Prostate enlargement - Treatment and Symptom Relief

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, more commonly referred as prostate enlargement, is a fairly common condition in men. Prostate enlargement has not been linked to prostate cancer, and the treatment is generally effective. However, some of the symptoms of prostate enlargement can become serious if ignored.

The prostate is a gland that sits directly below the bladder and surrounds the urethra in males. The prostate gland plays a role in sexual function, including secreting a fluid that makes up part of semen. As men age, the prostrate grows and may place pressure on the urethra, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Doctors refer to this condition as prostate BPH. In very seldom occurs in younger men, but up to 90% of men in their seventies have some degree of this condition. The causes of prostate enlargement are not certain. Some postulate that the decrease in testosterone as a man ages may mean the small amounts of estrogen produced have a greater impact on the body, possibly encouraging cell growth in the prostate. Another possibility is that a substance called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) accumulates in the prostate, encouraging continued cell growth that result in prostate enlargement.

Since prostate BPH results in the obstruction of the urethra, most of the symptoms are related to urinary function. Frequent urination and urgency, leaking, or a weak or interrupted stream may all indicate the development of prostate BPH. The most intense symptom is complete urine retention, which occurs when the prostate gland completely blocks the urethra. This symptom causes stress on the bladder and kidneys and may result in damage. Bladder stones, incontinence, and frequent urinary tract infections are also more serious signs of prostate enlargement.

The FDA has approved six different drugs to treat the symptoms of prostate BPH. Terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, and alfuzosin all function to relax the prostrate and the neck of the bladder to relieve some of the obstruction. Finasteride and dutasteride, on the other hand, block the production of DHT in order to prevent further enlargement the prostate. In some cases it can actually shrink some of the excess growth that has occurred, but that is not always the case.

There are also a few minimally invasive treatments for prostate BPH that may be effective, although they are not cures. Transurethral microwave thermotherapy uses a catheter in the urethra to focus heat on the prostate in order to kill some of the excess tissue. Transurethral needle ablation is a similar procedure, but it uses radio frequency rather than heat to destroy the tissue. Water induced thermotherapy works under the same principle, using heated water in a catheter to target the enlarged prostate gland.

Surgery is often the most effective remedy for prostate enlargement, and there are three different options. Each surgery removes part of the enlarged prostate tissue in order to eliminate the obstruction. Transurethral surgery is the most common and involves using an instrument called a resectoscope. The resectoscope is inserted through the urethra and used to remove pieces of the prostate that can be later flushed out by the bladder. If there is damage to the bladder open surgery is often used. Since an incision must be made in order to repair the bladder, that same incision is used to remove excess of prostate tissue. Open surgery may also be used if the prostate enlargement is especially significant. The third option is laser surgery, in which a fiber is inserted through the urethra and lasers are used to burn away excess tissue. Since all damage is immediately cauterized, there is very little bleeding. If surgery is ineffective, the doctor may insert a stent, a device that is placed in the urethra to keep the opening artificially widened.

Would you be interested to know that there is a better way to relief the symptoms of prostate enlargement without having to go under surgery? How would you like to try a simple and effective method before taking more drastic solutions?