How To Check For Enlarged Prostate At Home

What Are Clinical Trials And Are They Right For You

Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.

Various Treatments For Enlarged Prostate

Before opting for treatment, your doctor will do a few tests to see if the prostate enlargement is severe. If your condition isnt good, the doctor will recommend the following treatments. Along with the disease, the doctor will consider your prostate size, age, health, and if you suffer from any other medical conditions.

• Alpha-Blockers for BPH. The doctor will recommend this to loosen the bladder neck muscles and its fiber in the prostate. When the power is relaxed, it is easier to pee, and there will be an increase in urination. You will not pee frequently. It is effective after two days of taking the alpha-blocker. Some of the alpha-blockers are Hytrin, Uroxatral, Flomax, Rapaflo, and Cardura.
• 5- Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors for BPH. It is one of the ways on how to shrink the prostate. It blocks hormones that grow the prostate glands, thus reducing the prostate size. There are two types of 5- alpha-reductase inhibitors, namely Avodart and Proscar. These inhibitors are effective after three to six months.
• TUNA Treatment. TUNA is a short form of transurethral needle ablation and is one of the trusted prostate enlargement home remedies. This treatment procedure uses two needles, which carry high-frequency radio waves that inflame a particular region in the prostate. The treatment allows men to have good urine flow and decreases the BPH symptoms. You can do the treatment at home the doctor will use an anesthetic to prevent burning sensation.

What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia , or benign prostatic hypertrophy, is an enlargement of the prostate, a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. During ejaculation, the prostate secretes fluid into the urethra, the narrow tube that runs through the center of the prostate. When a man urinates, the bladder squeezes urine out through the urethra.

As a man ages, the prostate can become enlarged. Because it surrounds the urethra right at the bladder exit, the prostate may squeeze or pinch the urethra as it gets larger over time. This may cause difficulty with urination such as a slow stream, the need to strain, increased frequency, urgency to urinate, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and intermittent flow or dribbling.

BPH is the most common disorder of the prostate gland and the most common diagnosis by urologists for males between the ages of 45 and 74. More than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.

Although research has yet to pinpoint a specific cause for BPH, theories focus on hormones and related substances like dihydrotestosterone , a testosterone derivative in the prostate that may encourage the growth of cells.

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Treating Benign Prostate Enlargement

Treatment for an enlarged prostate is determined by the severity of your symptoms.

If you have mild to moderate symptoms, you wonât receive any immediate medical treatment, but youâll have regular check-ups to carefully monitor your prostate.

Youâll probably also be advised to make lifestyle changes, such as limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake, and exercising regularly, to see if they improve your symptoms.

As well as lifestyle changes, medication is usually recommended to treat moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostate enlargement. Finasteride and dutasteride are medications that are commonly used. They block the effects of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone on the prostate gland, which can reduce the size of the prostate and improve associated symptoms.

Alpha blockers may also be prescribed. They help to relax your bladder muscles, making it easier to pass urine. Tamsulosin and alfuzosin are two alpha blockers commonly used to treat benign prostate enlargement.

Surgery is usually only recommended for moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostate enlargement that have failed to respond to medication.

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Using Medication To Reduce Symptoms

1Recognize the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Look for a weak stream of urine, dribbling at the end of urination, or an increased need to urinate at night. You may also have difficulty starting urination or need to strain to empty your bladder. If you notice these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor for an official diagnosis.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the worldâs leading hospitalsGo to source

2Try alpha-blockers if you have trouble urinating. Talk to your doctor about alpha-blockers, which can relax muscles around the bladder and prostate. These drugs help increase the flow of urine when you use the bathroom and keep you from needing to urinate too frequently.XResearch source

While adverse side effects are infrequent, alpha-blockers can cause dizziness. The good news is, they typically help relieve symptoms within a few weeks.

Take alpha-blockers, like tamsulosin, as directed by your doctor.

Most alpha-blockers are safe to take with other medications. Consult your pharmacist for any potential drug interactions with your current medication regimen.

3Explore enzyme-inhibitors if you have a very enlarged prostate. Ask your doctor if enzyme-inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, would be a good fit for your symptoms. These drugs shrink prostate tissue to reduce urinary problems and are often most effective on severely enlarged prostates.XResearch source

Like alpha-blockers, dizziness is the most common side effect.

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Enlarged Prostate Signs And Symptoms

The prostate is located right underneath the bladder, and surrounds part of the urethra. There are usually no symptoms at the start, even after the prostate has started to enlarge. The first sign of benign prostate hypertrophy is usually problems with urinating. This is because the enlarged prostate is squeezing and narrowing the urethra and may push against the bladder and bladder muscles. This means that men might feel the need to urinate even though their bladder isnt at all full. The constant pressure can also weaken the bladder muscles. As a result, the bladder can no longer empty itself completely. The pressure on the urethra may prevent urine from flowing out normally, too.

