What Causes Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
The cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia is not well understood however, it occurs mainly in older men. Benign prostatic hyperplasia does not develop in men whose testicles were removed before puberty. For this reason, some researchers believe factors related to aging and the testicles may cause benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Throughout their lives, men produce testosterone, a male hormone, and small amounts of estrogen, a female hormone. As men age, the amount of active testosterone in their blood decreases, which leaves a higher proportion of estrogen. Scientific studies have suggested that benign prostatic hyperplasia may occur because the higher proportion of estrogen within the prostate increases the activity of substances that promote prostate cell growth.
Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone , a male hormone that plays a role in prostate development and growth. Some research has indicated that even with a drop in blood testosterone levels, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. This accumulation of DHT may encourage prostate cells to continue to grow. Scientists have noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Urine Test May Spot Aggressive Prostate Cancer
THURSDAY, Nov. 4, 2021
A urine test might one day be able to tell which prostate cancer patients need immediate treatment and which dont, British researchers report.
Prostate cancer can be divided into low and high risk the low-risk men rarely require treatment, and the high-risk certainly do, said study author Jeremy Clark, a senior research associate at Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in Norfolk. However, there is a third group, called intermediate risk, which falls between these extremes, and the treatment pathway for these men is less clear.
Prostate cancer is common over 40% of 50-year-old men will have prostate cancer but not everyone is dying of it, so deciding which men to treat is not always easy, Clark said.
We have developed a simple urine test that can measure the presence of aggressive cancer and also how much aggressive cancer is present, he said.
The test appears to be able to assess how much aggressive cancer is present in these intermediate-risk men, and so could be used to identify a group of intermediate-risk men that could avoid immediate treatment, which includes surgery and radiotherapy, and instead, these men could be monitored by active surveillance by being retested yearly to see if their disease is stable or not, Clark said. Around a quarter of the intermediate-risk men could fall into this group.
The report was published Nov. 3 in the journal Life.
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What Are The Symptoms And Signs
The location of the prostate gland is fairly low in the pelvic region, below the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. It lies in very close proximity to the urethra. The urethra is the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the external environment. When the prostate gland swells, it tends to exert pressure on the urinary bladder as well as the urethra. Initially, there may be no significant disturbance. Eventually, however, the individual will notice certain changes in patterns of urination. The following symptoms are common manifestations of enlargement of the prostate gland:
- The individual may find it difficult to initiate urination and may need to strain to force urine out.
- There may be a reduced flow of urine.
- The urine stream may pause intermittently.
- Frequent urge to urinate, particularly at night.
- The bladder is not voided completely upon urination.
- Sudden, unexpected urges to urinate.
- Urinary incontinence.
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Blood In Urine At A Glance
- Blood in the urine occurs when blood cells leak into urine from some part of the urinary tract, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
- If one sees blood in the urine, he or she should contact a doctor immediately to assess the cause.
- Blood in the urine does not always indicate a serious condition, but warrants further investigation by a physician.
What Are The Symptoms
An enlarged prostate is the most common cause of urinary problems in men as they get older. Possible symptoms include:
- a weak flow when you urinate
- a feeling that your bladder hasnt emptied properly
- difficulty starting to urinate
- dribbling urine after you finish urinating
- needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- a sudden urge to urinate you may sometimes leak before you get to the toilet.
You may not get all of these symptoms, and some men with an enlarged prostate dont get any symptoms at all. These symptoms can also be caused by other things, such as cold weather, anxiety, other health problems, lifestyle factors, and some medicines. If you have any symptoms, visit your GP to find out what may be causing them.
Blood in your urine may be a symptom of an enlarged prostate. But this is rare and is usually caused by something else. Tell your doctor if you have blood in your urine.
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Some Other Reasons For Red
Apart from the causes mentioned above, some other reasons for red-colored urine are:
- Eating certain foods beets, rhubarb, and blackberries may turn urine pink or red. Similarly, eating large quantities of fava beans or aloe may also make your urine dark brown.
- Taking certain medicines such as rifampin, sulfasalazine, phenazopyridine, and laxatives containing senna may also make the color of your urine red.
- Orange-colored urine may indicate that there is a problem in your bile ducts or liver, especially if light-colored stools accompany it.
- In rare instances, muscle injury due to strenuous exercise may lead to the occurrence of cola- or pink-colored urine.
