Benign prostatic hyperplasia

The prostate is a small gland that helps produce semen, and its non-malignant enlargement is a common medical condition in older men, affecting up to 80% by the age of 80.

The prostate is a gland that generally continues to grow throughout life. The cause of this benign enlargement is not entirely clear, although it is believed to be due to changes in the balance of men's sex hormones as they age.

In addition to age, which is the most important risk factor, some others have been described:

• Family history.
• Diabetes and heart disease may promote its appearance.
• Obesity and being overweight may increase the risk of prostate hyperplasia.

Symptoms usually appear progressively, although sometimes they do not worsen or even improve over time. The most common symptoms include the following:

• Frequent or urgent need to urinate, especially at night.
• Difficulty starting urination.
• Weak urine flow and dribbling after urination.
• Incomplete bladder emptying after urination.

Less commonly, complications associated with BPH can occur, such as inability to urinate, recurrent urinary tract infections, development of bladder stones, or even kidney damage.

There are no effective ways to prevent benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, maintaining proper urination habits by not unnecessarily holding urine will delay the onset of symptoms and is an effective preventive measure for associated complications.