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:

1. Urinary urgency.
2. Frequent urination, especially at night.
3. Weak urine stream.
4. Dribbling of urine towards the end of micturition.
5. Feeling of incomplete voiding.
6. Recurrent urinary tract infections.
7. Rarely, blood in urine.
8. Erectile dysfunction.

Complications:

1. Urinary infections.
2. Prostatitis (infection of the prostate).
3. Urinary retention.
4. Bladder stone.
5. Kidney dysfunction.

Treatments:

Lifestyle Changes: Taking small amounts of fluid spread throughout the day and limiting fluid intake during the evenings can help with increased urinary frequency at night. Whenever you need to urinate, try relaxing and void as completely as possible. This can help in reducing the volume of residual urine in the bladder, and help with symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency.

Medications:

1. Alpha-blockers like Terazosin and Tamsulosin: They relax the muscles in the urethra, thus helping with the urine flow.
2. 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors like Finasteride and Dutasteride: They reduce the size of the prostate.
3. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors like Tadalafil (Cialis): Cialis has been approved by FDA for the treatment of both BPH and erectile dysfunction. Cialis improves the blood flow to the penis, thereby treating erectile dysfunction. It also relaxes muscles in the urethra and the prostate, thus increasing urinary flow.

• Both alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors can cause sexual side effects like decreased sexual urge or libido and erectile dysfunction. If the sexual side effects are bothersome, then Cialis can also be tried. However, Cialis and alpha-blockers should not be taken together as it can dangerously lower the blood pressure. It is important to stop alpha-blockers before starting Cialis.

Less Invasive Procedures: Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA), transurethral microwave therapy, and laser therapy. Less invasive procedures have faster recovery time and less incidence of complications like urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation.

Surgery: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which is more effective than less invasive procedures.

The choice of treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms, complications, and response to the medications.

For more information consult a prostate problems specialist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/urologist/prostate-problems