The prostate is a gland that produces some of the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine passes out of the body.
An enlarged prostate means the gland has grown bigger. Prostate enlargement happens to almost all men as they get older.
An enlarged prostate is often called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer, and it does not raise your risk for prostate cancer.
Alternative Names
BPH; Benign prostatic hyperplasia (hypertrophy); Prostate – enlarged
Causes
The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknow. Factors linked to aging and changes in the cells of the testicles may have a role in the growth of the gland, as well as testosterone levels. Men who have had their testicles removed at a young age (for example, as a result of testicular cancer) do not develop BPH.
Also, if the testicles are removed after a man develops BPH, the prostate begins to shrink in size. However, this is not a standard treatment for an enlarged prostate.
What Causes BPH?
Early in puberty, your prostate actually doubles in size. Later in life, around age 25, it starts to grow again. For most men, this growth happens for the rest of their lives. For some, it causes BPH.
Symptoms
As the prostate gets larger, it starts to pinch the urethra. This causes symptoms that affect your urine flow, such as:
- Dribbling when you finish
- A hard time getting started
- A weak stream, or you pee in stops and starts
When your urethra is squeezed, it also means your bladder has to work harder to push urine out. Over time, the bladder muscles get weak, which makes it harder for it to empty. This can lead to:
- Feeling like you still have to pee even after you just went
- Having to go too often — eight or more times a day
- Incontinence (when you don’t have control over when you pee)
- An urgent need to pee, all of a sudden
- You wake up several times a night to pee
- Urinary tract infections, bleeding, bladder damage, and bladder stones
- It rarely leads to other conditions, but it can, and a couple of them are serious. For example, BPH can lead to kidney damage or, worst-case, cause a problem where you can’t pee at all.
- A larger prostate doesn’t mean you’ll have more or worse symptoms. It’s different for each person. In fact, some men with very large prostates have few, if any, issues.
Diagnosis and Tests
Your doctor will first talk to you about your personal and family medical history. You might also fill out a survey, answering questions about your symptoms and how they affect you daily.
Next, your doctor will do a physical exam. This may include a digital rectal exam. During this, they put on a glove and gently insert one finger into your rectum to check the size and shape of your prostate.
Basic tests: Your doctor may start with one or more of these:
- Blood tests to check for kidney problems
- Urine tests to look for infection or other problems that could be causing your symptoms
Treatments
How your doctor handles your case varies based on your age, health, the size of your prostate, and how BPH affects you. If your symptoms don’t bother you too much, you can put Cenforce 200 treatment and see how it goes to treat erection dysfunction.
- Lifestyle changes: You may want to start with things you can control. For example, you can:
- Do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
- Lower the amount of fluids you drink, especially before you go out or go to bed
- Drink less caffeine and alcohol
Medicine:
For mild to moderate BPH, your doctor might suggest Vidalista 20 medicine. Some medications work by relaxing the muscles in your prostate and bladder. Others help shrink your prostate. For some men, it takes a mix of medicines to get the best results.
Procedures: If lifestyle changes and medications don’t work, your doctor has a number of ways to remove part or all of your prostate. Many of these are called “minimally invasive,” meaning they’re easier on you than regular surgery. They use probes or scopes and don’t require large cuts in your body.
BPH causes
It is not clear why some men develop symptoms of BPH or lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and others do not. The prostate normally enlarges to some degree in all men with advancing age, although not all men require treatment. Several hormones are required for BPH to develop, but these hormones alone do not cause the condition.
Some experts believe that a family history of the condition increases a man’s risk of developing BPH. Frequency of sex and having a vasectomy do not increase a man’s chances of developing BPH.
BPH symptoms
The symptoms of BPH usually begin after age 45. The most common symptoms of BPH include:
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- A hesitant, interrupted, or weak stream of urine
- The need to urinate frequently
- Leaking or dribbling of urine
These symptoms tend to appear over time and may gradually worsen over the years. However, some men have an enlarged prostate that causes few or no symptoms, while other men have symptoms of PH that later improve or stay the same. Some men are not bothered by their symptoms, while others are bothered a great deal.
In a small percentage of men, untreated BPH can cause urinary retention, meaning that the man is unable to empty the bladder. The risk of urinary retention increases with age and as symptoms worsen.
Symptoms of BPH also can be caused by other conditions, including prostate or bladder cancer, kidney stones, and overactive bladder. Overactive bladder causes a strong, frequent, uncomfortable need to urinate immediately.