In some men, the symptoms are mild and dont need treatment. In others, they can be very troublesome.

The symptoms of benign prostate hypertrophy can include:

• difficulty starting to pee
• dribbling of urine at the end of peeing
• bladder infections

Occasionally, benign prostate hypertrophy interferes with your ability to have sex, causing impotence or painful orgasms.

Leaking urine can happen when you feel a sudden need to pee and cant stop some pee leaking out before you get to a toilet. This is called urge incontinence.

Leaking urine can also happen when you strain, for example when you cough, sneeze or lift a heavy object. This is stress incontinence.

The most common form of leaking is when a small amount of urine dribbles into your underwear after peeing.

Signs of enlarged prostate:

How Are Prostate Problems Diagnosed

To diagnose prostate problems, the health care provider will perform a digital rectal exam . The health care provider will also ask the patient

• when the problem began and how often it occurs
• what symptoms are present
• whether he has a history of recurrent urinary tract infections
• what medications he takes, both prescription and those bought over the counter
• the amount of fluid he typically drinks each day
• whether he consumes caffeine and alcohol
• about his general medical history, including any major illnesses or surgeries

Answers to these questions will help the health care provider identify the problem or determine what medical tests are needed. Diagnosing BPH may require a series of medical exams and tests.

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Doing A Prostate Self Exam:

With the above warning in mind, then how can you do aprostate self exam and know if you have a problem or not? The answer is not very likely.

You could insert your finger as described in my page on self prostate massage, and you may get some idea but nothing definitive. It should be soft not hard, painless to the gentle touch, and feel smooth not lumpy. Make sure you use gloves and lubrication to make insertion easier. Be gentle!

Getting a DRE or digital rectal exam by a trained urologist will give you the information you want. Just be very hesitant if he wants then to do a biopsy as there are many risks to this procedure that he may downplay including the path to invasive action if he finds the slightest sign of cancer. Go to Prostate Biopsy Procedure to read more.

How Do I Know If My Prostate Is Enlarged

If your prostate is enlarged, it may not be a sign of cancer, but it is something that you should discuss with your doctor. Many of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate tend to relate to urination. If you are concerned about an enlarged prostate, here are 7 symptoms to look for:

Difficulty starting urination. The enlarged prostate alters the pressure of your bladder to pass urine. This can have damaging effects on your kidneys.

Weak urine stream. As the urethra becomes constrained, urine passes at a much slower rate.

Urgent need to urinate. You may go from not needing to urinate to suddenly needing to go because of how the bladder gets constrained.

Issues with sleeping. Pressure from the enlarged prostate can interfere with nerve signaling in the middle of the night. This leads to you thinking you have to urinate when you dont.

Feeling unable to completely empty your bladder. You may not be able to completely empty your bladder, which can lead to Urinary Tract Infections and stone issues.

Urinary tract infection. A UTI is caused by the urine that sits in your bladder which you cant fully empty, creating an environment for bacteria to thrive.

Bladder stones. The leftover urine in your bladder can also crystallize to create bladder stones.

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Deciding If You Need A Prostate Screening

1Determine the necessity of a screening based on your age. The American Cancer Society suggests a yearly prostate screening for all men age 50 and over. However, select circumstances may warrant screenings beginning at an earlier age. These include:XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Cancer SocietyNonprofit devoted to promoting cancer research, education, and supportGo to source

Age 40 for men with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer before age 65.

Age 45 for men with a single first-degree relative who had prostate cancer before age 65.

Age 45 for African American men due to carrying a higher risk of prostate cancer.

2Note any symptoms associated with your urinary system. Problems associated with your bladder, urethra, and penis can all potentially have ties to prostate problems.XExpert SourceRobert Dhir, MDBoard Certified Urologist & Urological SurgeonExpert Interview. 23 September 2020. Due to the proximity of the prostate to these systems it can grow and press against them causing dysfunction. With prostate issues you may experience the following:XResearch sourceBickley, Lynn S. Techniques of Examination. Chapter 15 The anus, rectum and prostate. Bates Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. sixth edition. P 262-264. © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health- Lippincott Williams & amp Wilkins.

Slow or weak urine streams

Difficulty urinating

Lower back pain

A biopsy may also be necessary to confirm or rule out cancer.

