KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 – Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) may be a surgically correctable condition in some cases, but many continue to live a comfortable life from the alleviation of symptoms with timely diagnosis and medical intervention.
BPH[1] is a condition where the prostate grows in size. The cause[5] for this remains largely unknown, but theories suggest the condition has to do with fluctuating hormones or their responses in men as they age.
Symptoms[3] include slowness or dribbling when you urinate, incontinence, and sudden need to urinate, among others. If you have symptoms such as pain in your lower abdomen or genitals while urinating, difficulty urinating or an inability to urinate at all, fever or chills while peeing, or blood in your urine, immediately seek medical attention.
Complications Of BPH
Although BPH cannot be cured, many patients have symptoms that are controlled, with some even experiencing improvement in their condition. Unfortunately, without medical attention, symptoms may worsen[4] and cause an emergency knows as acute urinary retention, as well as decreased quality of life.
Among these are bladder stones or thickened, irritable bladder with decreased urine output, as well as a pressure buildup that harms the kidneys. Some cases with worsened symptoms may need surgeries[2] like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), and transurethral electrovaporisation, among others.
BPH is not cancerous[2] and does not increase the risk of having prostate cancer. But both BPH and prostate cancer have similar symptoms; therefore, if a person is diagnosed with BPH, he may have undetected prostate cancer at the same time.
Stigma Surrounding BPH
Despite modern medical innovation and the availability of various medical approaches to treat and manage the symptoms of BPH, no matter how severe they are, there still exists stigmatisation[6] when it comes to seeking treatment for the condition.
Due to embarrassment, some do not seek treatment despite worsened symptoms. In other cases, ignorance also plays a major part. These men learn to live with the symptoms no matter the severity.
Due to late diagnosis, which further contributes to a progressed condition affecting quality of life regardless of age[7], many patients experience behavioural adjustment to cope up with symptoms.
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Testing
One way to detect BPH is through a quick three-item questionnaire and PSA testing[8].
The 3-item Quick screening tool asks three simple questions which can be evaluated by patients themselves or via clinicians to their patients/healthy men.
A score of 3 or above on these questions helps to identify patients who may need a PSA test for the next step. With a PSA of more than 2ng/ml as the next step, the tool can identify patients at high likelihood of specialist’s confirmation of BPH.
If you are a man above the age of 50, visit the link and respond to three short questions. Please visit your doctor for diagnosis and medical advice if the combined score on these three questions is three or above.
Normal prostate cells produce a protein called PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. These antigens are measured to determine the volume of the prostate, thus detecting the presence of BPH in patients.
PSA is released at a greater concentration into the blood in patients with an enlarged prostate gland. Other bodily tissues do not produce PSA.
Therefore, a PSA test gives a clear picture of what is occurring inside the prostate. The severity of PSA concentration in a person varies according to the individual, but research has shed light on the average of these concentrations and their correlation with the risk of BPH. PSA test is not a confirmation of presence or absence of BPH, a clinician’s confirmation by confirmatory tests is required despite PSA values outside normal range.
- Low risk: PSA level of 4 ng/mL or less.
- Grey area: PSA level is within the range of 4 to 10 ng/mL
- High risk: If you have 10 ng/mL or more
What Can Early Screening Do?
With early diagnosis and timely treatment, BPH patients have reported a reduced clinical progression of symptoms. A recent study[10] claimed that the adoption of surgical techniques and the development of innovative drugs have improved treatment outcomes and sharply decreased the frequency of BPH surgery over time.
In individuals who are at risk for illness progression, early therapies may produce better clinical results[11] than a delayed strategy.
Living with BPH
Despite the prognosis or the severity of the diagnosis, many still live a comfortable life with subdued symptoms. Patients have a myriad of options when it comes to treating the condition; and with changes to their lifestyle[12], improvement in the condition can be achieved.
As for caregivers[9], it is important to keep a clear and objective way of communication to help patients cope with the condition. When it comes to providing care for someone with a health condition, no one solution works for everyone.
Remember to provide support to the patient in many ways, and stay educated on symptoms, treatment options, side effects, and so on. If the journey becomes overwhelming, seek counselling or professional help from a psychologist for emotional support.
You can find out more about BPH here.
References:
- Problems Urinating? Check If You Have An Enlarged prostate. CodeBlue. Link. Accessed December, 2022.
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Cleveland Clinic. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). MSD MANUAL Professional Version. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). John Hopkins Medicine. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Movember Spotlight: The Low-down on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Beacon Hospital. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Making BPH Treatment Less Scary and Embarrassing. Urologix. Link. December 18, 2022.
- Common misconceptions about enlarged prostates by patients and physicians. Urology Times. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- What Are Typical PSA Levels with BPH? BensNaturalHealth. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Prostate Cancer: A Caregiver’s Guide. Urology Care Foundation. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Is early benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment worthwhile? National Library of Medicine. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Reducing the Risk of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Progression. National Library of Medicine. Link. Accessed December 18, 2022.
- Living With BPH (Enlarged Prostate). CodeBlue. Link. Accessed December, 2022.
