The prostate gland is a very important part of every man.
In my own opinion, I feel ‘the prostate makes the man’.
The prostate gland is considered a guardian of the
urethra because it encircles it, and acts as a uniting point for two ‘tubes’; one carrying urine from the
bladder and the other, seminal fluid that makes up semen.
The function of the prostate is to produce a fluid, milky
or white in appearance, that in humans usually constitutes roughly 30% of the
volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid.
The prostate also contains some smooth muscles that help
expel semen during ejaculation.
There are two diseases that affect the prostate, and
cause it to increase in size;
·
Benign prostate hyperplasia – the prostate
simply becomes bigger and blocks outflow of urine.
·
Prostatic cancer – like the name implies,
this is cancer.
Most men, if they live long enough (usually 80 years and
above), will develop one of these. They are however rare in young men.
Prostate cancer will be the topic of another discussion.
Let us focus on benign prostate enlargement (or hyperplasia).
BENIGN PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT
It is called benign, so as to differentiate it from its
cancer counterpart. What really is the problem when the prostate enlarges? The
problem is this; because the urethra (a tube connecting the bladder to the
outside of the body) passes through the prostate, an enlargement results in
blockage of the exit channel for urine. This causes the urine to remain in the
body, resulting in what is called urinary retention.
BPH is the most common cause of a group of symptoms known
as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which are divided into storage,
voiding, and symptoms which occur after urination.
Storage symptoms include the need to urinate frequently,
waking at night to urinate, urgency (compelling need to void that cannot be
deferred), involuntary urination, including involuntary urination at night, or
urge incontinence (urine leak following a strong sudden need to urinate).
Voiding symptoms include urinary hesitancy (a delay
between trying to urinate and the flow actually beginning), intermittency (not
continuous), involuntary interruption of voiding, weak urinary stream,
straining to void, a sensation of incomplete emptying, and terminal dribbling
(uncontrollable leaking after the end of urination, also called
post-micturition dribbling). These symptoms may be accompanied by bladder pain
or pain while urinating.
Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) can be caused by BPH.
Symptoms are abdominal pain, a continuous feeling of a full bladder, frequent
urination, acute urinary retention (inability to urinate), pain during
urination (dysuria), problems starting urination (urinary hesitancy), slow
urine flow, starting and stopping (urinary intermittence), and nocturia
(excessive urination at night – Normally, the need to urinate does not disturb
sleep often).
BPH can be a progressive disease, especially if left
untreated. Incomplete voiding results in residual urine or urinary stasis,
which can lead to an increased risk of urinary tract infection.
Symptoms can vary throughout the day with mild symptoms
after standing or walking and more pronounced symptoms after lying down.
RECTAL EXAMINATION FOR
BPH
One thing most people who have prostate enlargement
experience is the uncomfortable rectal examination that has to be done.
The examination involves lubrication of the doctor’s
gloved hand with a gel, followed by insertion into the anus. The doctor then
feels for the prostate to make a diagnosis.
If your urination problem caused by benign prostatic
hyperplasia (BPH) is mild to moderate and does not bother you, home treatment
may be all you need to help keep your symptoms from interfering with your daily
activities. Your doctor may want to see you regularly to check on your
symptoms.
POWERFUL GUIDE FOR BPH
·
Practice "double voiding." Urinate
as much as possible, relax for a few moments, and then urinate again.
·
Relax before you urinate. Worrying about your
symptoms can make them worse.
·
Take plenty of time to urinate.
·
Urinate while sitting down instead of
standing.
·
While you are waiting, think of other things
or read.
·
Turn on a faucet or picture running water in
your mind. This may help get your urine flowing.
·
Do not limit your fluid intake to avoid
urinating. You could become dehydrated, which can cause other problems.
·
Drink fluids throughout the day.
·
If you often wake up because you need to
urinate, limit your fluid intake in the evening. And empty your bladder before
bedtime.
·
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. These substances
make your body try to get rid of water. They can make you urinate more often.
See your doctor if you
think you have symptoms suggesting BPH.
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