Prostate Health Guide

What Causes Enlarged Prostate Conditions?



Men who are 50 years of older discover they have having urinary problems and seek an appointment with a urology specialist. The problem is usually an enlarged prostate.

The prostate starts to grow around the time of puberty in young males and then stops. For some yet undiscovered reason at the age of 50, this gland begins to grow again. The growth causes some discomfort and can lead to serious medical issues. This condition can lead some dilemma on what causes enlarged prostate conditions.

The prostate is small gland about the size of a walnut that surrounds the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The function of the prostate is the production of the fluids found in semen.

As a man ages, the production of certain hormones cause the prostate to start growing. The culprit is the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which provides the testosterone . The real mystery is why some men will have an enlarged prostate while other men with similar lifestyles never develop any symptoms or problems.

The enlargement of the prostate does not indicate cancerous cells are present. But is an increase in the cells in the area of the prostate that surround the tube called the urethra. The urine passes through the tube and the increase in the cells can prevent the urine from passing through easily

This process is considered a common occurrence as part of the aging process in males. the commonly held belief is that the reason for the prostate enlargement is the presence of dihydrotestosterone which is derived from the testosterone. As the DHT increases it is though to decrease the ability of the body to control the growth factor in the prostate.

There is no concrete proof that any of the usual negative lifestyle habits contribute to an enlarged prostate. In a series of test, men who smoke, drank, level of sexual activity or ethnicity, seem to not determine whether an enlarged prostate will become a problem.

There are theories that married men are more likely to have enlarged prostates than unmarried men. But there is no documented evidence to suggest that there is any correlation with sexual activity and the cause of enlarged prostate.

The symptoms usually show up in men around their early 50's. There is an early test that can be performed to determine the likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate. The level of prostate specific antigen or (PSA) test . PSA is a protein that is secreted by the tissue of the prostate glad. If the PSA level is high there is a high probability that the person will develop some prostate problems.

Doctors are likely to start the test for the possibility of an enlarged prostate around the late 40's. It seems that the growth starts around the age or 50 at a more likely to become troublesome later in life. At a specific age level the enlargement of the prostate seems inevitable and should be treated.

Doctors will test for the possibility of an enlarged prostate when the family history uncovers incidents of the disease in other family members. An enlarged prostate is not serious at the onset but must receive immediate treatment. A regular scheduled checkup should include a test for prostate enlargement. The symptoms can become irritating and can be eliminated when the proper medications are started.

If urination becomes a problem or the bladder is not sufficiently emptied there can be some serious complication. The causes for an enlarged prostate are still being debated but there is relief available for the symptoms

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DID YOU KNOW?

One type of hormone treatment uses drugs to prevent the body from producing testosterone. There are drugs, for example, that block the secretion of natural hormones. There are also drugs that that prevent production at localized areas. For example, LH-RH agonists are drugs that prevent the testicles from making testosterone. Leuprolide and goserelin are included here. Drugs that prevent the adrenal gland from making testosterone include ketoconazole and aminoglutethimide. There also agents that only block the action of male hormones, such as flutamide, bicalutamide, and nilutamide.

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