What Size Of Prostate Is Dangerous

How Is Yale Medicines Approach To Treating Enlarged Prostate Unique

“Urologists at Yale Medicine can give you a personalized approach to prostate care for both benign and malignant conditions,” says Dr. Honig.

Doctors at Yale Medicine work closely with specialists across all disciplines at Yale New Haven Hospital. Our doctors are dedicated to providing the latest treatmentsall personalized to meet the needs of each patient. This collaboration between different departments and teams sets Yale Medicine apart in its standard of care.

Medical Procedures Can Cause Psa To Rise

“Anything that traumatically interferes with the architecture around the prostate gland can make PSA go up,” says Dr. Milner. “One of the most common causes of significantly high PSA from this type of trauma is the placing of a catheter into the bladder.”

Another cause is a prostate or bladder exam that involves passing a scope or taking a biopsy.

“Since it takes about two to three days for PSA to go down by half, you should wait two to three weeks after this type of trauma to do a PSA test,” Milner says.

What Are The Symptoms Of Enlarged Prostate

When the prostate becomes enlarged, it can block the urethra and impair bladder function. Symptoms that may indicate this is happening include:

• Urinating many times a day and being unable to hold off urination
• Problems starting a urine stream or a weak or interrupted stream, followed by dribbling at the end
• Waking at night to urinate and accidental loss of urine

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What Are Some Reasons For Prostate Problems

It is believed that many prostate related health problems result from anxiety, stress, inactivity . The human body was not designed to sit for extended periods of time. This is one of the reasons why men who work in an office setting often report the most issues with their prostates.

When a man sits for prolonged periods of time, the prostate and the muscles surrounding it become weakened because there is not as much blood circulating in the area. Vital nutrients are not able to reach the prostate, and over time, its function becomes impaired.

Prostate problems are commonly seen in men who are 50 years of age and older. However, for those who have a family history of prostate related problems or have a sedentary lifestyle may notice problems as early as their 30s or 40s.

Its Complicated: Enlarged Prostate And Sex

• Outlook

BPH and sexual function

Prostate enlargement, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia , and erectile dysfunction are separate problems. Both increase with age, but one causes problems in the bathroom and the other in the bedroom. However, the two are somewhat linked.

BPH happens when your prostate becomes enlarged, but cancer isnt the cause. A mans prostate continues growing throughout most of his adult life. This is why many older men are affected by the condition.

ED is the inability to get or maintain an erection. It can be caused by physical conditions such as:

• diabetes

It can also be caused by psychological issues.

These two conditions dont necessarily seem linked, but certain treatments that relieve BPH can cause ED and other sexual side effects. On the other hand, treating ED can improve enlarged prostate symptoms.

• inability to empty the bladder
• a weak urine stream

A surgery called transurethral resection of the prostate can help relieve these symptoms. Men who have this procedure often experience sexual side effects after surgery.

Between 50 and 75 percent of men experience retrograde ejaculation after TURP, according to Harvard Medical School. This means that semen released during orgasm enters the bladder rather than exiting the penis. Retrograde ejaculation is sometimes called dry orgasm. Its not harmful but can affect male fertility.

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Are There Treatments For An Enlarged Prostate

We review your age, medical history and overall health, the size of your prostate, and the severity of your symptoms before creating a customized treatment plan designed to offer you the best help possible.

Treatment may begin with medication for mild or moderate symptoms of an enlarged prostate. If your BPH symptoms are more severe and affecting your quality of life, we may recommend a surgical intervention called the UroLift® System.

The UroLift System is a revolutionary treatment that addresses the primary issue associated with an enlarged prostate: the restriction BPH places on your urethra. The UroLift System solves this problem by holding back excess prostate tissue to keep the urethra open.

We perform this minimally invasive procedure using specially designed implants. We insert a small device through your urethra and then place implants in your prostate and lift the excess tissue away from the urethra.

The UroLift System doesnt require any cutting or removal of prostate tissue, and it only requires a local anesthetic. This means youre treated as an outpatient in about an hour or less.

The UroLift System offers several benefits compared to other BPH treatments, including less severe side effects than other surgical interventions for BPH and a faster recovery time than the surgical alternatives.

