Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a medical condition that involves the non-malignant enlargement of the prostate gland. Before, it was known as benign prostatic hypertrophy, but the term is still being used to mean the same condition. As a man comes into maturation, he experiences two periods of prostate growth. The first happens in puberty when the prostate doubles in size. The second period happens when the man is about 25 years of age. Enlargement doesn’t cause problems yet during these times. But years later, this second period often results to in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). More than half of men who are at the age of 60 and more than 90% in their 70s and 80s experience BPH. In 2000, there were 4.5 million cases of suspected/diagnosed BPH in the United States.
There have been many studies which showed that many factors contribute to the development of BPH. One prevalent factor is aging. The condition is even said to aggravate with advancing age. One study has also proved that the condition may have happened due to the high amount of estrogen within the gland increases the activity of substances that promote cell growth. Another finding shows that DHT or dihydrotestosterone kept at high levels will encourage the growth of cells. Men who did not produce DHT were found not to develop BHP.
The common symptoms of BPH are frequent urination, usually at night, difficult or impossible urination and an experience of less force and caliber while urinating, often dribbling. The risk of having a urinary tract infection and kidney damage may also develop while having BPH. This is due urine retention and strain on the bladder.
To determine if you have BPH a urologist, or one who specialized in urinary problems and the male reproductive system, should be consulted. A Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) will be conducted. A Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test will also be done. This is to rule out cancer as the cause of the urinary symptoms. Other forms of diagnosis are rectal ultrasound or prostate biopsy, urine flow study and cystoscopy.
If an individual is diagnosed with BPH, and is found to be experiencing a mild condition, sometimes the symptoms get better on its own. However, several treatments are available for those who are not so fortunate enough. A doctor will usually treat first the infection using antibiotics before treating the BPH. Medication can be taken to treat BPH. Finasteride and dutasteride are two of the FDA-approved medications that inhibit the production of DHT to further treat BPH. Medications known as alpha blockers on the other hand treat BPH by relaxing the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow. These are terazosin, tamsulosin, doxazosin and alfuzosin. Natural supplements and herbal products are also available to help treat the condition. Some examples of natural supplements are beta-sitosterol and rye pollen extract. Pygeum and pumpkin seed oil on the other hand are examples of herbal products that could help treat BPH.
If all else fails, surgical treatment can also be done for the patients. A prostate surgery can be done if the symptoms are severe and when there is a high risk of urinary obstruction. Other procedures that can also treat BPH are transurethral microwave procedures, transurethral needle ablation and water-induced thermotherapy.
