What causes prostate enlargement

Enlarged prostate: causes and treatment

An enlarged prostate is often detected when examined by a doctor during a medical examination. A change in size most often occurs as a result of an inflammatory process. As a result of this phenomenon, the patient may develop prostatitis. It is impossible to establish the cause of the increase in tissue size on its own. Therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor if symptoms of the disease are detected.

What is the prostate

The prostate is a small gland. It is shaped like a chestnut. The gland is located under the bladder and in front of the rectum: on top of the urethra. The prostate is one of the main components of the male reproductive system. The gland performs many functions, one of which is the creation of sperm.

In some diseases, the prostate can change its size. If you experience such a symptom, you should definitely visit a doctor. An enlarged prostate needs immediate treatment.

For starters, it is recommended to undergo a thorough examination and establish the cause of the development of the disease. Only a qualified specialist is able to correctly diagnose and prescribe adequate therapy.

What you need to know about an enlarged prostate

An enlarged prostate indicates the presence of certain pathologies in the body. When a boy is just born, his prostate gland is tiny. During puberty, testosterone production increases in young people. As a result, the prostate enlarges. Fully iron begins to function at the age of 17.

In the subsequent period of 20 years, the growth of the prostate slows down significantly. Iron does not cause problems. It is worth noting that an enlarged prostate occurs only in 10% of men who are 30 years old.

The growth of the prostate gland does not stop there. The second surge occurs at age 40. More than 50% of men suffer from an enlarged prostate by the age of 60, and 90% by the age of 80.

Code needs treatment

During puberty, the growth of the gland is considered normal and this process proceeds evenly and without symptoms. However, the prostate, enlarged after 40 years, needs therapy. When such a phenomenon occurs, the urethra is the first to suffer. It is strongly compressed, which leads to some difficulty in emptying the bladder. Doctors ascribed the name "benign hyperplasia" to this condition. The second name of such a pathology is prostate adenoma.

In most cases, hyperplasia begins to progress. As a result of this, the man ceases to completely empty his bladder, as the urethra is compressed more strongly. The problems don't end there. It should be noted that the development of this pathology often leads to thickening of the walls of the bladder itself. Timely diagnosis and therapy can get rid of hyperplasia in the early stages.

Symptoms of pathology

The enlarged prostate can be very disturbing for a man. The main symptom of pathology is difficulty in the process of urination. This symptom of disorders occurs in almost all patients who have encountered such a problem.

Symptoms of the disease can be mild. After all, the pressure of the enlarged prostate gland can be compensated to some extent by the muscles of the bladder itself. An enlarged prostate usually presses on the urethra. This may be indicated by an interrupted or compressed urine stream. In addition to these symptoms, the patient may experience:

• discomfort arising from incomplete emptying of the bladder;
• urine in some cases continues to drip even after urination;
• Difficulty urinating.

The severity of these symptoms depends on whether the enlarged prostate bothers you. Treatment also depends on these indicators.

Other features

If the prostate is enlarged by 2 times, then the fluid collected in the bladder can cause irritation. Symptoms of the disease in this case will be different:

• pain during urination;
• incontinence - loss of control over the process of urination;
• frequent urge to urinate, especially at night;
• A sense of urgency that goes along with the urge to urinate.

Enlarged prostate: causes

Treatment of a disease begins with determining the cause of its development. Therefore, it is worth going through a thorough examination. Among the main reasons for the development of pathology are:

• Prostate growth stimulates an increase in estrogen production and a decrease in testosterone production.
• The prostate produces a substance - dihydrotestosterone, which neutralizes testosterone.With age, the synthesis of DHT in the body does not decrease. But the production of testosterone is reduced. As a result, the prostate cells are stimulated.
• Genetic predisposition. The growth of prostate cells can be programmed in adulthood.
• Prostate cancer.
• A variety of infectious diseases accompanied by an inflammatory process.

Basic therapies

What to do if the prostate is enlarged? How to treat such a pathology? And these questions can only be answered by a specialist in a narrow profile. At the moment, there are several main areas: surgical, medical treatment and observational. The choice of the method of therapy depends on which factor influenced the stimulation of the growth of gland cells, as well as on how much the tissues increased in size.

It is simply impossible to choose the right method on your own. Only a doctor can do this. Do not try to independently identify the cause of the development of pathology. Self-medication in this case can cause the development of serious complications.

