The prostate is the Achilles heel on men's health. The most common prostate pathology is called an adenoma. This affliction today affects the lion's share of the male population, if not every second. If earlier the age threshold of this disease began after 60 years, now it has been halved. That is why young people who have reached the age of 30 should visit the urologist's office annually for prevention. What calls may be suspected of the disease in the early stages, who to turn for help and how to treat is described in the article below.
Description of the drug "prostatic hypertrophy"
The spread of suitable characteristics is considerable: the thickness of the gland (anteroposterior size) is 1.5-3 cm, the width (perpendicular size) is 2.7 -5 cm, the length (upper-lower size) is 2.3-4.2 cm. This kind of spread characteristics associated with the personal distinctive features of a particular patient, as well as the unreality of completely normalizing the method of measuring marked sizes. For this reason, today it is customary to focus more on the volume of the gland.
A micropreparation of prostatic hypertrophy will be as follows. Adenoma is tissue hypertrophy, that is, its abnormal proliferation. This is a benign tumor at first. The cells of the gland or the connective tissue and smooth muscle components surrounding it begin to increase in volume. The result is a knot or several small ones that squeeze the urethra. Thus, the path to the natural evacuation of urine from the bladder is blocked. If you ignore the symptoms and untimely contact a specialist, hyperplasia can turn into a malignant form (cancer). The activity of the gland is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system.
There are various names in the medical literature: prostate adenoma, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic hypertrophy, in the ICD-10 is listed under the code N40.
What important functions does the prostate perform?
First of all, the secretory function of the prostate gland is the formation of the main male sex hormone - testosterone, which regulates the process of spermatogenesis, as well as sexual activity. In this regard, impaired functioning of the prostate can reduce fertility, lead to infertility, disharmony in the sexual sphere, and psycho-physiological problems.
The motor function is the retention of urine, the control of the process of formation and excretion of urine, the secretion during sexual intercourse. Their violation is fraught with the disappearance of an erection, shortening the duration of copulation.
Barrier function - protects the urinary and genital tract from the penetration of harmful bacteria and viruses into them.
Causes
The prerequisites for the development of prostatic hypertrophy can be many:
- The inflammatory process in the gland itself (prostatitis) is of an infectious or other nature.
- Prostate adenoma in men is comparable to menopause in women. In other words, the appearance of this disease indicates the beginning of hormonal extinction. So, closer to 50 years, the synthesis of the main male sex hormone - testosterone, is sharply reduced. At the same time, the production of female hormones - estrogens, which contribute to the proliferation of organ tissues, is increasing.
- Scientific studies have shown the relationship between the increased concentration of "milk hormone" - prolactin, in the blood with infertility in men. Hyperprolactinemia develops due to stress, physical fatigue, prolonged use of vasodilator drugs, antidepressants, drugs.
- Inflammation of the genitourinary system in the form of cystitis, urethritis.
- Sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia) are also able to provoke this ailment.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Inadequate blood supply to the pelvic organs (pelvic atherosclerosis) leads to chronic ischemia of the bladder and prostate. In turn, this leads to atrophy and fibrosis of the gland.
- Prostatitis is a factor in the development of prostatic hypertrophy.
- Long-term sexual abstinence, a sedentary lifestyle, and the absence of physical exertion are fraught with congestion (accumulation of sperm, lack of outflow of blood) in the gland.
- Overweight is another enemy. The presence of a beer belly indicates a metabolic disorder, which, in turn, affects the hormonal balance, shifting it toward imbalance.
- Unbalanced diet and constipation. Prolonged intoxication with feces affects the prostate, causing its inflammation.
Who is at risk?
Thus, men are most prone to prostate hypertrophy:
- at the age of 35 years and older;
- with monotonous sedentary work;
- homosexuals;
- bodybuilders taking anabolic steroids;
- forced to take hormonal drugs and drugs to lower blood pressure.
Symptomatology
There are exact signs by which to judge violations of the prostate gland:
- Initially, changes occur in urination, but are still insignificant. The prostate is characterized by an increased volume, due to which pressure is applied to the bladder. This process can drag on - from one to three years.