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Large Prostate With Significant Symptoms

For patients who have moderate or severe symptoms that have failed medical therapy from very enlarged prostates, the optimal treatment is often surgery. For very enlarged prostates, there are four main surgical options:

Open prostatectomy – The surgeon makes an incision and removes some of the enlarged prostate. This is done rarely today because less invasive surgeries through the urethra work well with fewer side effects.

Transurethral resection of the prostate – Going in through the urethra, with the aid of a small camera, the surgeon removes tissue to open up the channel, which can help the urine flow and take some of the pressure off the bladder. Tissue is removed with bipolar energy that shaves off pieces of the prostate. While this method is less invasive than open prostatectomy, it still can have side affects, such as bleeding, infection, need for repeat resection, erectile dysfunction, and scarring.

Transurethral laser ablation of the prostate – This is where the urine channel is opened up using a high-powered holmium laser to vaporize the prostate tissue. Like TURP, the procedure can help urine flow and symptoms from enlarged prostate. The use of the laser may decrease the need for a catheter or reduce bleeding after the procedure. A high-powered laser that uses “Moses effect” pulses has the potential to remove the tissue more efficiently, so the procedure time can be shortened.

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Best Evidence Yet: Ejaculation Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

Nick Mulcahy

May 17, 2015

NEW ORLEANS Good news, men: you may be able to decrease your risk for prostate cancer by ejaculating frequently, according to research presented here at American Urological Association 2015 Annual Meeting.

The frothy advice is not new but is now backed up by the strongest evidence to date on the subject, according to lead author Jennifer Rider, ScD, MPH, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

There is no modifiable risk factor for developing prostate cancer, Dr Rider told Medscape Medical News. It would be exciting to tell men that there was a way to modify their risk.

However, she noted that these are observational data and urged caution when interpreting them.

The results are fascinating, said Jesse Sammon, MD, a urologist at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, who attended Dr Riders presentation. It was the highlight of the session on cancer epidemiology the moderator called it the study most likely to be tweeted.

These are incredibly high-quality data, said Dr Sammon, who was not involved with the study.

The data come from nearly 32,000 men in the prospective Health Professionals Follow-up Study, who now have been followed for 18 years.

During the study period, 3839 men have been diagnosed with incident prostate cancer, 384 cases of which were lethal.

At ages 40 to 49, men most reported 8 to 12 ejaculations per month only 8.8% reported at least 21 ejaculations per month.

About Dr Dan Sperling

Dan Sperling, MD, DABR, is a board certified radiologist who is globally recognized as a leader in multiparametric MRI for the detection and diagnosis of a range of disease conditions. As Medical Director of the Sperling Prostate Center, Sperling Medical Group and Sperling Neurosurgery Associates, he and his team are on the leading edge of significant change in medical practice. He is the co-author of the new patient book Redefining Prostate Cancer, and is a contributing author on over 25 published studies. For more information, contact the Sperling Prostate Center.

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If You Want To Get In Front Of Prostate Symptoms Or Get Relief From Existing Prostate Symptoms What Can You Do

There are a couple of things.

1) You can have more sex

Yep, the prostate gland is a male reproductive organ. Its main function is to secrete prostate fluid, which is one of the components of semen. The muscles of the prostate gland also help propel this seminal fluid into the urethra during ejaculation.

Scientists found that men who ejaculated 21 or more times a month enjoyed a 33% lower risk of prostate cancer compared with men who reported four to seven ejaculations a month throughout their lifetimes.

2) Take a legitimate 5–reductase inhibitor

Perhaps the best 5-AR inhibitor weve found is extremely popular in Europe. Its widely prescribed by Urologists there for prostate health/symptom relief.

It’s called Serenoa Repens, which is the fancy name for Saw Palmetto . Most guys have heard of SP. They may have even tried it.

Positive Psa Score Association With Other Conditions

The amount of PSA in your blood test may increase with other prostate conditions such prostatitis, enlarged prostate , or within two days after ejaculation.

Rest assured, even though your results may be high, it doesnt necessarily mean you have prostate cancer. Just a greater risk of developing it.

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In Men Over : Bph May Be The Cause Of High Psa

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate gland, but its not prostate cancer. “BPH means more cells, so that means more cells making PSA,” explains Dr. Castle.

BPH is the most common prostate problem in men over age 50. It may not need to be treated unless its causing frequent or difficult urination.

Your primary care doctor may be able to tell the difference between BPH and prostate cancer by doing a digital rectal exam, but commonly this will require evaluation by a urologist and further testing, such as a biopsy or imaging studies.