Observer Method

This type of treatment for an enlarged prostate is chosen if:

• The patient has mild signs of pathology that do not cause severe discomfort.
• If the patient does not want to identify the cause of the disease for a long time and take medications and experience their side effects.
• If the number of symptoms is significantly reduced after lifestyle changes.

What to do while waiting

If the observation method is chosen, then the patient should reduce the amount of fluid consumed during the day. For two hours before going to bed, you can not drink anything.

It is necessary to completely exclude the use of alcoholic beverages. When visiting the toilet, you must completely empty your bladder. Before taking any diuretic drug, you should carefully study its side effects. Do not take medicines without consulting a specialist. Uncontrolled treatment of the symptoms of the disease can aggravate the situation.

Drug treatment

If a man's prostate is enlarged and the method of observation has not brought proper results, then drug therapy is prescribed. This method is justified if:

• observing the patient did not help;
• there is a risk of developing serious complications;
• No changes have occurred since the lifestyle change.

Features of drug therapy

If the method of observation is not suitable and the patient does not improve, then the doctor may prescribe medication. They should only be taken as directed. Do not exceed the dosage allowed by the doctor. The required amount of drugs is determined after establishing the cause of prostate enlargement and examination. When prescribing, the specialist also takes into account the symptoms described by the patient. For therapy can be prescribed:

Hormones; alpha blockers; phytopreparations; antimicrobial agents; homeopathic preparations; polyene antibiotics; anticancer and antiparkinsonian drugs. Treatment with herbal remedies Even in ancient times, various herbs tried to overcome prostate enlargement. At the moment, therapy of this kind offers many collections of medicinal plants, which mainly include extracts.

The effectiveness of such products depends on how much they contain phytosterols. Such drugs can reduce the production of prostaglandin in the prostate, relieve the inflammatory process, completely stop or slow down the active growth of tissue cells. Such drugs are taken only as directed by a doctor.

Hormones

Hormonal drugs allow you to normalize the process of active growth of prostate tissues. With the development of pathology, estrogens and androgens are of particular importance. The latter block the synthesis of testosterone. They can also affect the androgenic effect on the damage to the prostate or hypothalamus-pituitary gland.

Hormonal drugs can not only normalize urination, but also reduce prostate tissue in size. However, the use of such drugs has recently been limited, since such formulations have many side effects. It is especially worth highlighting such disorders as a decrease in impotence and sexual desire. It is not recommended to take any hormones on your own.

Surgical intervention

The doctor may prescribe surgery if the patient has an enlarged prostate. The causes of the development of the disease may be hidden in the formation of tumors. It is worth noting that not so long ago, this method of therapy was considered the most effective. However, more modern drugs have appeared, and surgical interventions for an enlarged prostate are rarely resorted to. Most often, the operation is performed in cases where there are factors that aggravate the patient's condition, or drug therapy has not helped.Surgery is performed if:

Bleeding from the urethra began; there were serious problems with the process of urination; there are stones in the bladder; acute urinary retention appeared; incomplete emptying of the bladder; medical treatment was ineffective; Complications appeared - a violation of the kidneys, an inflammatory process, and so on. Features of surgical intervention The operation, which is performed with an enlarged prostate, is an effective and radical method of therapy, but at the same time quite dangerous. This is the development of undesirable consequences after surgery. The patient may experience problems with potency, as well as uncontrolled leakage of fluid from the bladder and narrowing of the urethra. It is not recommended to perform the operation if the patient has:

• diabetes mellitus;
• severe diseases of the kidneys, lungs, heart;
• mental disorders;
• cirrhosis of the liver.

The most common way to treat an enlarged prostate through surgery is transurethral surgery and prostatectomy. In the first case, the removal of the gland is carried out through the urethra, and in the second - by cutting the abdominal wall.

If left untreated

What if the prostate is enlarged? What to do if such a pathology occurs? If the cause of the development of the disease is not identified in time, complications may appear. First of all, the bladder will not empty completely. It will gradually accumulate fluid, which, ultimately, will lead to the growth of microorganisms and the development of an infectious disease. Often, under such circumstances, stones are formed.

In this case, the vessels located on the inner surface will be subject to regular damage. This can lead to blood in the urine. A similar symptom may occur due to stretching of the tissues of the bladder. If at this stage the man does not consult a doctor, the disease will progress. As a result, urine will begin to flow back to the kidneys, which will further lead to their insufficiency.

