Prostatic Enlargement

By DR. GARY S. SY

MANILA, Philippines --- Nearly every man over 40 has some degree of enlargement of the prostate gland, which slowly progresses throughout the aging process.

The prostate gland is the male organ that produces semen, the milky-colored fluid that nourishes and transports sperm during ejaculation. It sits beneath your bladder and surrounds your urethra, the tube that drains urine from your bladder. When it becomes enlarged, the prostate can put pressure on your urethra and cause difficulty urinating.

Most men have a period of prostate growth in their mid- to late 40s. At this time, cells in the central portion reproduce more rapidly, resulting in prostate gland enlargement. As tissues in the area enlarge, they often compress the urethra and partially block urine flow. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the medical term for prostate gland enlargement.

Treatment of prostate gland enlargement depends on your signs and symptoms and may include medications, surgery, or non-surgical therapies.

Prostate gland enlargement is not related to the development of prostate cancer.

Prostate gland enlargement varies in severity among men and doesnt always pose a problem. Only about half the men with prostate gland enlargement experience signs and symptoms that become noticeable or bothersome enough for them to seek medical treatment. These signs and symptoms may include: Weak urine stream, difficulty starting urination no matter how strong the urge, dribbling

at the end of urination, straining while urinating, frequent need to urinate, increased frequency of urination at night (nocturia), urgent need to urinate, not being able to completely empty the bladder, blood in the urine (hematuria), and urinary tract infection.

Causes

At birth, the prostate gland is about the size of a pea. It grows slightly during childhood and then at puberty undergoes a rapid growth spurt. By age 25, your prostate is fully developed and is about the size of a walnut.

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Prostatic Enlargement