subject: Seeking Treatment For An Enlarged Prostate [print this page] Often older men tend to suffer from various symptoms of urine discharge problems like frequent urination or hesitant and interrupted urine discharge. These are often symptoms that are related to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, a condition of non cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The enlargment of the prostate means that the gland has grown larger in size. Unfortunately, this tends to happen to almost all men as they age. As the gland enlarges, it starts to press on the urethra, which causes frequent urination and bladder problems.
The prostate is a gland located between the urinary bladder and the urethra. It produces semen, which carries the sperms. In the case of BPH (short for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), there is an abnormal enlargement in the prostate, which in turn blocks the urinary duct passing from the urinary bladder to the urethra through the prostate gland. This is the root cause of the urinary problems arising due to this condition.
The cause of BPH is still unknown after years of research and tests on the condition. Factors such as aging and the testicles themselves may cause the growth of the gland. Men who have had their testicles removed at a young age, often as a result of testicular cancer, will not develop BPH. Due to the fact that the BPH condition is mainly seen in men above the age of 60, researchers believe that hormonal factors related to aging in men are the cause.
Throughout a man's lifetime, there is production of the hormone testosterone from the testes of males, which gives them male characteristics. Apart from this there is also production of small amounts of estrogen, a female hormone, in the male human body. This theory states that as men start to age, the amount of testosterone production decreases in the blood, thus leaving high levels of estrogen in the body. High amounts of estrogen are known to promote cell growth within the prostate gland, which is a possible cause for the enlargement of the prostate gland.
Another theory states the importance of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a substance produced in the male body that triggers the growth of the prostate gland. However as males lose the ability to produce testosterone in the body with increasing age, there is an accumulation of DHT in the body, which causes BPH.
The symptoms accompanied by this condition are mostly urinary problems. These can include: frequent urination at night, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the urinary bladder, irregular streams of urine discharge, partial or total blockage of the ability to discharge urine and pain experienced due to forceful discharge of urine.
Today men do not have to suffer from this condition for the rest of their lives. There are several medications and treatment options available to treat BPH. There are medications for low or middle stages of BPH, and surgery for advanced stages. You can visit various websites for more information on the treatment options of enlarged prostate. This is indeed a common ailment in most males but a timely intervention can help cure it.
by: Terry Mickelson
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