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The symptoms -- which may start out being more annoying than worrisome
-- come on so gradually that many men may not notice them at all...at first.
The first change in bladder habits may be having to get up during the night
to urinate, followed by more frequent trips to the bathroom during the
day, only to experience a weak, diminished urinary stream -- especially
in the morning -- that might start and stop. |
Some men experience a feeling that their bladder is never emptied completely,
and others are plagued by sudden, very strong urges to urinate, accompanied
by embarrassing leaks of small amounts of urine. After a while, the need
for frequent trips to the bathroom begin to dictate other behavior -- such
as insisting on aisle seats at the theatre and on airplanes, along with
foregoing beverages after dinner.
These symptoms, together known as prostatism, are some of the most common
classically associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia -- or BPH.
Contrary to popular belief, symptoms such as these are most typical of
this benign disorder, NOT prostate cancer which is typically silent in
its early stages.
According to Kevin M. Slawin, M.D., director of the Prostate Center
at Baylor College of Medicine, difficulty with urinating is very common
in men over age 50. While this is often a signal that the prostate
gland has grown to the point where it has begun to squeeze the urethra
-- like pinching a straw -- causing a blockage of the lower urinary tract,
the disease process is probably much more complex than that.
In some men, the problem never worsens and may not require treatment.
In other men, the symptoms cause significant disruption of daily activities.
For these cases, medical intervention can help to diagnose the problem
and to identify an appropriate therapy.
“Patients with mild symptoms might not warrant treatment at all,” Dr.
Slawin explains, “because BPH is not always progressive. Fortunately,
there are medication that are now available for those with moderate symptoms
which may offer some relief.”
“For those with more severe symptoms,” he continued, “or for men for
whom the medications don’t do the job, surgical procedures can be extremely
effective. Newer therapies that vaporize obstructing prostate tissue
with minimal discomfort or bleeding are exciting new options in this arena.”
However, Dr. Slawin points out that, except in cases of complete blockage
of the urinary tract, no one has to rush into a treatment decision concerning
BPH. The important thing when the symptoms do occur, is to see a
urologist for an accurate diagnosis and to have annual prostate exams after
age 50. |
