What Is the Prostate?
The prostate is a gland located at the base of the urinary bladder, and its primary function is related to reproduction.
Benign prostate enlargement is a disease of the aging man. Every normal man carries the risk of developing this disease. When we refer to benign prostate enlargement (Benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH), we describe the microscopic changes occurring in the prostate. Unlike cancer, this growth in the prostate is benign in nature and characterized by the excessive proliferation of cells.
What Causes Prostate Enlargement?
In men, particularly in their 40s, certain hormonal changes occur in the body. Depending on these changes, cellular differentiation occurs in the prostate. This cellular differentiation leads to the development of a tissue called an adenoma within the prostate. This condition actually occurs in almost all men. However, the reason this condition becomes a problem is that during prostate enlargement, the prostate exerts pressure on the urinary tract. Because the prostate is very close to the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the bladder), this causes troublesome urinary problems. Nevertheless, BPH causes an obstruction to an extent that strictly requires treatment in only one-third of men.
Causes of Benign Prostate Enlargement
Again, aging is another major cause of BPH. The incidence of this disease increases with age. Varying degrees of prostate enlargement are present in 20% of men in their 40s, 60% of men in their 60s, and 90% of men in their 80s. Research shows that genetics also plays a role, meaning that if there is prostate enlargement in your family, your rate of developing this disease is higher. Benign prostate enlargement is not cancer. However, it extremely negatively affects a man’s quality of life, and therefore needs to be addressed as a serious health problem.
What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Enlargement?
While benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) leads to enlargement in the prostate, it manifests its effects in the lower urinary tract and bladder. Urinary symptoms are observed, causing obstruction at the bladder outlet.
- Weakened urinary stream
- Difficulty starting urination
- Intermittent urination
- Dribbling after urination
- Frequent urination and urgent need to urinate
- Increased urination at night
- Sensation of incomplete bladder emptying
It is necessary to emphasize that these urinary complaints are not only symptoms of BPH: bladder stones, infection, diabetes, neurological problems, as well as the other two diseases of the prostate—prostatitis and prostate cancer—can present similar complaints.
Symptoms develop gradually over the years, and even a patient with severe obstruction can sometimes accept this condition as normal, adapting to the situation. However, the degree of tolerance for urinary distress and symptoms varies from person to person.
If your urinary complaints are also affecting your quality of life, you should definitely consult Prof. Dr. Halim Hattat for treatment. Ignoring the problem means increasing your risk and complicating your treatment.
How Is Prostate Enlargement Diagnosed?
When diagnosing you, Prof. Dr. Halim Hattat needs to determine which of the 3 types of prostate diseases is being focused on, particularly through rectal examination and other physical checks; such as measuring the size of the prostate and differentiating between prostate cancer or prostatitis. In addition to these, blood tests showing how much your prostate antigens have increased must certainly be performed. In cases of urinary troubles, bladder cancer, prostate infection, and urinary tract infections must also be identified. Additionally, uroflowmetry, PVR, and ultrasound are also important tests for detailed information.
Furthermore, in the event of bleeding, cystoscopy—that is, endoscopic visualization of the urinary tract—can also be performed.
How Is Prostate Enlargement Treated?
Our goal in the treatment of prostate enlargement is to eliminate the situation where the enlarged prostate obstructs the urinary tract, leading to severe complaints.
We need to eliminate the enlarged adenoma tissue and relieve the obstruction in the urinary tract.
Various treatment methods have been tried in the treatment of this disease up to the present day. Treatment options include medication therapy, various surgical methods, laser treatments, and heat or thermal therapies.