What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia? A Complete Guide to Prevent BPH

BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlarged prostate that goes through 2 main growth cycles during a man’s life. Learn more below.

The first stage of benign prostatic hyperplasia occurs in puberty when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth starts around the age of 25 and goes on for the rest of that person’s life. BPH most often occurs during the second growth phase and as the prostate enlarges it presses up against the urethra which may cause it to weaken and lose the ability to empty fully leaving some urine in the bladder. This may lead to the bladder being unable to empty itself complement which can cause problems of BPH. This BPH is benign, it is not cancer and is quite common and can happen to half of the men between the ages of 51 and 60 years.

Symptoms

When a prostate is enlarged, it can bother or block the bladder which may make the person feel the need to urinate often, every 1 or 2 hours and mainly at night.

Symptoms may include feeling that the bladder is full even after urinating, a weak flow of urine, needing to stop and start urinating several times, trouble to start urinating, needing to push or strain to urinate, and feeling that they need to go immediately. If this ends up becoming severe, you might not be able to urinate at all and may require benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment.

How can BPH affect your life?

In most men, if you haven’t undergone a BPH treatment, it can get worse with age and lead to bladder damage and infection as well as cause kidney damage and blood in your urine.

Causes

Besides undergoing prostatic hyperplasia treatment, some experts believe that factors related to aging and testicles can cause BPH. This happens as it does not develop in men whose testicles were removed before puberty. In their lives, men produce both testosterone and small amounts of estrogen. But as they age, the amount of active testosterone in the blood lowers, leaving a higher share of estrogen. This activity in the prostate, adds to the activity of substances that cause the prostate cells to grow. Some research also shows that even when testosterone levels in the blood start to fall, high levels of DHT still build up and this may push prostate cells to continue to grow.

In Conclusion

If you feel like you have to go in for prostate artery embolization see your doctor right away also if you have blood in your urine, are in pain, burning sensation, or if cannot urinate. Your doctor can diagnose this based on your family history, a physical exam, and run medical tests.

Vein Centre has expert and skilled doctors to perform this procedure as well as a trained vascular interventional radiologist in a cath lab. They will check and give you the best options for treatment you can take as well as the best solution.