Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH)
Most of us are familiar with Benjamin Franklin's quote from 1789; "nothing is certain except death and taxes." To the men reading this column, we will add a third certainty: prostate enlargement - Andre Gilbert MD & Joshua Ebel MD
.jpg)
image by: The New York Times
HWN Suggests
The Quiet Enemy: Non-Cancerous Prostate Growth
Like your ears, the prostate keeps growing into old age. Nobody really knows why. And if grows too large it can start strangling the urethra in a slow death grip. That’s where the problem arises.
You might not notice the problem. You write it off to advancing age. You haven’t got cancer and you’d rather avoid medical procedures. So you just strain a little harder to pee and think nothing of it.
But this partial blockage can be a silent menace that ultimately can cause major problems.
If the prostate is slowly squeezing the urethra, then the bladder has to work harder and harder to push the urine out. The bladder will struggle, if needed, to empty itself. But this…
Featured
How’s your walnut, mate? Why men don’t like to talk about their enlarged prostate
Conversation about how often you have to get up at night for a piddle is probably not the most scintillating discourse. But there’s a much bigger reason men don’t like to talk about prostate conditions. My experience as a practising urologist suggests most men don’t like talking about their enlarged prostate because they actually have no idea what their prostate even is or does, let alone how it can cause problems when it gets bigger with age.
Articles of Interest
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: An Overview
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to the nonmalignant growth of the prostate observed very commonly in aging men. Although on the surface this statement seems straightforward and simple, there are considerable definitional problems associated with the condition that subsequently lead to problems with epidemiologic definitions, calculations of incidence and prevalence rates, and, ultimately, difficulties with formalizing therapeutic algorithms.
The Unexpected Truth About Your Lemon-Sized Prostate
Prostate health, including cancer, is the number one health issue for men of all ages. So hopefully all of you men, and concerned women with men in their lives, can read this and have a better understanding of how to prevent prostate issues.
Resources
Dr. Neil Baum's Urology Blog
Helping you stay hard-y and healthy.
The Prostate Storm Blog
BPH is so common that all men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough. A small amount of prostate enlargement is present in many men over age 40 -- half of them by age 75. Some studies show 90% of men with BPH after age 80.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retention—the inability to empty the bladder completely—cause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
