Understanding the Enlarged Prostate

As men get older many of them suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia also known as an enlarged prostate. The prostate is a gland found below a man's bladder and surrounds the urethra.

The first stage of prostate gowth is in childhood, by puberty the prostate is approximately the size of a walnut the prostate usually stays this size until about the age of 40 when it begins to grow again.

When the prostate gets larger it squeezes the urethra and this pressure can make it more difficult for the bladder to empty. Then the bladder has to work harder to get rid of the urine which can cause the muscle walls of the bladder to become thick and irritated which means that the bladder cannot work properly.

Many men with an enlarged prostate have no symptoms but here is a list of some sypmtoms that can be suffered -

* A weak urine stream that may start and stop
* The need to urinate more often
* There may be a need to get out of bed a few times during the night to urinate
* It may be difficult to start to urinate
* Some only urinate a little bit each time they visit the bathroom
* There may be dribbles or leakage after going to the bathroom
* There may be the feeling of still needing the bathroom even though they have just been
* There may be a strong and sudden urge to urninate
* There may be small amounts of blood seen in the urine

As far as is know the only risk factor to having an enlarged prostate is ageing....... There are no lifestyle changes that will keep the prostate from growing.

There are a few doctors who believe that genetics may could be a factor and some believe that obesity and cigarette smoking could play a role.

Men who do not have symptoms do not need treatment but those that have symptoms need to talk with their health care provider.

The only way to diagnose an enlarged prostate is to have an exam and other tests. These could include your medical history, a digital rectal exam, a urinalysis and/or a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test which measures the level of a special substance made by the prostate. A high PSA score may indicate an enlarged prostate and an increased risk of prostate growth but a high PSA score could also be an indication of prostate cancer.