Blood clots in urine may indicate many serious health issues as already discussed, so they need immediate examination by a doctor in all cases. Furthermore, anyone with visible hematuria should also visit their doctor immediately to determine the cause.
You should get a medical evaluation even if:
- No other symptoms are present
- You saw blood in your urine only once
- Only a small quantity of blood is present in the urine
- You cant tell for sure whether it is blood or not
Moreover, you should visit a doctor if you have the following symptoms along with blood in urine:
- Painful urination
How Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated
Treatment options for benign prostatic hyperplasia may include
- lifestyle changes
- minimally invasive procedures
A health care provider treats benign prostatic hyperplasia based on the severity of symptoms, how much the symptoms affect a mans daily life, and a mans preferences.
Men may not need treatment for a mildly enlarged prostate unless their symptoms are bothersome and affecting their quality of life. In these cases, instead of treatment, a urologist may recommend regular checkups. If benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms become bothersome or present a health risk, a urologist most often recommends treatment.
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Blood In Urine Experienced As Symptom Of Prostate Cancer
Blood in urine is known as hematuria, and it can be related to a number of conditions, often not severe or consequential. But in the case of prostate cancer, it usually occurs in advanced stages of the disease and it should not be ignored. Instead of the normal pale yellow color of the urine, men may note it is pink, red, brownish-red, or tea-colored. In some cases, it may not be seen with naked eye, but the presence of red blood cells in urine can be detected in the lab.
Blood in urine is associated with damage to the kidneys, where urine is created, or to a problem in another part of the urinary tract, including the ureters , the bladder , or the urethra . The tumor may press one of these structures, while blood in urine also may be a side effect of radiation therapy. Reporting blood in urine to a doctor may help readjust the treatment and improve patients quality of life.
No Treatment Or Watchful Waiting
For those with mild cases of BPH, where symptoms are tolerable, treatment may not be necessary. In these cases, the patient must still be monitored to ensure their problem does not worsen. Monitoring involves keeping an eye on the BPH symptoms, the size of the prostate, and regular blood tests. Limiting fluids in the evening, avoiding caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and spicy foods may minimize symptoms.
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A Kidney Or Bladder Stone
A kidney stone is also one of the common causes of small blood clots in urine if you see blood in your urine without much pain, you might also have kidney stones.
The minerals in our body are all filtered by the kidney sometimes, these minerals concentrate in one place in the kidney or the bladder in crystal forms and give rise to kidney disease, namely kidney stones.
These stones are not painful unless they are stuck in the passing canal or create an obstacle or blockage for the other fluids to pass through these can often lead to severe pain accompanied by either or both of the hematuria.
These diseases mentioned above are the top three reasons found in the human body what causes small blood clots in urine now moving further here are also the other reasons found in the human body what causes small blood clots in urine.
Most Common Causes Behind Blood In The Urine
Some of the most common causes of the presence of blood in the urine are:
Urinary tract infections : A UTI occurs when bacteria enters the body by way of the urethra and grows in the urinary bladder. Apart from blood in urine, the other symptoms of a urinary tract infection are a constant urge to pass urine, urine with a very strong smell, and burning and pain while urinating.
Pyelonephritis : Kidney infection occurs when bacteria travels to the kidneys from the lower urinary tract or gets into the kidneys from the blood. Symptoms and signs of pyelonephritis are usually similar to a UTI, though they may also cause flank pain and fever.
A kidney or bladder stone: If your urine is concentrated, then the minerals present in it may form crystals in the bladder or kidneys. Gradually, these crystals may form tiny, hard stones. They are usually painless unless they get passed or result in a blockage, when they may cause very severe pain along with both microscopic and macroscopic bleeding. They may lead to the occurrence of blood clots in urine.
Urinary tract and kidney infections, as well as bladder stones, are among the most common causes of blood in the urine.
Kidney disease: Blood in the urine may also occur due to an inflammatory kidney disease called glomerulonephritis. Vasculitis , and immune system problems after strep or viral infections for instance, IgA nephropathy that affects the glomeruli may trigger glomerulonephritis.
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Problems With Enlarged Prostate Gland
Benign enlargement of the prostate gland is more common as men get older. It can cause troublesome symptoms, although it doesnt always.
The urethra passes through the prostate gland, so men may have problems urinating if the enlarged gland restricts the flow of urine. If the flow stops completely, a catheter is required to empty the bladder. It is rare for this form of acute urinary retention to cause kidney damage.
