Thursday 20 February 2014

A Short Overview of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Non-cancerous prostatic hyperplasia, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a histologic diagnosis seen as a proliferation of the cellular elements of the prostate. Chronic bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), which has similar symptoms to BPH, may cause urinary blockage, renal deficiency, recurrent urinary infections, bladder calculi and gross hematuria.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is a common condition that affects older adult men. The prostate is a small gland located only within men, located between the penis and bladder. In the event the prostate becomes enlarged, it can put pressure on the bladder and urethra, the tube through which urine is released. BPH is generally not a critical threat to health.

The root cause of BPH is not clear. Research has shown testosterone, the male hormone, or dihydrotestosterone, a chemical produced when testosterone stops working on the man's body, may be responsible for prostate growth.

Diagnosis
Your medical provider can check the size of your prostate gland by placing a gloved finger inside your rectum and feeling the rear wall of the prostate. There are other tests your physician can run to test your prostate health:

Urinary Flow Test – The doctor can use a device that measures urine flow.
Intravenous pyelography – The physician can inject a dye to make urine flow visible via X-ray.
Trans-Rectal ultrasound – The physician can insert an ultrasound probe in the rectum of the patient, to get an image of the prostate gland.

Treatment of BPH depends on age, severity of symptoms, and overall health. Symptoms may come and go, so it is important to get checked up regularly to monitor your health. There are numerous ways to successfully take care of BPH, including some simple lifestyle changes and several herbs and medicines. If none of these treatments work, and the symptoms severe enough, there are also various kinds of surgery available to treat the problem.

The most effective Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia treatment, other than medication, is to simply change your lifestyle:

Urinate as often as possible
Go to the washroom often, even if you do not need to urinate
Avoid alcohol or caffeine, especially after dinner
Avoid drinking liquids within two hours before going to sleep
Avoid drinking a large amount of fluid at once; instead drink smaller amounts over time
Exercise daily
Strengthen your pelvic floor with specific exercises daily
Diminish Stress

Prostate enlargement can be quite common as men age -- symptoms usually develop around age 50 - 60. By age 85, men possess a 90% chance of having urinary complications caused by BPH. It’s important to note that BPH is not cancer; it will also not put an individual at increased risk for developing prostate melanoma.