- Over time, urine begins to stagnate in the bladder, the walls of which begin to become inflamed. This is indicated by pain in the inguinal region. In addition, this is an additional burden for the kidneys.
- Over time, the pain intensifies, involuntary urination occurs. The walls of the bladder lose their tone, which causes it to stretch.
- The extreme stage of the disease is a danger to the further functioning of the body. The water-salt and electrolyte balance is completely disrupted, the kidneys and urinary tract refuse to work.
- The frequency of going to the toilet "little by little" is increasing both in the daytime and at night.
- Bladder emptying occurs slowly and in small doses.
- Erectile activity in the morning is absent.
Common symptoms
There are general symptoms of prostatic hypertrophy:
- Dry skin.
- Unceasing thirst.
- Refusal of food.
- The decline of vitality.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Odor of acetone from the oral cavity.
Diagnostics
After detecting the above symptoms, you should immediately contact a specialist - urologist. To make a diagnosis, the patient’s lifestyle and complaints are analyzed. Inspection is carried out through the rectum. Palpating the gland, determine the size and density.
After that, the doctor prescribes a number of laboratory studies of benign prostatic hypertrophy:
- General blood and urine tests - the identification of an inflammatory process.
- Blood biochemistry on the level of urea and creatinine in serum.
- Ultrasound examination provides information on changes in organ size, anatomical structure, the amount of urine trapped in the bladder, and changes in the kidneys.
- The study of urodynamics - determining the speed of urination, the degree of contraction of the bladder (pressure sensors, the bladder are filled with saline, regulating the pressure with the help of sensors installed in the bladder and rectum.
- The urination rate is calculated by an uroflowmeter.
- Analysis of the secretion of the prostate gland.
- Analysis of a smear from the urethra.
- Spermogram for fertility testing.
- The introduction of contrast agents - after entering the dye, an x-ray is taken to study the urinary tract.
- Biopsy - helps diagnose prostate cancer (an ultra-thin needle is inserted into the rectum to take a tissue sample).
Treatment
In the early stages, the further development of the disease can be prevented by taking medications. Their action is aimed at analgesia, elimination of bladder dysfunction, antibacterial treatment. Massage recommended.
In the late, advanced stages or in case of ineffectiveness of drug therapy, they resort to surgical intervention. Surgical treatment consists in the complete removal of the adenoma under general anesthesia with further rehabilitation in a hospital setting.
Minimally invasive methods
Minimally invasive methods for removing hyperplasia include transurethral resection (an endoscope is inserted into the urethral cavity to remove fibrous tissue by electric current) and laser destruction (the laser beam cauterizes the foci of inflammation without bleeding). Ozone therapy helps to improve microcirculation in the body, has disinfecting properties. Physiotherapy also contributes to wellness - laser, magnet, microwave treatment, cryotherapy.
The operation is to remove the adenoma. To facilitate the outflow of urine, a tube is implanted into the wall of the bladder. Through an incision in the abdominal wall, it is brought out, and a container for collecting urine is installed at the end. This operation is called cystostomy.
Possible complications
Prostate hyperplasia is an insidious disease that has many side effects. Untimely treatment adversely affects the entire genitourinary system, causing:
- Chronic pyelonephritis.
- Bladder inflammation (cystitis).
- Inflammation of the urethra (urethritis).
- Renal failure.
- Urolithiasis disease.
- Impotence.
- Infertility.
- Cancer.
Preventative measures
According to the reviews of patients and doctors, following some rules, it is quite possible to reduce the risk of contracting diffuse prostatic hypertrophy:
- Proper nutrition is the foundation of health. The diet for hyperplasia provides for the exclusion from the diet of foods such as beef, highly refined products, dairy products, meat, fish, mushroom broths, animal fats, coffee and sodas, salt, spices, pastry. They should be replaced with: fish and bird fillets, pumpkin and flax seeds, eggs, vegetables, fruits, seafood, various nuts, green tea.
- Keep your feet and hands warm and avoid hypothermia.
- Do sport.
- Track your weight.
- Exclude alcohol and cigarette smoking.
However, as the reviews show, despite a rather large degree of knowledge, a wide range of treatment methods, prostatic hypertrophy is still not completely cured. Preventive and therapeutic measures should be carried out continuously and comprehensively.