If Screening Test Results Arent Normal

If you are screened for prostate cancer and your initial blood PSA level is higher than normal, it doesnt always mean that you have prostate cancer. Many men with higher than normal PSA levels do not have cancer. Still, further testing will be needed to help find out what is going on. Your doctor may advise one of these options:

• Waiting a while and having a second PSA test
• Getting another type of test to get a better idea of if you might have cancer
• Getting a prostate biopsy to find out if you have cancer

Its important to discuss your options, including their possible pros and cons, with your doctor to help you choose one you are comfortable with. Factors that might affect which option is best for you include:

• Your age and overall health
• The likelihood that you have prostate cancer
• Your own comfort level with waiting or getting further tests

If your initial PSA test was ordered by your primary care provider, you may be referred to a urologist for this discussion or for further testing.

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Repeating The Psa Test

A mans blood PSA level can vary over time , so some doctors recommend repeating the test after a month or so if the initial PSA result is abnormal. This is most likely to be a reasonable option if the PSA level is on the lower end of the borderline range . For higher PSA levels, doctors are more likely to recommend getting other tests, or going straight to a prostate biopsy.

What Other Problems Might An Enlarged Prostate Cause

A small number of men may find it difficult to empty their bladder properly this is called urine retention. If youve been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate, your doctor will look at your test results to see if youre at risk of urine retention. You may be more likely to get urine retention if:

• youre aged 70 or over
• your prostate is very large
• you have a raised prostate specific antigen level
• you have severe urinary symptoms and a very slow flow.

Chronic urine retention

This is where you cant empty your bladder fully, but can still urinate a little. It usually develops slowly over time. Chronic means long-lasting. The first signs often include a weak flow when you urinate, or leaking urine at night. You may feel that your abdomen is swollen, or that youre not emptying your bladder fully.

Chronic urine retention is usually painless. But the pressure of the urine can slowly stretch your bladder muscle and make it weaker. This can cause urine to be left behind in the bladder when you urinate. If you dont empty your bladder fully, you might get a urine infection, need to urinate more often, leak urine at night, or get painful bladder stones. You might also see some blood in your urine. Chronic urine retention can damage your bladder and kidneys if it isnt treated.

There are treatments for chronic urine retention, including:

• passing a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to drain urine from your bladder
• surgery to widen the urethra.

Acute urine retention

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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 doesn’t 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 man’s 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.

What Are The Dangers Of An Untreated Enlarged Prostate

If left untreated, the enlargement of your prostate gland leads to your urethra becoming blocked. Your symptoms will become more severe, and in time, you may develop serious conditions that require medical intervention, including:

• Complete blockage of the urethra
• Damage to your kidneys
• Urinary tract infections
• Bladder stones and bladder infections

These conditions can cause pain in your back or lower abdomen, an inability to urinate at all, pain, fever, and chills while urinating, and blood in your urine. If you have any of these symptoms, see Dr. Doe at Alate Health immediately.

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Will Ejaculation Shrink The Prostate

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Dangers Of An Enlarged Prostate

Did you know that as men age, your risk for developing an enlarged prostate increases quickly? By age 55, about 25% of all men will have developed benign prostatic hyperplasia , commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate. By age 60, this number rises to 50%, and by age 85, at least 90% of men have BPH.

Although an enlarged prostate isnt the same as prostate cancer and doesnt increase your risk of developing prostate cancer, that doesnt mean BPH is danger-free. At Alate Health, were committed to providing the safest and most effective treatments for BPH to men in and around Houston, Texas.

Board-certified radiologist Andrew Doe, MD, understands the frustration the symptoms of an enlarged prostate cause and the risks untreated BPH brings. Our team has put together this informative article to help you better understand BPH and the dangers leaving it untreated may cause.

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Large Prostate With Few Symptoms

Patients with very enlarged prostates may have few symptoms or mild symptoms. Doctors verify that there are no problems with kidney or bladder function. If not, they know that the enlarged prostate is not harming the body. In this case, doctors may recommend just watching the prostate or doing non-surgical treatments. Options include changing certain eating and drinking habits and urinating less often. Patients can take medications that relax the prostate, such as tamsulosin, or shrink the prostate, such as finasteride or dutasteride. Patients also may try supplements like saw palmetto to help their symptoms.