After the age of 40, men may experience some problems with the he alth of the genitourinary system. Among them, doctors often mention prostatitis and prostate adenoma. What is it, what are dangerous diseases, as well as methods and methods of treating pathology are described in the article.
Definition
Prostatic hyperplasia or prostate adenoma is a benign neoplasm. It grows from the cells of the gland or the stromal component of the prostate. Despite the fact that the formation can be called a tumor, it has nothing to do with cancer, since lymph nodes are not involved in its formation and growth. And the adenoma itself is not prone to spread to nearby organs. Despite this, hyperplasia can cause significant damage to a man's quality of life.
The Hidden Danger
If BPH is not treated promptly, other urological problems may appear, such as:
- urolithiasis;
- inability to urinate independently and the need to install a urinary catheter;
- chronic renal failure due to urinary stasis;
- infectious and inflammatory urological diseases;
- hydronephrosis, which leads to difficulty in passing urine.
These concomitant pathological processes may entail more serious treatment than therapy for prostate adenoma.
Causes of occurrence
Before starting the treatment of prostatitis and prostate adenoma in men, it is necessary to understand why these pathologies occur. They can be provoked by such factors:
- unstable sex life;
- frequent stressful situations;
- overweight;
- inflammation or infectious diseases of the urinary tract and genital organs;
- malnutrition;
- bad habits.
Before starting treatment for BPH in men, it is important to exclude these causes, since only in this case the therapy can be effective.
Symptoms of disease
Men's urological problems often have similar manifestations, so they must be carefully analyzed before starting treatment for BPH. There are four main stages of the disease:
- Compensated. With her, a man feels needy even with an empty bladder.
- The subcompensated stage is characterized by an intermittent stream of urine when going to the toilet and pain while doing so.
- The decompensated stage can make it much more difficult or impossible to pass urine.
- Terminal stage manifestinga sharp development of renal failure, resulting in an increase in the amount of nitrogen in the blood and disturbances in the water and electrolyte balance. At this stage, there is a risk of death from uremia.
In addition, a man may experience the following associated symptoms of the disease:
- pain and burning when urinating;
- long visit to the restroom;
- weak urine stream;
- frequent urge to go to the toilet, even with an empty bladder;
- ejaculation pain;
- urine sediment;
- increased irritability level;
- not feeling well overall;
- intestinal problems (constipation, diarrhea).
These manifestations require immediate medical attention for the treatment of prostate adenoma.
Diagnosis
Some research is needed to detect a urological disease. Only after that, the specialist can prescribe the appropriate treatment for prostatitis and prostate adenoma. The following diagnostic methods are used:
- General and biochemical blood tests that show the presence of an inflammatory process and provide information about the composition of the fluid.
- A clinical study of urine that provides information on the chemical composition of bodily fluids.
- Rectal examination by palpation. At the same time, the doctor has the opportunity to probe the neoplasm.
- Pneumocystography - X-ray examination of the bladder with filling it with gas ascontrast.
- Cystography - performing X-rays with filling the bladder with liquid contrast, which can come either naturally through the kidneys or with the help of external administration.
- Ultrasound diagnostics of the genitourinary system.
- Uroflowmetry - measuring the rate of urination and then comparing the results with existing standards.
Magnetic resonance imaging may be needed in some cases.
Conservative treatment of pathology
Based on the results obtained with the help of studies, the urologist prescribes the necessary therapy. At the initial stage, you can get by with conservative treatment of prostate adenoma in men with medications:
- Alpha-blockers are needed to relax the bladder and ensure normal urination. These include drugs such as Silodosin, Dalfaz, Omnik, Setegis, Ornam, Adenorm.
- To reduce the amount of glandular tissue and stop tumor growth, 5-alpha inhibitors - "Finasteride", "Finasteride" are used. They also help control hormones.
- If the cause of the pathology is an infection, then a course of antibiotic treatment is prescribed. Most often, drugs such as "Gentamicin", "Cephalosporins" are used for these purposes.
- In the inflammatory process, drugs are needed that haveanti-inflammatory action - Voltaren, Diclofenac, Dicloberl.
- For pain syndrome that can occur in men, antispasmodics and painkillers are used - Papaverine, Spazmalgon, No-shpa, Ibuprofen, Buskopan.
In addition, homeopathic remedies are considered effective treatments for prostate adenoma, which are prescribed by a doctor along with traditional therapy. Vitamin complexes may also be needed to maintain the immune system.
Surgery
When drugs for the treatment of prostate adenoma do not have the necessary effectiveness, surgery may be prescribed. It is indicated in the case of a rapid growth of the neoplasm and pressure on the internal organs, as well as on the blood vessels. Surgery can be performed in the following ways:
- Cryodestruction is a method of treating prostate adenoma, in which the tumor is frozen by exposure to liquid nitrogen. Tumor cells contain a large amount of fluid, so this therapy is effective.
