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Benign
prostatic hyperplasia, abbreviated
as BPH,
is a prostate gland enlargment caused by benign growth.
The word 'hyperplasia' refers to an overgrowth of healthy
cells. After most men pass the age of forty, tbey will
experience benign prostatic hyperplasia as a normal
part of aging. Because the urethra
runs through the transition zone of the prostate gland,
the benign growth may compress the urethra. The compression
of the urethra as well as possible pressure on the urinary
bladder may cause the following symptoms: frequent urination,
especially at night, a feeling of not being able to
empty the bladder completely, or urgency.
These symptoms may be mistaken for
symptoms of prostate cancer, since both prostate cancer
and benign prostatic hyperplasia involve the prostate
gland’s enlargement. However, men who experience
benign prostatic hyperplasia do not always need to seek
treatment. Medical treatment is needed only when the
prostate gland enlargement interferes with daily life,
such as having to get up several times during the night
to urinate, or avoiding situations where bathrooms are
unavailable due to urgency or fear of urgency. However,
it is also possible for BPH and prostate
cancer to coexist, so a man with BPH may also want
to consider additional testing for prostate cancer after
his BPH diagnosis.
Treatment for severe benign prostatic
hyperplasia can include the transurethral resection
of the prostate (TURP). TURP creates a wider passage
for the urehtra by cutting out parts of the prostate
gland. Patients who undergo TURP and later develop prostate
cancer, however, may not be eligible for certain prostate
cancer treatments, such as brachytherapy or cryotherapy.
For patients who experience an even more
severe enlargment of the prostate gland, invasive treatment
such as prostate surgery may be used. Treatments such
as cryotherapy, radiation therapy, laser therapy, and
microwave therapy may also be available to treat a swollen
prostate gland. The goal is to destroy a portion of
the prostate gland and to let the body reabsorb the
tissue. These treatments may not be as effective as
TURP.
Alternative medicine is available
for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Three
popular herbal supplements are saw palmetto, pygeum
Africanum, and cernilton. Men who wish to treat symptoms
of benign prostatic hyperplasia with alternative medicine,
however, must first speak with their doctors about possible
risk to health. Some preliminary, short-term research
indicates that saw palmetto, a dwarf palm tree, may relieve
symptoms of BPH. Pygeum Africanum, or African
plum tree, bark may ease the severity of urinary side
effects. The bark of the pygeum Africanum is used in
Europe, but is not as popular in the United States due
to fewer medical studies to test effectiveness. Cernilton
is a commercial name for a combination of rye grasses's
pollen extracts. The makers of cenilton claim that the
supplement has an anti-inflammatory effect on the muscles
of the bladder. The effect helps the muscles to relax
and therby relieves urinary symptoms.
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