-
WHAT EVERY MAN OVER 45 SOULD KNOW ABOUT PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT
After a man reaches the age of 45 or so, his prostate gland tends to increase in size. As the gland grows, it may begin to press against and compress the urethra, creating a frequent, urgent need to empty the bladder and/or make urination more difficult. In some cases, the retention of urine can lead to an inflammation of the bladder and possible kidney damage.
Often called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), this is a non-cancerous condition, whose exact cause is still a mystery. Symptoms usually develop gradually as the prostate continues to compress and distort the urethra. And according to some studies, as many as 80 percent of men 55 and older may experience at least one of its symptoms—most typically a frequent need to urinate or having a difficult time with the passage of urine.
The first thing you should do if you experience symptoms of BPH is to see your doctor and have the condition checked out, because some of the same symptoms may signal cancer of the prostate. It is also sometimes necessary to have surgery in order to remove the enlarged section of the prostate.
Mild symptoms of BPH do not usually require extensive treatment. Men who do require surgery may have the option of one of several procedures, depending on the nature of their condition. And while surgery has been an effective long- term solution for many men, it can also have certain “side effects”, such as retrograde ejaculation wherein men who have had the operation no longer ejaculate out of the penis but rather up into the bladder. The condition presents no health or sexual performance problems, but it does result in infertility. In some cases, surgery may also lead to impotence.
The most common surgical procedure for BPH is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The procedure requires a 3 to 5 day stay in the hospital, followed by a two week recovery period. With the patient under either general or spinal anesthesia, the surgeon passes a resectoscope up the urethra so the prostate can be seen. A tiny cutting instrument is then inserted through the resectoscope and used to cut away enough of the prostatic tissue to allow urine to flow normally. The tissue that is removed is then examined to detect the presence of any cancerous cells. According to many medical experts, TURP is far more likely to provide long-term relief from BPH than drugs or any other alternative treatment.
*213\27\8*
Related Posts:
General health General healthLeave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