An enlarged prostate doesnt always cause urinary problems. Studies indicate that the size of a mans prostate gland has little influence on the type or severity of his urination problems. BPH is just one possible cause of urinary symptoms.
Another cause of urinary symptoms can be changes to the muscular wall of the bladder, which may cause spasms of the bladder or weaken the bladder, causing problems passing urine.
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Information About Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs And Cats
What is haematuria?
Haematuria is the medical term used to describe blood in the urine that occurs due to bleeding in the urinary system. When this happens the urine typically looks red and, occasionally, blood clots are seen. Sometimes bleeding can be on a microscopic level and the urine may appear normal. In these cases, blood may only be detected by laboratory analysis.
Are there other clinical signs that can be associated with haematuria?
Other clinical signs that may be present would include straining to urinate and squatting frequently to pass small amounts of urine. Straining to defecate can sometimes occur in male dogs with an enlarged prostate.
What can cause blood in the urine?
Causes Lower urinary tract bleeding
In cases where the lower urinary tract is involved other clinical signs typical of cystitis are normally seen.
Bladder inflammation of the bladder wall and subsequent bleeding can occur due to uroliths , polyps , infections and occasionally tumours. In the cat, there is a relatively common form of cystitis that without infection called feline lower urinary tract disease . FLUTD has been linked to stress and anxiety.
Prostate the most common causes of bleeding from the prostate in an unneutered dog are prostatitis and benign hyperplasia. Benign hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate as a consequence of testosterone stimulation. In a neutered dog cancer of the prostate must be considered.
Causes Upper urinary tract bleeding
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Bladder And Urinary Troubles
A prostate tumor that has grown significantly in size may start to press on your bladder and urethra. The urethra is the passage the carries urine from your bladder out of your body. If the tumor is pressing on your urethra, you might have trouble passing urine.
One of the common areas for prostate cancer to spread to is the bladder, because the two organs are close. This can cause additional problems with urination and bladder function.
Some symptoms your bladder and urethra are being affected by cancer include:
- urinating more frequently
- getting up in the middle of the night to pee
- feeling like you have to urinate often and not actually passing anything
Its not as common, but prostate cancer can also spread to your bowel. The cancer first spreads to the rectum, which is the part of your bowel closest to the prostate gland.
Symptoms of cancer thats spread to the bowels include:
See Your Doctor Or A Urologist
If the bleeding coincides with a fever, you may have an infection that could require antibiotics or other medications to treat it.
Regardless of the cause or specific symptoms, you should see your doctor or a urologist. A urologist is a physician who specializes in the health of male reproductive organs and treating diseases of the male and female urinary tracts.
Hematospermia and hematuria are common symptoms that urologists see every day. Though you may feel awkward at first discussing your symptoms, rest assured that your doctor has heard it all before.
Because the signs of some causes tend to overlap, its important to be as thorough as possible in describing your symptoms and when they first started. This will help your doctor diagnose your condition.
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Transurethral Electro Resection Of The Prostate
Removing the enlarged part of the prostate is usually the best long-term treatment for an enlarged prostate gland. The portion of the gland that is not squeezing the urethra stays in place. The outside capsule around the gland is also untouched.
Transurethral electro-resection of the prostate is the traditional way to remove prostate tissue using minimally invasive surgical techniques. No outside incision is needed. Thereâs less pain, fewer complications and faster healing.
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What You Can Do
Make a list of:
- Your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment, and when they began
- Key medical information, including other conditions for which you’re being treated, and whether bladder or kidney diseases run in your family
- All medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, including doses
- Questions to ask your doctor
For hematuria, some questions to ask include:
- What are the possible causes of my symptoms?
- What tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary?
- What treatments are available?
- I have other health issues. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?
Don’t hesitate to ask other questions.
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Causes Of Blood Clots In Urine
Blood clots in urine could arise from bleeding occurring in any region of kidney, bladder and urinary tract. It is also possible that blood in urine may not actually be from the urinary tract. It may be due to bleeding at the tip of genitals. Since urine flows in close proximity to the genitals, blood from the genitals may be mixed in the urine.
What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasiaalso called BPHis a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also called benign prostatic hypertrophy or benign prostatic obstruction.
The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a mans life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.
As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retentionthe inability to empty the bladder completelycause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
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