It is for this reason that it is worth paying attention to even minor symptoms. If prostate adenoma is enlarged and the disease is not treated, then irreversible consequences may begin.

Final

If the prostate is enlarged, then you should immediately visit a doctor. In the absence of adequate treatment, the pathology will continue to develop, which will eventually lead to irreversible consequences. Do not put off visiting the clinic. Timely treatment will help to avoid the development of prostate cancer.

A common prostate problem in men is an enlarged prostate

Some experts believe that under the guise of a syndrome called chronic prostatitis, there are many types of pathologies not only of the prostate, but of the body as a whole.

Studying this problem, it is sometimes difficult to separate where is the cause and where is the consequence of the disease; to understand the imposition and interweaving of various prerequisites for its occurrence; stick to the classification line on a single basis.

The negative consequences for genitourinary function are obvious, but the chain of circumstances that led to them is very diverse. With the help of this article, you will learn many useful facts about prostate enlargement in men, about the causes and treatment of the disease.

Causes of prostate enlargement in men

What can cause an enlarged prostate? Reasons may be:

Sedentary lifestyle. For those who constantly sit in the office in front of the computer during the day, and in front of the TV in the evening, the blood circulation in the pelvic area inevitably decreases, and prerequisites for the development of the disease arise. The same applies to truck drivers. Absence of sexual life. Ejaculation is a natural prostate massage. Men who have sex less than three times a week are deprived of such prevention and are at risk. Those who do without sexual activity for longer periods, without alternative preventive activity, are more likely to develop prostatitis. Hormonal disorders. Testosterone is the main hormone responsible for a man's ability to fertilize and other specifically male qualities. Prostate adenoma is a consequence of its deficiency. Prostatitis often occurs at its normal level, but the inflamed prostate does not convert it into an active form. If its content is below 6.1 nmol / l, the man needs treatment. Violation of blood circulation. The blood vessels of the prostate gland are pinched due to the occurrence of edema in it. This entails stagnation of blood. Sometimes edema is caused by congenital anomalies in the structure of the prostate, due to which it produces insufficient testosterone. The narrowing of the urinary canal is also acquired by external influence, due to injury, illness, as a result, the outflow of urine is difficult. Injuries.When the perineum is damaged due to trauma, congestion occurs in the prostate. Their development turns into inflammation, sometimes it becomes chronic. Hypothermia. Acute prostatitis is the result of a one-time hypothermia of the pelvic region. For example, fans of winter fishing, extreme tourists. Chronic prostatitis occurs in those who systematically do not take precautions when working, living in cold conditions, in a draft. Excessive sexual activity. The constant change of partners leads to sexually transmitted diseases, one of the consequences of which is inflammation of the prostate. Abuse of onanism. The negative consequences of onanism are primarily psychological in nature. A man feels inferior due to the lack of normal sexual contacts, is constantly in a state of stress, depression, which lead to illness. In addition, frequent onanistic acts make the prostate muscles flabby, full ejaculation does not occur, which leads to stagnation of blood. Nervous strain. This category of causes includes: chronic fatigue, high mental workload, depression, stress, regular lack of sleep. Prostatitis is caused by specific substances that secrete nerve endings in such cases. Physical stress. Overload during sports, hard physical labor without proper rest lead to inflammation of the prostate. Weak immunity. If the barrier between the blood and prostate tissues is violated for any reason, they become inflamed from the aggression of antibodies contained in the blood, even without exposure to microorganisms, leading to abacterial prostatitis. Immune barriers are broken due to: injuries, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, poor-quality nutrition with the use of dangerous chemical additives.

During oral sex, microbes enter the patient's penis from the partner's mouth, under normal conditions causing tonsillitis, herpes, sinusitis, dental caries, bronchitis. Penetrating into the prostate, they cause inflammation. Microorganisms that affect the prostate. These include: bacteria: streptococcus; sticks (pyocyanic, intestinal), other types; fungus Candida, fungus, others; papilloma virus. Symptoms and signs The following are symptoms of an enlarged prostate:

Specialists can distinguish between these diseases on the basis of test data, tissue samples, and ultrasound. You can find more information about various prostate diseases and their symptoms on our website.

Possible consequences

If the prostate is enlarged and does not shrink after home treatment, most likely you are not disciplined enough to follow all the doctor's recommendations without supervision. You will have to go to the restrictions of freedom that are supposed to be placed in a hospital.

But if you break the regime here, expect complications that will definitely lead to a long hospitalization, possibly with surgery.

