Benign prostate enlargement can sometimes lead to complications such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or acute urinary retention. Serious complications are rare.
Left untreated, an enlarged prostate can lead to a sudden inability to urinate, cause urinary tract infections and bladder or kidney damage.
As they age, some men may notice that they have trouble peeing. You might find it hard to start going, or perhaps the stream starts and stops several times. Those are two symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, called BPH, which is an enlarged prostate.
Can an Enlarged Prostate Be Cured? For most patients, BPH (enlarged prostate) is curable. Some people see a significant reduction in symptoms with medication alone. If medicine does not work, or your prostate is too large, surgery will often remove enough of the prostate to provide you with relief.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors are used to treat larger prostate glands. They shrink the prostate gland if it's enlarged. Finasteride and dutasteride are the two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors available.
BPH might be life-disrupting, but with the right care and the correct approach to fluids, it's possible for most men to minimize their symptoms and live comfortably with an enlarged prostate.
For a healthy prostate, prevention is the best remedy, and exercise, such as the benefits of walking, can be one of your great allies. Essential in the role of your fertility, the prostate can be a small annoying gland.
Although benign prostatic hyperplasia rarely causes symptoms before age 40, the occurrence and symptoms increase with age. Benign prostatic hyperplasia affects about 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80.
An enlarged prostate may improve with medication. The urologist may prescribe Alpha-blockers to relax the bladder and prostate muscles, and ease urinary symptoms. Finasteride and Dutasteride (5-alpha reductase inhibitors) may also be prescribed by the urologist to help shrink the prostate.
Usually there is gradual recovery with treatment, but this can take several months or years. Some people with prostatitis find their symptoms return and require further treatment.
Drinking water is essential for prostate and overall health. On average, it is recommended to consume at least eight cups of water daily. Be sure to drink water during and after exercise.
What is PAE? PAE is a nonsurgical procedure that decreases the blood supply to the prostate, thus reducing its size and symptoms. An interventional radiologist, who uses X-rays and other imaging techniques to see inside the body and treat conditions without surgery, performs PAE.
If you have BPH or prostatitis, make an effort to reduce your caffeine intake by cutting back on coffee, soda or energy drinks. Avoiding caffeine can make a big difference in your urinary health. Another important drink for you prostate is water. Stay hydrated, and do not try to drink less to reduce your urine.
Research on black coffee and prostate cancer has shown that men who consumed six or more cups of coffee per day had a nearly 20% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. The protective benefit is even higher for more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, with a 60% lower risk.
Research suggests that lycopene may help lower prostate cancer risk. Lycopene can be found in foods like tomatoes, apricots, pink grapefruit, guava, and papaya. There's about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene in a cup and a half of watermelon.
While it's difficult to completely reverse an enlarged prostate, there are several treatments that can relieve symptoms, reduce the size of the prostate and help restore normal urine flow. In fact, many men with prostate enlargement are able to achieve a positive quality of life with non-surgical treatments.
These results indicate that methanol extract of banana peel can inhibit 5alpha-reductase and might be useful in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia.
Some symptoms may get worse because of cold weather or as a result of physical or emotional stress. Some over-the-counter medicines also can make BPH worse, such as diphenhydramine (e.g., Benadryl), pseudoephedrine (e.g., Sudafed) and oxymetazoline spray (e.g., Afrin).