BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH)

13/01/2021

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — also called prostate gland enlargement — is a common condition as men get older. An enlarged prostate gland can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. It can also cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems.

Signs and Symptoms

BPH symptoms can be divided into those caused directly by urethral obstruction and those due to secondary changes in the bladder.

Typical obstructive symptoms are:

Difficulty starting to urinate despite pushing and straining
A weak stream of urine; several interruptions in the stream
Dribbling at the end of urination

Bladder changes cause:

A sudden strong desire to urinate (urgency)
Frequent urination
The sensation that the bladder is not empty after urination is completed
Frequent awakening at night to urinate (nocturia)
As the bladder becomes more sensitive to retained urine, a man may become incontinent (unable to control the bladder, causing bed wetting at night or inability to respond quickly enough to urinary urgency).
Burning or pain during urination can occur if a bladder tumor, infection or stone is present. Blood in the urine (hematuria) may herald BPH, but most men with BPH do not have hematuria.

Complications

Complications of an enlarged prostate can include:

Sudden inability to urinate (urinary retention).
Urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Bladder stones. These are generally caused by an inability to completely empty the bladder. Bladder stones can cause infection, bladder irritation, blood in the urine and obstruction of urine flow.
Kidney damage. Pressure in the bladder from urinary retention can directly damage the kidneys or allow bladder infections to reach the kidneys.

Most men with an enlarged prostate don't develop these complications. However, acute urinary retention and kidney damage can be serious health threats.

How to prevent BPH

One of the best ways to avoid prostate problems is to exercise, which can help decrease inflammation. Exercise also helps your body use insulin more efficiently.
Exercise, combined with a healthy diet, will reduce your chances of becoming overweight and developing diabetes, two other BPH risk factors.

If you're having urinary problems, discuss them with your doctor. Even if you don't find urinary symptoms bothersome, it's important to identify or rule out any underlying causes. Untreated, urinary problems might lead to obstruction of the urinary tract.

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Urology – Andrology is considered as one of the five key specialties in American International Hospital (AIH). Our hospital provides medical examination and treatment of various urinary pathologies as well as health problems in both men and women with multiple flexible treatments. These consist of pharmacologic treatment and minimally invasive surgeries such as urological endoscopy, laparoscopic surgery... so as to give patients more comfort and quickest recovery.

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For checkup and consultation at American International Hospital (AIH):

☎️ Hotline: (028) 3910 9999

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