Compulsory hospitalization of patients with prostatitis is carried out in order to:

• a course of intravenous antibiotics;
• surgical operation (for example, for an abscess).

The need for such methods of treatment arises when the disease is exacerbated or extremely neglected, there is a danger of getting complications.

Now that you know about the possible consequences that await you with an enlarged prostate, what to do is the next important topic, which we will cover in the section below.

Ways to stop prostate growth

How to reduce the size of the prostate? Take a course of antibiotics, but this type of treatment is not suitable for everyone, it all depends on the specific case. The individual features of the structure of the prostate, the presence / absence of allergies in the patient, the causes of the disease, the degree of its severity play a role.

The urologist decides on the method of treatment for the enlarged prostate. Treatment includes:

Antibiotics are the main means of killing bacteria. To prescribe them, the urologist must make sure that he is dealing with a bacterial form of prostatitis. Otherwise, taking antibiotics will only hurt.

Usually, a doctor for the treatment of bacterial prostatitis prescribes fluoroquinolones: ciprofloxacin, gatiloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin ofloxacin. They differ in activity, permeability, action against many types of bacteria; when administered orally, they accumulate in the gland.

Candles. Filling rectal suppositories in the treatment of prostatitis make antibiotics, propolis, antispasmodics, components of the glands of cattle, and other components. Examples of drugs administered with suppositories: bioprost, prostatilen, viferon, prostopin, olestezin.

The use of suppositories for prostatitis eliminates edema, pain, inflammation. With their help, sexual and urinary functions are restored, the development of vascular thrombosis is suppressed, and blood circulation improves.

Chinese Prostatic Navel patches act on the focus of prostate inflammation by penetrating drug microparticles through the skin. This has been achieved with nanotechnology.

They are easy to use: wash the area around the navel well with soap, shave off the hair there, remove the sticker, stick the patch. After three days, remove, wash the place of gluing again.

After a day, stick another patch. The course of treatment for prostatitis - six patches, 24 days. In parallel, you can drink antibiotics to enhance the effect.

Folk methods

Tested folk remedies for the treatment of prostatitis include:

Overheating will lead to prostate edema. The time spent in the steam room, heating, must be strictly regulated. You should also be careful about cooling after the steam room.

Finnish scientists have proven that sauna increases libido, that is, sexual desire. This is its difference from a regular bath with a temperature of 37 degrees, which, on the contrary, reduces the mobility and number of spermatozoa.

The sauna has a relaxing effect on the smooth muscle of the prostate gland, increases blood flow in the lower abdomen, and improves immunity. The condition of a patient with prostatitis improves if the sauna is combined with diaphoretic tea, the use of apple cider vinegar.

In the diet of a patient with prostatitis, most of the vegetables and fruits. Spices - parsley, mustard, horseradish - reduce inflammation, speed up recovery.

Onions, garlic kill bacteria that cause disease; improve blood circulation, potency.

Zinc, necessary for the functioning of the prostate, is found in marine products: shrimp, algae, crabs, fish, mussels.

If you have a large prostate, you should avoid these foods:

Conclusion

The variety of causes of prostatitis entails no less differentiation of treatment methods. Disease prevention is based primarily on the elimination or neutralization of its causes. Each cause, after it has been identified during diagnostics, tests, provides for specific methods of treating inflammation of the prostate.

See the following video for simple exercises to prevent prostate diseases:

What to do and how to treat an enlarged prostate in men?

The prostate is located between the urethra and the bladder. This gland plays an important role in the male body, performs various functions.

Under the influence of some factors, it changes its size. Regardless of the reasons, prostate enlargement requires urgent treatment, doctor's supervision.

It must be said that it is problematic to deal with the increase in this organ. However, it is quite possible to slow down, suspend the process.

Why does the prostate gland grow in men?

In the course of the studies, doctors have determined that there are two reasons due to which the prostate gland enlarges. The first is associated with age, the second - with a violation of the functions of the testicles. Next, we will consider the key factors due to which the size of the organ increases.

Hyperplasia or adenoma

Due to the increase in the size of the gland, the urethra begins to gradually shrink. Accordingly, the strength of the flow of urine is weakened. Such an enlargement of the prostate in medicine is called hyperplasia (benign) or prostate adenoma.

Enlarged and normal prostate

In this case, an increase in the organ cannot be called a cancerous tumor. If treatment is not carried out on time, a man may eventually develop prostate cancer.

