Prostate is a small gland that is part of men reproductive system. The prostate is responsible for the production of semen, the fluid that carries sperm from the testicle when a man ejaculates. The prostate is often within the size of a walnut in the younger age of men, it rests low in the pelvis, just in front of the rectum and below the bladder.
As important as the prostate is to life and reproduction, it becomes venerable to many medical problems as men age. But the most common prostate problem is the enlarged prostate, a condition known as Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, or BPH.
The prostate gland slowly grows larger with age, it may start squeezing the urethra as the size increases, and this will start causing discomfort and problems in passing urine when it gets too large. Sometimes, men in their late 30s and 40s may start having these urinary problem symptoms and may need medical condition, but other symptoms of prostate trouble start surfacing in much later in life mostly around their 50s and 60s.
Enlarged prostate
A benign tumor that keeps growing over time is the cause of enlarge prostate and it’s typically age-associated. The older a man gets, the more his likely to develop prostate trouble like prostatitis and BPH. Some of the symptoms that may come with an enlarged prostate include:
- Sudden or strong urge to pass urine
- An increased frequency of urination, especially at night
- Feeling the bladder is not empty after urinating
- Break in the urine stream while urination
- Having trouble to begin passing urine
It is recommended to see your doctor if you are experiencing some of the above symptoms for a proper evaluating and diagnosis as prostate cancer also have similar symptoms. Early detection is always the best.
Enlarged prostate needs to be treated as soon as possible, as it can lead to more medical complications such as urinary tract infections, damage to the bladder or kidneys, or an increase in bladder stones. Moreover, symptoms may get worse over time and enlarged prostate is much easier to correct in the early state.
Treatment option
There are lots of prostate supports and prescription medications to manage and treat enlarged prostate, treatment option include:
Watchful waiting
This is best fit for someone who his symptoms are still manageable. It involves getting an annual prostate checkup, changing lifestyle to correct the condition like not drinking much in the evening. Treatment may start if the symptoms worsen.
Drug Therapy
This is the most common choice, it involves using drug to treat the condition. There are lots of prostate support drugs at there, and the way they work and the effectiveness can vary. Such as
Alpha-blockers
Alpha-blockers is a common prostate support that tends to relief symptoms by relaxing the muscles around the prostate and let the urine flow freely. But the side effect may include headache, dizziness, and fatigue.
5 alpha-reductase inhibitors
This is another prostate support that tends to shrink the prostate gland to relief the symptoms. This drug works by blocking the activity of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme changes the testosterone hormone to dihydrotestosterone which stimulates the growth of prostate. By blocking this enzyme, prostate growth becomes slower and will start to shrink.
Surgery
Surgery is another option for treating an enlarged prostate. This option is often applied when the symptoms become unbearable for the patient or for some reason they don’t want to take drug, it might be due to the side effect or personal reason. Surgery is also an option if the patient is not responding to drug treatment.