Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia - Symptoms and Treatments

What Is Prostate?

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that secretes a fluid that constitutes 30% of the seminal fluid. The prostate surrounds the urethra, which is the outlet for urine.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related growth and enlargement of the prostate gland. The tissue growth associated with BPH is benign (non-cancerous). But the growing prostate tissue can compress the urethra which it surrounds, resulting in obstruction to urine flow. Symptoms of BPH are due to the urinary outflow obstruction.

Symptoms:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Causes Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia's exact cause is not known. It occurs mostly due to age-related changes. There is a huge change in the level of hormones due to aging. Patients who have had surgical removal of their prostate glands, do not get benign prostatic hyperplasia.

2. What Is the Best Treatment for an Enlarged Prostate?

Terazosin and Tamsulosin help in the relaxation of the urethral muscles that help in proper urinary flow. Finasteride and Dutasteride help in reducing the size of the enlarged prostate glands. In severe cases, surgical treatment options would be required.

3. How Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia is made in the following ways:
- Prostate-specific antigen blood test.
- A physical examination of the rectum is called the digital rectal examination. This is done to identify the enlargement of the prostate glands.
- Blood tests.
- Urine tests for detecting the presence of infections.

4. Is Drinking a Lot of Water Good for Your Prostate Glands?

Water is very important for the health of your prostate glands. Some patients with benign prostate hyperplasia are known to reduce water intake to decrease urinary excretion. This will make them dehydrated. It is necessary to drink a lot of water. Soda and aerated drinks should be avoided.

5. Does an Enlarged Prostate Affect Sexual Activities?

Patients with an enlarged prostate are known to have erectile dysfunction. It might be due to poor blood supply. This will interrupt with the sexual activities of men. Some patients might even experience pain when they try to involve in sexual activities.

6. Can Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Be Treated?

There is no proper cure for benign prostatic hyperplasia. With proper treatment, it is possible to alleviate the symptoms. The main goal of the treatment is aimed at reducing the enlargement of the prostate glands. Many surgical options are available for complicated cases.

7. What Happens if Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Is Left Untreated?

If the benign prostatic hyperplasia is left untreated, it might lead to other complications. They are:
- Kidney dysfunction.
- Urinary retention.
- Urinary infections.
- Infection of the prostate glands like prostatitis.
- Bladder stone.

8. Is Banana Good for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

The extracts of banana have anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities. It is helpful for benign prostatic hyperplasia. In addition to this, green leafy vegetables like broccoli can be consumed for this condition. You can get help from a dietician to understand which foods would be suitable for you.

9. What Are the Common Signs and Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

The common signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia are:
- Frequent urination.
- Weak urine stream.
- Urinary tract infections.

10. What Foods Are Good for Shrinking the Prostate Glands?

The recommended food for enlarged prostate glands are:
- Salmon.
- Tomatoes.
- Avocados.
- Bell peppers.
- Vegetables.
- Sesame seeds.
- Tofu.

11. Does Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Go Away?

Medical reports suggest that a few patients do not experience any difficulty with benign prostate hyperplasia, and they do not require any treatment. In such patients, the inflammatory conditions are known to subside. Only in patients who are having severe pain and discomfort treatment are recommended.

12. What Are the Medications for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors like Tadalafil are known to increase blood flow to the prostate glands and are useful for erectile dysfunction patients. Terazosin and Tamsulosin are beneficial for the relaxation of the urethral muscles. Finasteride helps in reducing the enlargement of prostate glands. In severe cases, surgical treatment options would be required.

13. Which Surgery Is Commonly Used to Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

The surgical options for benign prostatic hyperplasia are mostly transurethral. The most recommend procedures for benign prostate hyperplasia are:
- Transurethral vaporization of the prostate (TUVP).
- Transurethral laser enucleation.
- Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
- Photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP).
- Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP).
- Prostatic urethral lift (PUL).