Prostate Health » BPH

What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:09:49 +0000

Only men have a prostate gland, which is found just below the bladder and approximately in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, which is the tube through which the urine is expelled from the bladder to the outside of the body. The prostate is also involved in providing nutrients to the sperm cells.

If a man is going to experience problems in the urinary tract, it will occur in the prostate.

These problems can be either an enlarged prostate or prostatitis.

There are two levels of prostatitis, either acute or chronic. If someone is suffering from acute prostatitis, he may be experiencing urinating difficulty, pain or burning while urinating, difficulty when trying to go to the bathroom and frequent lower back pain. Often times, there can be pain between the scrotum and rectum, fever, and blood or pus in the urine. Chronic prostatitis symptoms may include frequent and burning urination with blood in the urine, lower back pain, and impotence and as the condition becomes more advanced, urination will become more difficult.

It is estimated that approximately 60% of men over the age of 50 and 75% of men over the age of 70 will experience an enlarged prostate. Hormonal changes, which are associated with aging, start to occur when a man reaches age 50. At that point, his free testosterone levels will decrease while other hormone levels, including prolactin and estradiol will increase. The result is a significant increase in the amount of a potent form of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone, which will form within the prostrate. An overproduction of prostate cells will occur, resulting in an enlarged prostate. An enlarged prostate is not cancerous in and of itself but it can lead to serious problems, such as obstruction of the urethral canal, which interferes with urination and the ability to empty the bladder completely. When this happens, the kidneys may become damaged both by pressure and by substances in the urine.

However, it is important to note that the symptoms for these disorders could also be prostate cancer, so check if you have the following symptoms:

Painful urination, coupled with lower back pain, fever and pelvic pain.
Your frequently feel the urge to urinate but can’t get started.
You repeatedly urinate two or three times a night.

You still feel full after urination.

Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:49:30 +0000

There is no way to stop the aging process, at least yet, and part of that process, for men, is quite possibly developing an enlarged prostate. The obstruction of the urethra and the loss over time of bladder control and function can result in the bladder being unable to completely empty. The common symptoms of BPH include: changes or problems with urination, such as a hesitant, interrupted or weak stream; an urgency to go; frequent urination, especially at night. Often times, erectile dysfunction can be a symptom.

Emotional issues such as stress, worry, depression, guilt and anxiety can lead to the loss of a man’s libido and ED. It becomes an endless cycle because if a man experiences the loss of an erection, he may fear that it will happen again at which point his performance may be affected and could lead to impotence.

Although it is important for the success of a relationship to address the causes of ED, it is more important to determine if the symptoms are medically based around an enlarged prostate. Once that has been ruled out, then sex therapy could be a viable option to improve one’s sex life.

If enlarged prostate is diagnosed and surgery is required, there may be a worry about sexual function following surgery. Some sources state that sexual function is rarely affected, while others claim that 30% of cases experience problems. Prostate surgery can affect erections, ejaculations, orgasms and are discussed in more detail below. Although it does take a while for sexual function to fully return, most men are able to enjoy sex again and complete recovery may occur within one year.

If you were able to maintain an erection shortly before undergoing prostate surgery, chances are you will be able to have erections following the surgery. Erectile function is rarely a side affect of surgery and surgery cannot restore function if it was affected prior to an operation.

Despite the fact that men can still have erections after prostate surgery, often times the procedure will make them sterile. This is caused by a condition called retrograde ejaculation or dry climax. Normally, during sexual activity, the sperm from the testes enters the urethra near the opening of the bladder. A muscle will block off the entrance to the bladder, and the semen is expelled through the penis. However, the coring action of prostate surgery cuts this muscle as it widens the neck of the bladder. Following surgery, the semen will enter the wider opening to the bladder rather than being expelled through the penis. Sometimes this condition can be treated with pseudoephedrine, which is a drug found in many cold medicines. Imipramine can also be prescribed. These improve the bladder neck’s muscle tone and keep semen from entering the bladder.

For most men, there is little or no difference in their orgasms post surgery. If they are experiencing retrograde ejaculation, this may take some time to get used to; however, sex should become as pleasurable as it was prior to surgery.

