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BHP - RCJ
The prostate gland is a small organ in men (about the
size of a walnut) that is located above the rectum and at
the bottom of the bladder. It surrounds the urethra (the
tube that carries urine from the bladder) like a doughnut
and its function is to make a fluid that becomes part of
semen (the white fluid that contains sperm).
BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy is enlargement of the
prostate and is very common in older men. More than half of
men in their 60’s have BPH and as high as 90% of men in
their 70’s and 80’s.
This enlargement may eventually block the urethra, making
it difficult to urinate. Other symptoms include dribbling
after urination and the urge to urinate often, especially at
night.
There are several different ways to treat BPH; one is
watchful waiting if you are not bothered by the symptoms.
You should get regular checkups and wait to see whether or
not the condition gets worse.
Drugs such as Alpha Blockers help to relax muscles
near the prostate and may relieve your symptoms. These
drugs can lower your blood pressure so side effects can
include lightheadedness, feeling tired or dizzy. Some
common alpha-blockers include doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin
(Minipress), and terazosin (Hytrin).
Finasteride (Proscar) is a drug that inhibits the action
of the male hormone testosterone and may shrink the
prostate. Side effects of this drug include a declining
interest in sex and erectile problems.
Saw palmetto is a plant-derived therapy
(phytotherapy) and may be beneficial in treating symptoms of
benign prostate disease. The amount of active drug in the
preparation is so variable that it has been difficult for
most physicians to make recommendations regarding its
effectiveness. The phytotherapy-drug manufacturers are
sponsoring studies, however, only 30 percent of those
studies were conducted according to rigorous scientific
rules.
Surgery is the treatment most likely to relieve BPH
symptoms however; it also has the most complications. This
is usually performed by a urologists who specialize in this
area They are often consulted on to discuss further
treatment options and to rule out a cancer or “silent
prostatism” before treatment begins.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is the
most common surgical procedure for BPH. The doctor will
insert an instrument into the urethra and remove part of the
prostate to lessen the obstruction.
Some urologist can make several small cuts into the
prostate through the urethra if the prostate is not too
enlarged. (Transurethral incision of the prostate or TUIP).
Other procedures include placing stents into the urethra
that act like scaffolding to hold open the area of the
urethra obstructed by the prostate and needle ablation which
utilizes low levels of radiofrequency energy to ablate the
prostate through the urethra.
Laser surgery is another option to kill off the prostate
tissue surrounding the urethra and it appears to very
effective in relief of BPH symptoms. The long-term effects
remain unknown at this time.
The FDA has recently approved the technology known as
Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy. This one-hour
procedure has been widely used in Europe and Japan for many
years and has proven to be an effective alternative to
surgery and long-term medications.
Although enlargement of the prostate is an apparently
normal part of aging, problems with urination that often
accompany this enlargement are not normal. BPH is not
cancerous but the signs of enlargement are often the same
signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.
Physicians will often do a blood test that measures
concentrations of a protein produced by the prostate called
the Prostate Specific Antigen or the PSA. This may be
elevated in men if cancer is present or if the prostate is
enlarged or infected. The use of this blood test as a
general screening tool is still controversial however, there
are a number of newer test being evaluated that may enhance
the accuracy of the PSA in order to detect prostate cancer.
The best advice to protect yourself against prostate
problems is to have regular medical checkups and a careful
exam of your prostate by your physician. You should see
your doctor promptly if you have symptoms of an enlarged
prostate. The sooner your doctor finds a problem, the
better the chances are that the treatment will work.Content
of articles can only be used with writer attribution to Dr.
Kevin Weiland.
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