Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (Prostate Enlargement): Causes, Symptoms, Prevention

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia – You have a lot of control over how you care for yourself and what your body requires. However, as you get older, your body changes in manner you can’t necessarily predict. One of the changes that most men experience is an increase in prostate size. It is a normal part of aging, but it can eventually progress to a disease known as BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disorder in which the prostate gland enlarges as potentially slows or blocks the urine flow. BPH affects exclusively men; roughly 8% of men aged 31 to 40 have BPH. In males over the age of 80, more than 80% have BPH. If you have BPH, don’t worry about it, we will guide you everything from causes to treatment.

What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

What is Prostate Enlargement? The gland known as your prostate is located in front of your rectum and underneath your bladder. It encircles a portion of your urethra and is roughly the size of a walnut. Urine (pee) and sperm (ejaculate) are expelled from your body through a channel called the urethra. If your prostate swells in size, it might block the passage of urine and ejaculate via your urethra.

When you have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, your prostate becomes bigger than usual, which compresses the urethra. This might weaken your pee stream, causing you to wake up frequently at night to use the restroom. It may also cause additional uncomfortable urinary symptoms.

An enlarged prostate occurs when your prostate gland grows bigger than usual. It is also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy, enlarged prostate, or BPH. It is not cancer or prostate cancer, and it does not raise the chance of developing prostate cancer.

BPH (Prostate Enlargement) Causes

The exact cause of BPH or prostate enlargement is unsure. Age-related factors and changes in testicular cell structure may influence gland development and testosterone levels. Males who have undergone early testicular excision (due to testicular cancer) are not susceptible to developing BPH. Furthermore, removing the testicles when a man gets BPH causes the prostate to diminish in size. However, this is not a common therapy for enlarged prostate.

Few facts concerning prostate enlargement:

The risk of acquiring an enlarged prostate rises with age.
Apart from having testicles that function normally, no risk factors have been found.
Many men over the age of 40 have mild prostate enlargement. Over 90% of males over the age of 80 have the disorder.
BPH is so frequent that it is believed that if a man lives long enough, he would have an enlarged prostate.

BPH (Prostate Enlargement) Risk Factors

Risk factors for prostate enlargement include:

Aging: An enlarged prostate gland typically produces symptoms before the age of 40. Following that, the risk of developing an enlarged prostate and associated symptoms increases.
Family History: Having a blood family with prostate problems increases your chances of developing prostate issues.
Lifestyle: Obesity increases the risk of BPH. Exercise can reduce the danger.
Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease: According to studies, diabetes may increase the likelihood of developing BPH. The same might be said for cardiac disease.

BPH Symptoms

BPH symptoms are present in less than half of all male patients. Symptoms could include:

Dribbling after urinating.
Unable to urinate (urinary retention)
Your bladder is not completely empty
Incontinence
Strong and abrupt desire to urinate.
Weak urine flow
Symptoms include frequent urination, pain during urination, and bloody urine, which might suggest infection.
Symptoms may include a slow or delayed start of the urine stream, as well as straining to pee.

Seriousness of symptoms is not necessarily correlated with prostate size. Some persons with mildly enlarged prostates might have serious symptoms. Others with highly enlarged prostates may have modest issues. Some persons with enlarged prostates have no symptoms at all.

BPH Prevention

How can I reduce my risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia? The best method to lower your chance of getting BPH is to make changes in your lifestyle that benefit your prostate & heart health, as well as to take supplements. 30 to 40 minutes exercising every day can help prevent BPH or reduce prostate development. Maintaining regular cholesterol, blood pressure, & blood sugar levels is also essential.

The herbal supplements listed below may also help minimize your chances of getting BPH.

Beta-sitosterol: A micronutrient found in plants called beta-sitosterol may support heart health.
Pygeum Africanum: Pygeum africanum is a bark extract from African cherry trees that has been used as a natural remedy to lower prostate size.
Flaxseed: Flax contains dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which may help decrease cholesterol.
Pumpkinseed oil: The source of pumpkin seed oil is pumpkin seeds. It might aid with prostate shrinkage.

Consult your doctor before using any new supplements. They may react negatively to other vitamins or drugs you are already taking.

BPH Complications

Complications of an enlarged prostate may include:

Unable to urinate: This is also known as urine retention. To drain pee, you may need to have a catheter inserted into your bladder. Some patients require surgery to relieve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Urinary tract infections (UTI): A urinary tract infection may become more likely if one is unable to completely empty one’s bladder. If you frequently have UTIs, you may require surgery to remove a portion of your prostate.
Bladder stones: The most common reason for them is that the bladder cannot empty entirely. Bladder stones can lead to sickness, bladder discomfort, blood in the urine, and obstructed urine flow.
Bladder injury: A bladder that does not empty completely might expand & weaken over time. As a result, the bladder’s muscular wall is unable to adequately press urine out. The inability to completely empty the bladder becomes worse by this.
Kidney injury: The pressure that builds up in the bladder due to inability to urinate might harm the kidneys or allow infections to enter the kidneys.

Treatment for BPH reduces the likelihood of these consequences. However, urine retention and renal damage might pose major health risks.

A note from Kamarth

BPH may not necessarily require medical attention. Your healthcare expert may recommend that you undergo regular visits to monitor your symptoms and prostate size. Symptoms hurting your quality of life can be treated with lifestyle modifications, medication, or surgery. In order to help you manage your symptoms and lead a healthy life, your healthcare provider will collaborate with you to create a treatment plan.

Note: Diagnosis and Treatment has been discussed in the another article.

Some Additional Doubts

Question: What is the main cause of BPH?
Answer: Men’s prostate cells multiply in response to the hormone dihydrotestosterone as they become older.

Question: What is the fastest way to shrink an enlarged prostate?
Answer: The best ways to naturally decrease an enlarged prostate will involve a mix of behavioral adjustments, such as double voiding, exercise, reducing beverage intake before bed, and adhering to a balanced diet.

Question: Can a man live with an enlarged prostate?
Answer: The disease’s symptoms affect less than half of all men with BPH, or they are mild enough not to interfere with daily activities.

Question: Can an enlarged prostate go back to normal?
Answer: People with BPH have a highly positive mindset. BPH does not have a cure, however therapies can help you manage your symptoms. Mild symptoms could not require therapy. More severe instances can be treated with medications, surgery, or minimally invasive procedures.

Question: How to help urinate with an enlarged prostate?
Answer: When urinating, use a method known as “double-voiding.” Try urinating again a few seconds after finishing. This enhances your chances of successfully emptying your bladder.

Reference Links:
https://medlineplus.gov/enlargedprostatebph.html
https://www.webmd.com/men/prostate-enlargement-bph/what-is-bph
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9628595/
https://www.healthline.com/health/enlarged-prostate
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia/symptoms-causes/syc-20370087
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9100-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000381.htm#
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/prostate-problems/enlarged-prostate-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272771547_BENIGN_PROSTATIC_HYPERPLASIA_UPDATED_REVIEW#
https://www.urologyhealth.org/documents/Product-Store/English/Benign-Prostatic-Hyperplasia-Patient-Guide.pdf