June is Men's health Awareness Month

Your prostate health makes difference to your well-being

Fearful or unsure of your physician's commentary about your prostate? Did you hear the diagnosis that you have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)?

No need to panic. Now it just as good a time to update and enhance your knowledge of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. This condition is a part of the aging process for most men. Because an enlarged prostate is a natural organ change with age that leads to BPH. 

An enlarged prostate may compress the urinary tube (urethra). As a result, it interferes with the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra to the outside. 

BPH symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, getting up at night to urinate, difficulty urinating, and dribbling urine when you finish. Typically, the bladder muscles get weak over time, making it harder for the bladder to empty. When this happens, this leaves you feeling like you still must pee even after you have just peed.

BPH can also trigger the feeling of having to go often, a sudden urgency to pee, and sometimes incontinence or the inability to control when you pee. Also, having a tough time getting started, peeing in stops and starts, or simply having a weak stream.

Be Alert and Take Note of Symptom Checklist:

• Needing to pee  more frequently  often during the night
• Feeling that your bladder has not emptied completely.
• Difficyltyin starting to pee.
• Urgency needing to rush to the washroom.
• Taking a long time while peeing.
• Weak flow or straining

When BPH is severe enough, a complete blockage can occur and become a medical emergency.

Besides complete blockage of the urethra, serious problems may include urinary tract infections and kidney injury.  

If you are experiencing symptoms of BPH, you will be tested and given a diagnosis. Also, a prescribed approach to managing this problem. 

 What  BPH Tests:

• A physical examination of the urethra, prostate, and bladder also evaluates your bladder function.
• Testing by a cystoscope or bladder ultrasound shows how well you empty your bladder.
• Ultrasound to measure your prostate and see if it looks healthy.
• A PSA blood test since a high prostate-specific antigen level may be a sign of a larger-than-usual prostate.
• A urine flow test to measure how strong your stream is and how much pee you make. 
• A urine test to look for infection or other problems that may be causing your symptoms.
• A biopsy to rule out cancer.

Medical and surgical approaches are available to treat BPH. If you have mild symptoms of BPH, your doctor may prescribe regular medical checkups only. And wait to see whether the condition gets worse. 

Your age, state of health, the size of the prostate, and how BPH symptoms are affecting you will determine treatment options. Your doctor will decide on the medical therapy and treatment approach best suited for your condition.

Medical therapy of both androgen-suppressing therapy and -adrenoceptor drugs can be effective. Some medications work by relaxing the muscles in your prostate and bladder. Others help shrink your prostate. 

Advanced treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia is for patients with significant symptoms. 

Current procedures include electro vaporization, laser prostatectomy, transurethral microwave therapy, or insertion of prostatic stents. Or a minimally invasive intervention using probes or scopes to remove part, or all your prostate does not require a large, bodily incision.

The traditional surgical procedure is the transurethral resection of the prostate or (TURP).

Lifestyle Changes:

Lifestyle changes provide you with a real chance to help minimize symptoms.

• Before you go out or go to bed at night, reduce your intake of fluids.
• Drink less caffeine and alcohol.  
• Engage in specific exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

Untreated urinary problems can lead to obstruction of the urinary tract. If you are unable to pass any urine, seek medical attention without delay.

Discuss with your doctor any concerns you have about urinary problems. It is important to identify or rule out any underlying causes.

The best protection against prostate problems is to have regular medical checkups that include a careful prostate exam.

Remove the fear of talking to your doctor about your urinary problems. Schedule a checkup. And remember BPH is benign not prostate cancer.