BPH, or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, is a common urological disease among ageing men. This disease is almost exclusive to men, especially people over the age of 50. Also commonly known as enlarged prostate, this condition is not cancerous and can be treated with the help of modern minimally invasive procedures at MASSH. However, before you learn more about the treatment of BPH, let’s dive deep and understand the causes and symptoms of BPH. But first, let’s learn more about BPH in general.
 

What is BPH?

BPH is simply the enlargement of the prostate gland placed in front of your rectum. The enlargement can be caused by a variety of reasons which will be discussed later. One of the only good things about BPH is that it is not cancerous and cannot become cancerous in most cases. The enlargement of your prostate gland can affect your urinary tract and make urinating difficult. 

The problems with urinating can also cause other conditions like urinary tract infections and kidney problems. Enlargement of the prostate is common for ageing men, but uncontrolled growth harms other bodily functions. So what causes this uncontrollable growth? And what are the symptoms that can help you figure out if you are showing early signs of BPH? Let’s find out.
 

Causes of BPH

If you are wondering what causes benign prostatic hyperplasia, there are actually a number of reasons that can contribute to the development of BPH. Before you learn about the individual causes in detail, let’s focus on how BPH develops. BPH develops from the enlargement of your prostate gland. The prostate gland is placed in the middle of your urinary tract, and the urethra, which carries the urine out of your body, goes right through the prostate gland. In normal circumstances, the prostate doesn’t interfere with the flow of urine, even though the gland keeps growing throughout your life. 

BPH is caused when there is an abnormal growth in your prostate gland. Even though there are various factors that can cause BPH, doctors can’t pinpoint a specific cause of why it occurs. However, various factors play into the risk factors of BPH, so let’s discuss the different causes of BPH.

• Age: Age is a major risk factor for BPH. Men over the age of 50 are at the highest risk of getting BPH. However, the symptoms can start as early as 30 years of age. Given BPH doesn’t have major symptoms that hamper your quality of life, they are very easy to miss. In men over the age of 80, almost 80% of people suffer from BPH, making age one of the biggest risk factors for BPH. Why is age such a risk factor for BPH? That’s because of the second risk factor.
   
• Hormonal Changes: As you age, there are major hormonal changes in your body. The primary function of your prostate gland is to produce semen. That function alters as you age because the amount of testosterone in your blood declines as you age. However, the amount of estrogen and other hormones like dihydrotestosterone stays the same. It is seen that hormones like dihydrotestosterone actually grow as you age. This hormone is known to have prostate development effects, which can cause the growth of your prostate as you age. The normal size of an adult’s prostate is equivalent to that of a golf ball. With BPH, it can grow to become the size of an orange.
   
• Genetics: Genetics can play a significant role in the development of BPH because people who have parents or family members with BPH stand a higher chance of getting BPH themselves. So, if you have a family member with prostate problems, you should definitely disclose that to your doctor to keep your prostate in check.
   
• Obesity & Sedentary Lifestyle: Obesity can lead to heart disease and diabetes, both of which can also cause BPH. The direct link between BPH and obesity is yet to be discovered, but it is said to have a correlation because it does increase your risk of getting BPH as you age. The same can be said about a sedentary lifestyle. To make sure you are free from these risks, doctors suggest that you maintain a healthy BMI and stay active with regular exercise to keep the risk factors at bay.
   
• Inflammation: Chronic inflammation of your prostate can also cause BPH. Chronic inflammation of the prostate is known as prostatitis, and it can be caused by bacterial infections. This condition can transform into BPH quickly if the symptoms are not monitored medically. However, unless it becomes BPH, the treatment of prostatitis and BPH would differ.
   

Symptoms of BPH

The symptoms of BPH can start showing early and can get either worse or better with time. This makes them really easy to miss because they can even go away without any treatment. However, that doesn’t mean your BPH is cured; it just means the symptoms are not affecting your quality of life at the moment. It could grow out of control and lead to other more serious problems internally, like kidney problems and urinary tract infections. So, you must stay alert and monitor the symptoms if you start showing them. Let’s discuss the various symptoms of BPH in detail.
 

Common Symptoms

• Difficulty starting to urinate: This would generally be one of the first symptoms that may seem fairly normal. But it can be a symptom of BPH. Generally, you would have trouble starting a urine flow and would feel like you have to push to start urination.
   
• Weak urine stream: As a follow-up to difficulty in starting urination, you may also experience that the stream of urine has become weaker as you age. This does not mean that you are urinating lesser than normal, but you just need to urinate longer since your stream is quite weak comparatively.
   
• Starting and stopping in the middle of urination: If you are experiencing that your stream stops and starts in the middle of urination, that could signify as a symptom of BPH. The start and stop can happen multiple times or once, and it could create some physical discomfort during urination.
   
• Not feeling relief at the end of urination: If you feel like your bladder has not emptied completely and yet, urination has stopped, this can be a telltale symptom of BPH. In such cases, you may need to push to empty your bladder or not be able to completely empty your bladder until the next time you need to urinate.
   
• Urgent need to urinate: If you feel you urgently need to urinate all the time, it can be a sign of BPH. This, combined with the other symptoms, can be a telltale sign of BPH. However, even if you don’t have other symptoms, you should still monitor your urination urgency and report it to doctors.
   
• Nocturia: If you need to wake up more than two times a night to urinate, it can be due to a condition known as nocturia. It can be a sign of BPH as well. This symptom is common among people of advanced age who are already at high risk for BPH.
   

Serious Symptoms

• Pain or discomfort while urinating: If you are experiencing any sort of pain or burning sensation at the tip of your urethra while urinating, it can be a serious symptom of BPH. Pain while urinating is generally combined with some of the other symptoms listed above and can be a telltale sign that you might have BPH. Do get the required medical attention if the symptoms are persistent.
   
• Blood in your urine: Seeing blood in your urine can definitely be a sign of BPH. However, blood in your urine is not just like regular blood that comes out when you are bleeding. It will be visibly mixed with the urine. So, if your urine is unnaturally reddish or brownish, that means you are passing blood in your urine, which can be a sign of BPH or even other urinary problems. Make sure you visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis for your condition as soon as possible.

Ending Note

BPH can affect your quality of life and cause serious pain and harm to your urethra if not treated in time. Luckily, BPH is treatable with various methods ranging from medications, therapies, and minimally invasive surgery, which is the most effective and quick treatment process for BPH. 

If you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of BPH or are above 50 and have had relatives with BPH, head on over to MASSH today. We have expertise in minimally invasive procedures that are completely safe. Our procedures also have a very quick recovery, allowing you to resume a regular lifestyle as early as a few days to a week after your surgery. Visit the MASSH website for more information about our BPH treatment options.