Hyperplasia entails such unpleasant complications:

• inflammatory processes;
• chronic stasis of urine;
• renal failure.

Prostate cancer

Another pathology in which the prostate gland enlarges. In such cases, the treatment of the patient is often carried out late.

After all, in the first stages, there are no symptoms that could alert a man. The size of the prostate gland in oncology greatly increases when the tumor grows to a large size.

Bacterial prostatitis

The bacterium is anaerobic, meaning it does not die without the presence of oxygen. During the development of bacterial prostatitis, a pocket is formed in which fluid accumulates. A severe form of bacterial prostatitis entails a significant increase in the prostate.

The organ can grow to large sizes. For this reason, the urethra is blocked completely. Accordingly, urination stops or becomes scarce, drip.

Liquid may begin to stand out completely involuntarily. In such cases, blockage often occurs. Such a phenomenon requires medical intervention.

Characteristic signs of an enlarged prostate

The medical picture of the symptoms of prostate enlargement for various reasons is similar in such a manifestation as difficulty urinating. This happens because of the excess pressure that is exerted on the urinary tract.

If the prostate is enlarged, the following symptoms may appear:

• frequent urination;
• pain during urination;
• persistent feeling of a full bladder;
• Inability to endure, constant urge to urinate.

Severe pains in the lower abdomen, perineum, back are characteristic of the acute form. A man may have a fever, often there is purulent discharge from the urethra.

If the prostate is enlarged, what should I do?

Only specialists can decide what to do with an enlarged prostate. In this case, the patient is sent for a consultation with a urologist, as well as a surgeon, therapist and endocrinologist.

At the same time, doctors prescribe a number of examinations. Thanks to them, it will be possible to identify the cause of an increase in the organ, to assess its condition. Based on the information received, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

The survey process may include the following steps:

• general analysis of blood, urine;
• biochemical blood test;
• performing ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
• blood for sugar, histological analysis.

The main role in the treatment and diagnosis is occupied by the urologist. Other specialists in this process act as consultants. During a manual examination, the specialist makes a preliminary diagnosis, and also sends the patient for tests to confirm it accurately.

What drugs to treat?

In modern medicine, there are many ways to treat an enlarged prostate. Due to the abundance of medicines, it will not be difficult for a specialist to choose the best option for a particular case. The following will describe the most popular remedies for the treatment of an enlarged prostate.

Hormonal drugs

Hormones allow you to regulate the increase in prostate tissue. Androgens, estrogens play an important role in the treatment of hyperplasia.

Thanks to such drugs, the effect of androgen is reduced. The hormones mentioned above block the production of testosterone and also exclude androgenic effects at the prostate level.

Hormones help to reduce the size of the organ, as well as normalize the process of urination. However, in modern medicine, their use is limited due to side effects (impotence, decreased sexual desire).

Antibiotics

Treatment of prostatitis, in which the size of the prostate is enlarged, with antibiotics is the most effective method. The appointment in this case is carried out by the attending physician.

Drugs for the treatment of male disease have certain properties that allow you to respond urgently to the primary manifestations of prostatitis. Antibiotics have the following effect:

The treatment regimen for an enlarged prostate is prescribed by a doctor. In the process of using drugs, it must be followed with maximum accuracy.

For any appointment, the doctor takes into account the stage of the disease, the type of infection and other individual characteristics.

Plant based products

An enlarged prostate can be treated with herbal remedies.

The composition includes extracts that favorably affect the condition and functioning of the prostate gland.

It should be noted that in the case of an acute stage of the disease, phytotherapeutic agents are unable to improve the condition. With an acute manifestation of the disease, it is necessary to use antibiotics and other more effective drugs.

Surgical treatments

Manipulations are carried out through an incision in the perineum or lower abdomen. The advantage of surgical methods is a small percentage of recurrence.

In this case, transurethral penetration is performed. The procedure consists of making incisions on the surface of the enlarged prostate.

Due to this, the pressure of the urethra decreases, and the outflow of urine quickly normalizes.

Related video

About prostate adenoma and methods of its treatment in the video:

When incising the gland, a complication may occur - intense bleeding. If a large amount of blood enters the cavity during the operation, a second surgical intervention may be required.

In the case of prostate tissue incision, another complication after surgery may occur - retrograde ejaculation. In this case, the release of seminal fluid is carried out into the bladder. Therefore, experts do not recommend resorting to this method for those men who plan to have children in the future.