BPH – Diagnosis and Treatment

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:20:03 +0000

BPH, also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy, is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes very enlarged and may cause problems associated with urination.

BPH does not usually cause problems until later in life, usually not till the 60s.

One you are diagnosed with BPH, your treatment will be determined by your physician based on your age, overall health, medical history and extent of the disease.

When the prostate gland is just mildly enlarged, treatment may not be needed. Regular checkups are important to watch for developing problems. Your physician will continue monitoring your condition.

There are surgical and non-surgical treatments for BPH. A surgery would involve the removal of the enlarged tissue that is pressing against the urethra. There are three types of surgery: transurethral, laser and open.

The transurethral surgery is done without any external incisions. The surgeon will reach the prostate with an instrument inserted into the urethra. One example of this surgery is a transurethral resection (TRUP). A resectoscope is inserted through the penis and the wire loop on the scope is used to remove the obstructing tissue. The tissue is carried by the fluid into the bladder and flushed out when the surgery is complete. Another form of this surgery is a transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), which is a procedure that widens the urethra by making some small cuts in the bladder neck and in the prostate gland itself.

A possibly less evasive form of the prostate gland removal is a laser surgery. In this procedure, a laser is used to vaporize obstructing prostate tissue.

Finally, there is an option for an open surgery, which would require an external incision. This is usually done when the gland is very enlarged, when there are complicating factors, or when the bladder has been damaged and needs to be repaired.

There are also numerous non-surgical treatments. These include the following:

A balloon urethroplasty – this procedure involves a thin tube with a balloon that is inserted into the opening of the penis and guided to the narrowed portion of the urethra. At that point, the balloon is inflated to widen the urethra and ease the flow of urine.

A transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) – this involves a device that heats and destroys excess prostate tissue to reduce urinary frequency and urgency.

Medications – can be used to shrink or stop the growth of the prostate without using surgery.

Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:21:45 +0000

Surrounding the urethra, the prostate is defined as the male reproductive gland that produces the fluid that carries the sperm after ejaculation. An enlarged prostate is one that has gotten bigger, pressing on the urethra, thus causing urination and bladder problems. However, this condition does not necessarily correlate to the development of prostate cancer although they share similar symptoms and the cancer can go undetected.

Screening for prostate cancer is key to detecting it in its early stages

It involves looking for signs of the disease in people who have no symptoms, thus looking for early-stage disease at a point when treatment may be more effective. The main screening tools for prostate cancer are the digital rectal examination (DRE) and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. These tests cannot tell if you have cancer. The DRE or digital (finger) rectal examination is a quick exam whereby a doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the patient’s rectum. The doctor can feel the back portion of the prostate for size and any irregularities. The antigen in PSA is a substance that is produced by cells from the prostate gland and released into the blood. During the PSA test, a small amount of blood is drawn from the arm and the doctor will check to see if the PSA level is normal or compare the results of one PSA test with another. The higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present.

The American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association urge that men get screened when they reach the age of 50, 40 to 45 years of age for men who are considered high risk, such as African American men and men who have a familial history prostate cancer.

The prostate tube surrounds the urethra which is the tube that carries the urine out of the body. When the prostate becomes enlarged, it blocks the tube, thereby causing the flow of urine to be disrupted. Other symptoms of BPH include: (1) Slowness or dribbling of your urinary stream; (2) trouble urinating; (3) increase in frequency of urination; (4) urgency or sudden need to urinate; (5) nighttime urination.

To determine the cause of the above-named symptoms, other tests include a urinalysis, the seven-question BPH Symptom Score Index survey, the urine flow study and a test that detects how much urine remains in the bladder following urination.

Although no test is completely accurate, the PSA test detects the presence of small cancers, especially those toward the front or sides of the prostate gland, or deep within it. The DRE can be an additional test for men who have normal PSA levels.

Testing is an individual choice and should be made after discussion with your family health care provider. Knowing the risk factors and your susceptibility to those risk factors will aid in determining whether you should be tested. When found early, treatments can be very effective and can prevent the development of prostate cancer.

Prostate Health » BPH

What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate

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Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?

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BPH – Diagnosis and Treatment

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Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

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