Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is commonly called an enlarged prostate. The prostate continues to grow throughout a man's life, so this is a common condition in older men. It doesn't cause prostate cancer, but it can occur along with cancer. The symptoms you might have can be mild or severe, but even if they're mild, you should discuss them with your doctor. BPH causes symptoms in two main ways. Since the prostate grows larger, it presses against the urinary tract and causes an obstruction that interferes with normal urine flow. The other problem BPH can cause is thickening of the bladder. Here are some of the symptoms of BPH you should watch for.
Symptoms Caused By Urinary Tract Obstruction
When symptoms are caused by obstructing the urinary tract, you may have trouble starting a urine stream, and the stream might be weaker when compared to when you were younger. You may feel like to have to strain to keep your urine from stopping so you can empty your bladder all the way. Another symptom is when your urine continues to dribble out after you've stopped trying to urinate.
Symptoms Caused By A Thickened Bladder
When your bladder is affected by BPH you may have increased frequency of urination. This might cause you to get up at night several times to use the restroom. This, in itself, can be a problem that interferes with your health due to interrupted sleep and the risk of stumbling at night. You might also experience a sudden, strong need to urinate, and that can make it difficult to be in social situations or work. You may also feel like you can't empty your bladder completely.
Symptoms Caused By Complications Of BPH
An enlarged prostate can lead to other medical problems. If you can't empty your bladder completely, urine stays in the bladder and your risk of a urinary tract infection increases. A urinary tract or bladder infection can lead to a kidney infection, which can be serious. The signs of a urinary tract infection can include pain when you urinate, bloody urine, and fever. If you have those symptoms you should call your doctor right away. Another complication of BPH is the inability to pass urine. If you have to urinate and can't go at all, then that's a serious condition that needs immediate medical care.
While some of the symptoms and complications of BPH can be serious, you may never experience them. Your condition may be so mild that you don't even need treatment. Your doctor will diagnose your condition and then monitor it to determine when treatments are necessary.
Share22 April 2019
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
