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Enlarged ProstateAs a man ages, it is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged. Doctors call the condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign prostatic hypertrophy.Throughout a man's life, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first of the two occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland then begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH. Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until later in life. BPH is rarely seen to cause symptoms before the age of 40, but more than half of men in their sixties, and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties, have some symptoms of BPH. As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue that surrounds it, stops it from expanding. This then causes the gland to press against the urethra, much like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall then becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder will then begin to contract, even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing one of the side effects, which is more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. This causes the urethra to narrow, and when the bladder is only able to empty partially, many problems then arise that are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Many people feel uncomfortable talking about the prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination. But prostate enlargement is such a common part of aging, along with all the other stages of life a person will experience. As life expectancy rises, so does the occurrence of BPH. In the United States alone, 375,000 hospital stays each year involve a diagnosis of BPH.
Dec. 15, 2005.
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