Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlargement of prostate gland, and it is a common thing that often occurs in men when they grow older. As a man getting older, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

However, the prostate is growing during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

It is characterized by the prostate enlarges, however, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so some of the urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder causing many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may also leads to symptoms of urinary hesitancy, frequent urination, dysuria (painful urination), increased risk of urinary tract infections, and urinary retention. Although prostate specific antigen levels may be elevated in these patients because of increased organ volume and inflammation due to urinary tract infections, BPH is not considered to be a premalignant lesion.

Main article - Prostate Problems