Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (Part One)

Definition

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as benign prostatic enlargement, is a common condition in men over 50 years of age that increases with age. It can cause problems during the urination process. If the enlarged prostate is not treated, it can create difficulties in urine flow up to its blockage, having consequences on the bladder and kidneys.

What are some of the symptoms that accompany BPH?

Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Enlargement include:

• Weak urine stream
• Difficulty starting urination
• Interrupted urination
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Straining during urination
• Inability to completely empty the bladder
• Urinary tract infections
• Formation of bladder stones
• Decreased kidney function

The size of the prostate does not necessarily influence the severity of symptoms. Thus, some men with slightly enlarged prostates have marked urinary signs. On the other hand, men with very large prostates have minor concerns.

Approximately only half of the people with an enlarged prostate have symptoms to the extent that they need treatment. In some men, the discomfort may stabilize or even improve over time.

Causes

The prostate gland is a male organ that produces most of the seminal fluid which serves to nourish the sperm and for their transport outside the penis during ejaculation. It is located below the urinary bladder. The tube (urethra) that allows urine flow from the bladder outside the body, passes through the center of the prostate. Thus, when the prostate enlarges, it begins to narrow the urethra which reduces the urine flow and can also block it.

In most men, the prostate continues to grow throughout life, but not all experience urine blockage. The exact causes of prostate enlargement are not known, but it is thought to be due to hormonal imbalance which occurs as a result of aging.

Risk Factors

The main factors that influence prostate enlargement are:

• Age. In young people under 40 years, signs from prostate enlargement rarely appear. By the age of 55, 1 in every 4 men have some symptoms. By the age of 75, half of the men complain of some urinary concerns.
• Family history. If a man has had a father or brother with prostate problems, then he is also likely to have them.
• Place of origin. Prostate enlargement is more common in American and Australian men. Less so in Chinese, Indian, and Japanese men.

Complications

• Immediate blockage of urine. This is the inability to urinate, accompanied by pain and occurs suddenly. This can happen when using medications against allergies or colds, or alcohol consumption. In these cases, the doctor inserts a catheter into the bladder for its emptying.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Bladder stones.
• Bladder damage. This occurs when the bladder cannot be completely emptied for a long time. The bladder muscles are strained and weakened, so they cannot contract properly. Often the symptoms shown by this muscle damage improve after medication or surgical intervention, but not always.
• Kidney damage. This occurs from high pressure in the bladder as a result of blockages, which is transmitted to the kidneys damaging them or as a result of a bladder infection that spreads to the kidneys. In most men with an enlarged prostate, these complications do not occur; however, acute urinary blockage and especially kidney damage can seriously threaten health.