Dr. Anshuman V. Kapoor – a senior urologist at Kapoor’s Kidney and Urostone Centre, shares useful information about common prostate problems and its treatment.
What is prostate gland?
The Prostate is a walnut size gland in a male reproductive system that secretes prostate fluid, which is one of the components of semen.
It is located just below the bladder. The urethra is a thin tube which runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis. It lets the urine flow out of the body. The fluid secreted by prostate gets expelled with sperm as semen.
The prostate gland tends to grow larger with age. The enlarged prostate is common in men over the age of 40. Its main function is to secrete prostate fluid during sexual intercourse, one of the components of semen fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation.
When the prostate becomes enlarged, it presses upon the urethra. Studies show that :
- Out of every 10 men, eight will suffer from prostate problem.
- 90% of men with age over 80 years can have the problem of enlarged prostate.
- Overall, 80% of males will be diagnosed with prostate problems during their lifetime.
- About 30-35% of people require some type of treatment for these problems.
Signs and Symptoms of enlarged prostate include :
- Urgency to urinate.
- Frequent urination.
- Getting up frequently at night to urinate.
- A weak urine flow.
- A urinary stream that starts and stops.
- Feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied.
All the above symptoms indicates the enlargement of the prostate. If you experience any of these symptoms, then you should consult your urologist. Your doctor will do these three main tests to diagnose this disease :
- Digital rectal exam(DRE) – This procedure helps to detect the nodule or lump in the prostate gland which can lead to prostate cancer. It is also used to assess the size of the prostate.
- Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test – A blood test used to detect the prostate problems like prostate cancer and prostate enlargement. If PSA level is high, it doesn’t always mean that a man has prostate cancer. PSA is basically a protein found in man’s blood produced by the prostate cells. PSA readings are elevated because of several reasons like taking a biopsy, infection near the prostate gland, prostate cancer or prostatic tuberculosis. Now, the question here arises is that when should you get a psa test? A man over the age of 50 should get a psa test once in a year if he have a family history of prostate cancer.
- Urine Flow Test – Another test known as urine flow test helps to determine the speed of urine flow over time. The graph of Flow rate (milliliters) versus time (sec) is used to detect that whether the patient will require medication, lifestyle changes or surgical procedures to cure the prostate problems.
Treatment
There are three main treatment options for prostate enlargement :
- Making positive lifestyle changes : Avoid intake of fluids at night before sleeping and stay physically active. Eat foods that will help relieve constipation which makes prostate problems worse.
- Medications : Several types of medications have been approved for treatment of prostate enlargement. It is considered as the most common way of curing this prostate problem. Many men experience blocked urine flow, which is treated with stent and consumption of various medicines. In these situations, many patients do not need surgery and can be treatment by properly taking medications.
- Surgical Treatment : The cases require surgical treatment are –
patients experiencing the repeated blocked urine flow
blood in the urine.
– When urine cannot drain out from kidney to the bladder from a blockage.
– Bladder stones due to prostate enlargement.
– Complicated urinary tract infection.
Surgical options include open surgical procedures and enucleation with laser.For consultation and treatment, contact us at 01722634811, 01722634822.