We have already spoken about this in our previous publication about prostatitis. The prostate is still largely unfamiliar to the majority of men, something alarming considering that prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men.
As we said, the main function of the prostate is to produce a liquid that, with semen, improves the quality of the sperm and improves fertility. This does not have anything to do with sexual desire or difficulty achieving an erection.
Today we will touch on another frequent problem in men, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
Benign prostate hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate that occurs in men after 40 years of age. The most common causes are simply the passage of time and the presence of male hormones. The growth of the prostate may be one of two types: benign or malignant. In the case that it is benign, it is called hyperplasia, and in the case that it is malignant, it is called cancer.
BPH begins with the inside of the prostate, that grows towards the interior, constantly compressing the urethra y and interfering with urination. This is one of the reasons why benign hyperplasia sometimes produces some bothersome symptoms that are difficult to ignore, unlike prostate cancer, that is often undetectable, and its symptoms take longer to appear.
● Urinating more frequently. Getting up during the night to urinate. Urinal urgency.
● Pain and discomfort when urinating.
● Difficulty beginning to urinate. Dripping after stopping urination.
● The sensation of a that the bladder has not been fully emptied. Occasional urinal retention.
“These symptoms are usually associated with one another and worsen over time. In some patients, it may be that urine remains in the bladder, which causes straining of the bladder, growth of bacteria, and posteriorly affect the urinary tract and the kidney, which may result in acute renal failure” states the Urology Unit at HC Marbella.
In order to make a correct diagnosis, the specialist will complete a series of tests that includes a physical exam of the kidneys, an ultrasound of the bladder, testicles, and prostate, a urinary flow rate test: in order to gauge the flow strength of urination, as well as a blood and urine test, which is determined by the PSA, a protein produced by cells in the prostate that acts as an indicator of prostate disease. One of the values of a high level of PSA indicates a high risk of cancer, but it is also possible that it could be prostatitis or even benign prostate hyperplasia.
● There are currently many diverse ways to treat this disease, from a change in daily habits, to natural compounds or pharmaceutical drug treatments alone or combined. In the case that the symptoms of BPH cannot be improved through a pharmaceutical treatment, the only possible solution is surgery (there are minimally invasive techniques with an only 1 day stay).
● The Urology Unit at HC Marbella notes that “The benign growth of the prostate does not put one’s life at risk, but affects the one’s quality of life, so that when such symptoms are present it is recommendable to visit the urologist to determine the specific treatment for each case.”
● It is recommended that men older than 50 years of age have their prostate checked once a year in order to rule out the presence of prostate cancer.
September 25, 2018
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