The prostate gland appears only in males. A prostate gland enlargement causes problems with urination in elderly males, who are usually over 60 years old.
What is the prostate gland?
It is a small gland about the size of a walnut and is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum.
The prostate is surrounded by an initial portion of the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder). In other words, the initial part of the urethra (about 3 cm long) passes through the prostate.
The prostate is the male reproductive organ. They secrete a fluid that nourishes and carries the sperm into the urethra during ejaculation.
What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?
Benign Prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic enlargement means a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate that occurs in nearly all males.
Benign prostate tumor is a disease of elderly males. As men get older, the prostate gland grows larger. The enlarged prostate presses on the urethra and blocks it and causes problems with urination.
Because of the narrowing of the urethra, the flow of urine becomes slower and less forceful.
What are the Symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia?
Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms usually begin after the age of 50. More than half by the age of 60 and about 90% of men between the ages of 70 and 80 have symptoms of BPH.
Most symptoms of BPH begin gradually and slowly worsen over the years. The following are the most common symptoms of benign prostate tumor:
- Frequent urination, especially at night. This is often a very early symptom
- Leaking or dripping urine at the end of urination.
- slow and weak urine flow.
- Difficulty or straining to start the flow of urine even when the bladder feels full.
- The urge to urinate immediately is one of the most annoying symptoms.
- Aggravation and filtering when urinating.
- Interruption of urine flow.Drops of urine are expelled even after urination, causing wetting of the underwear.
- Incomplete emptying of the bladder.
What are the Complications of benign prostate hyperplasia?
Severe BPH can cause serious problems over time in a few patients if left untreated. The following are the common symptoms of benign prostate tumor:
1- Acute urinary retention: untreated severe benign urinary retention over time a sudden, complete, and often painful blockage of urine flow (acute urinary retention).
These patients are forced to insert a tube called a catheter to drain urine from the bladder. BPH causes poor urine flow and frequent urination, especially at night
2- Chronic urinary retention Partial obstruction of urine flow for an extended period can cause chronic urinary retention. Chronic urinary retention is painless and is characterized by an increase in the volume of residual urine.
The amount of urine that remains in the bladder after normal urination is called residual urine. Its usual manifestation is incomplete emptying of the bladder or frequent emptying of a small amount of urine (excess urine).
3- Bladder and kidney damage causes chronic urinary retention to a stretching of the muscular wall of the bladder. In the long term, the bladder becomes weaker and does not function properly.
The large volume of residual urine increases pressure on the bladder. High pressure on the bladder may pressure urine back through the ureters and into the kidneys. Eventually, the resulting fullness of the ureters and kidneys may lead to kidney failure.
4- Urinary tract infection and bladder stones: The inability to comfy the bladder leads to a risk of urinary tract infection and bladder stones.
How diagnose benign prostate hyperplasia?
When history and symptoms suggest BPH, tests are then performed to confirm or rule out an enlarged prostate.
1- digital rectal examination
With this examination, a lubricated, covered finger is gently inserted into the patient's rectum to feel the surface of the prostate gland through the rectal wall.
This examination gives the doctor an idea of the size and condition of the prostate gland. In BPH, a digital rectal examination shows the gland is enlarged, smooth, and firm.
When the prostate appears solid, nodular, and irregular, lar, a digital rectal exam suggests the presence of prostate cancer or calcification.
2- Ultrasound imaging
Ultrasound can estimate the size of the prostate as well as to detect other problems such as malignancy, ureteral dilatation, kidney, and abscess.
Ultrasound imaging is used to determine the amount of urine remaining in the bladder after urination.
Where the volume of urine remaining after emptying is less than 50 ml indicates that the bladder has been emptied adequately.
The volume of urine remaining after voiding that ranges from 100 to 200 ml or more are considered to have a significant increase that needs to be evaluated.
3- Prostate symptom score
The International Prostate Symptom Score or American Urological Association Symptom Index helps diagnose BPH.
Through this diagnostic method, questions about common symptoms of BPH are asked to evaluate urinary problems in men.
Based on the calculated prostate symptom scores, the severity of the urinary problems is judged.
4- laboratory tests
Laboratory tests do not help diagnose BPH. But it helps in diagnosing associated complications and to exclude problems related to the present pathological manifestations.
Urine is tested for infection and blood is tested for kidney function.
5- PSA test
It is a blood screening test to detect prostate cancer. The blood PSA test is the most important screening test for diagnosing prostate cancer.
6- Other checks
The various tests that lead to the diagnosis of BPH are urine aspiration examination, urodynamic studies, cystoscopy, prostate biopsy, intravenous pyelogram or CT scan for urography, and retrograde pyelography.
