What is BPH?
The
PROSTATE is a small gland at the outlet of the bladder, forming a ring around the
URETHRA which is the tube from the bladder to the outside, exiting at the penis. The prostate contributes to semen.
PSA which is one of the proteins produced by the prostate keeps semen liquid. The prostate is inclined to enlarge with age.
Causes of BPH.
Age: The prostate enlarges with age and starts to produce symptoms in men usually after the age of 50.
Race: Asiatic races are less lilkely to develop BPH, caucasians more likely. There is probably an association with diet so this may not be purely genetic.
Diet: vegetarians are less likely to develop BPH, men who eat red meat and drink cows milk are more likely. Soy-based Asiatic diets are associated with less BPH.
Symptoms of BPH result from its position at the neck of the bladder. When the prostate enlarges it presses on the urethra and makes it harder for urine to pass. The early symptoms result from this:
- poor urine stream: a man will notice his urine does not pass in its previous volume:
- frequency: he will have to go to the washroom more often because the bladder does not emty completely:
- hesitancy: a man may have to wait longer to start urinating even though he feels the need to go: eventually he may have to make several trips before succeeding in passing urine.
- nocturia: he will have to arise more often at night for the same reason.
- dribbling.
As the condition progresses, symptoms will arise from the complications of BPH:
- frequency and pain on passing urine from bladder infection. The bladder is prone to infection if it does not empty completely:
- blood in the urine. This may be a symptom of infection but may also be caued by bladder stones. The salts in the residual urine in the bladder can crystalize out forming small particles, "sand, gravel", and later stones. These irritate the bladder and cause bleeding.