Who Should Take This Test

Any male over the age of 40 should establish a baseline PSA level and be regularly screened for prostate cancer. Based on your baseline PSA level and risk factors such as age, race, and family history, you might have to be re-tested annually, while others can wait years between screenings. Men are at greater risk if they:

• Have a family history of prostate cancer
• Are of black ethnic origin
• Are overweight or obese

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Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer

Some risk factors have been linked to prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that can raise your chance of developing a disease. Having one or more risk factors doesnât mean that you will get prostate cancer. It just means that your risk of the disease is greater.

• Age. Men who are 50 or older have a higher risk of prostate cancer.
• Race. African-American men have the highest risk of prostate cancerâthe disease tends to start at younger ages and grows faster than in men of other races. After African-American men, prostate cancer is most common among white men, followed by Hispanic and Native American men. Asian-American men have the lowest rates of prostate cancer.
• Family history. Men whose fathers or brothers have had prostate cancer have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of prostate cancer than men who do not have a family history of the disease. A man who has 3 immediate family members with prostate cancer has about 10 times the risk of a man who does not have a family history of prostate cancer. The younger a manâs relatives are when they have prostate cancer, the greater his risk for developing the disease. Prostate cancer risk also appears to be slightly higher for men from families with a history of breast cancer.
• Diet. The risk of prostate cancer may be higher for men who eat high-fat diets.

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Why Is A Prostate

A PSA blood test is performed to detect or rule out prostate cancer. The amount of PSA in the blood is often higher in men who have prostate cancer. However, an elevated PSA level does not necessarily indicate prostate cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the PSA blood test for use in conjunction with a DRE to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 or older and for monitoring men with prostate cancer after treatment. However, much remains unknown about how to interpret a PSA blood test, its ability to discriminate between cancer and problems such as BPH and prostatitis, and the best course of action if the PSA level is high.

When done in addition to a DRE, a PSA blood test enhances detection of prostate cancer. However, the test is known to have relatively high false-positive rates. A PSA blood test also may identify a greater number of medically insignificant lumps or growths, called tumors, in the prostate. Health care providers and patients should weigh the benefits of PSA blood testing against the risks of follow-up diagnostic tests. The procedures used to diagnose prostate cancer may cause significant side effects, including bleeding and infection.

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Symptoms Of Enlarged Prostate

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, is the enlargement of the prostate gland. About half of men over age 75 will experience symptoms of BPH. BPH is a very minor condition and is not related to prostate cancer. However, symptoms can cause discomfort and be inconvenient.

How Is Bph Treated

In some cases, in particular where symptoms are mild, BPH requires no treatment. At the opposite extreme, some men require immediate intervention if they cannot urinate at all or if kidney/bladder damage has occurred. When treatment is necessary, many men will simply require daily medication. If this fails to completely treat the symptoms, or if there are signs of damage from BPH, the doctor may recommend minimally invasive endoscopic surgery . Or, in some cases, traditional surgery may be recommended.

• Drug treatment: The FDA has approved several drugs to relieve common symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, including drugs that inhibit the production of the hormone DHT and drugs that relax the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow.

For surgery, there are many procedures to choose from, and the choice depends largely on your specific prostate anatomy, and surgeon preference and training. These procedures all have a common goal of widening the urethral channel as it passes through the prostate. Procedures include the following:

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Tips For Relieving Bph Symptoms

Four simple steps can help relieve some of the symptoms of BPH:

Some men who are nervous and tense urinate more frequently. Reduce stress by exercising regularly and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation.

When you go to the bathroom, take the time to empty your bladder completely. This will reduce the need for subsequent trips to the toilet.

Talk with your doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re taking some may contribute to the problem. Your doctor may be able to adjust dosages or change your schedule for taking these drugs, or he or she may prescribe different medications that cause fewer urinary problems.

Avoid drinking fluids in the evening, particularly caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Both can affect the muscle tone of the bladder and stimulate the kidneys to produce urine, leading to nighttime urination.

For more on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases, read the Annual Report on Prostate Diseases from Harvard Medical School.

How To Add More Pomegranate Juice To Your Diet

You can buy pomegranate juice at most grocery stores. If drinking the juice plain is too intense, consider diluting it with plain water or adding some sparkling water.

You can also add pomegranate seeds to homemade salad dressing to sweeten up your favorite salad.

Summary

Pomegranates are high in antioxidants. Animal and test-tube studies have shown that pomegranate juice could inhibit the production of some prostate cancer cells.

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How Do You Find It

Youll need to head south along the back road to find it in a magical place called the anal region.

Although entering through the anus is the most direct way, you can also stimulate the prostate indirectly through the perineum, or taint.

This is the skin that runs underneath the scrotum to the anus.