?
- How;often have;you had to;get up during the night to urinate?
After your GP has assessed the severity your symptoms, they’ll aim to rule;out other conditions;with similar symptoms using certain tests.
How Is Yale Medicines Approach To Treating Enlarged Prostate Unique
“Urologists at Yale Medicine can give you a personalized approach to prostate care for both benign and malignant conditions,” says Dr. Honig.;
Doctors at Yale Medicine work closely with specialists across all disciplines at Yale New Haven Hospital. Our doctors are dedicated to providing the latest;treatmentsall personalized to meet the needs of each patient.;This collaboration between different departments and teams sets Yale Medicine apart in its standard of care.
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What Matters Most To You
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have surgery for an enlarged prostate
Reasons not to have surgery
I don’t want to keep taking medicine every day for my symptoms.
I don’t mind taking daily medicine.
I’m willing to try surgery because my symptoms bother me so much.
I don’t like the idea of having surgery.
I don’t think medicines are helping my symptoms.
Medicines are helping my symptoms.
I don’t think the side effects of surgery will be as bad as my symptoms.
I think the side effects of surgery would bother me more than my symptoms do.
How To Prevent Prostate Enlargement
This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support , Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support , Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee in 2006.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 16,404 times.
Prostate enlargement can lead to urinary tract problems, so of course you want to prevent it if you can. Unfortunately, there are no sure-fire ways to do so. However, you can get regular checkups in hopes of catching the issue early and heading it off with treatment. Otherwise, try exercising and watching your weight, as those factors can put you at risk for developing an enlarged prostate.
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How Is Bph Treated
In some cases, in particular where symptoms are mild, BPH requires no treatment. At the opposite extreme, some men require immediate intervention if they cannot urinate at all or if kidney/bladder damage has occurred. When treatment is necessary, many men will simply require daily medication. If this fails to completely treat the symptoms, or if there are signs of damage from BPH, the doctor may recommend minimally invasive;endoscopic surgery . Or, in some cases, traditional surgery may be recommended.
- Drug treatment: The FDA has approved several drugs to relieve common symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, including drugs that inhibit the production of the hormone DHT and drugs that relax the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow.
For surgery, there are many procedures to choose from, and the choice depends largely on your specific prostate anatomy, and surgeon preference and training. These procedures all have a common goal of widening the urethral channel as it passes through the prostate. Procedures include the following:
Complications Of Prostate Enlargement
Left untreated, an enlarged prostate may lead to a number of complications, including:
- Pain in the lower abdomen due to the urethra becoming too narrow. Urine cannot flow through the urethra normally, which leads to a painful build-up of urine in the bladder;
- Bladder infections due to stale urine sitting in the bladder which becomes infected with bacteria;
- Bladder stones small, hard, gritty lumps that form in the bladder, due to the build-up of stale urine in the bladder. The stones dont usually cause any problems when they are in the bladder, but if they pass into the urethra, they may become stuck and cause sudden severe pain;
- Interrupted sleep because of the need to get up several times during the night to urinate;
- A lower quality of life because of the inconvenience and embarrassment of problems with urination; or
- Serious kidney problems if the flow of urine out of the bladder becomes blocked and causes a build-up of pressure all the way back to the kidneys.
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