- Laser enucleation reduces the size of the tumor due to laser exposure. The procedure is performed using an endoscope with a laser, therefore it is considered minimally invasive. Recovery is also fairly fast.
- Thermotherapy is carried out by exposing the tumor to high temperatures.
- Transurethral resection allowssurgically remove the tumor by separating it from he althy prostate tissue. The functions of the organ are preserved.
- Microwave therapy, in which prostate tissue is heated up to 44 degrees. In this case, the destruction of neoplasm tissues occurs.
- Balloon dilatation promotes the expansion of the lumen of blood vessels, ensuring normal blood flow, as well as an increase in the urethra. The operation is minimally invasive, as the balloon is inserted into the urethra, minimally injuring the surrounding soft tissues. Unfortunately, the procedure is not effective for large adenomas or unusual shapes.
- Prostate artery embolization provides occlusion of the blood arteries of the prostate. As a result, the tumor decreases in size.
- Open adenomectomy is a surgical operation to remove a tumor by excising it through a soft tissue incision. It is used for large neoplasms, as well as when it is impossible to use other methods of treatment.
The most effective treatment for prostate adenoma is determined by the attending physician based on diagnostic studies, as well as taking into account the presence of concomitant diseases.
Folk methods
Despite the fact that the most effective treatment for BPH is medication and surgery, herbal therapy remains popular. However, it should be remembered that before starting it is necessary to consult with the attending urologist, and conservative treatment should not be replaced by alternative methods. They can only complement classical therapy.
Decoctions and tinctures for the treatment of pathology:
- 1 tbsp l. hazel bark and 1 tbsp. l. parsley root, pour 1 liter of hot water and leave for 50-60 minutes. After that, the finished infusion should be used daily instead of ordinary water.
- 1 tbsp l. licorice roots pour 0.5 liters of water and cook for 10 minutes, then strain. You need to use the resulting liquid for 3 tbsp. l. before every meal. The course of decoction therapy is two weeks.
- 25 grams of chopped chestnut shells pour 250 ml of alcohol. Insist in a dark place for 10 days. Then take 40 drops daily on an empty stomach.
- 1, 5 tbsp. l. dried medicinal asparagus must be poured with 250 ml of hot water and infused for an hour. Then strain and drink 100 ml 3 times a day.
- 2 tsp comfrey roots are poured with boiling water (2 cups) and infused for 40 minutes. Drink the prepared liquid 1 glass 3 times a day. Treatment time is 3 weeks.
In addition, alternative treatment of prostate adenoma involves the use of products such as pumpkin seeds, onions (in large quantities), licorice root, carrot, beetroot, pumpkin and cucumber juices.
Decoctions and infusions of urological collections based on such medicinal plants are also useful:
- corn silk;
- Potentilla erect;
- burdock root;
- Icelandic moss;
- sprigs of mistletoe;
- flowers and berries of hawthorn.
For chronic prostate adenoma, treatment methods also involve sitz baths according to the following recipes:
- 200 grams of oat straw should be poured into 5 liters of water and boiled for 15 minutes. After that, the broth must be filtered and poured into a bath of water. Temperatures of liquids should be 37-38 degrees. The time spent in such a bath varies from 10 to 15 minutes.
- 100 g of horsetail must be infused in 3 liters of boiling water. Then add the infusion to the bath water. The duration of the procedure is also about 15 minutes.
Herbs such as chamomile, string, oak bark also have positive properties.
In some cases, the use of enemas and suppositories is allowed:
- Suppositories from propolis extract are introduced into the rectum at night. The therapy time is 30 days, after which a break is made for a month, and then the therapy is repeated.
- Microclysters with a volume of 50 ml from infusions of chamomile officinalis, sage with the addition of 30 drops of an alcohol solution of propolis;
- 100 g of love flowers crushed to a powder, pour 1 liter of olive oil and leave for 2 weeks. 1 tsp dilute the resulting oil infusion with 50 ml of warm water and beat, then inject into the rectum. Treatment lasts 15 days.
Self-treatment using folk methods should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist, as allergic reactions to any natural ingredients may occur.
Consequences of the disease
Reviews on the treatment of adenomathe prostate is diverse, some report a complete recovery, while others face some complications. They can be divided into two conditional groups - early and distant. Early complications include:
- Bleeding during surgery. Since the prostate is fed by many blood vessels, there is a risk of damage to them. In this case, it is necessary to repair the wound and compensate for the loss of blood with a transfusion.
- Postoperative urinary tract infections such as cystitis, urethritis, epididymitis. In this case, appropriate medication is prescribed.
- Water intoxication of the body, which is characterized by a sharp increase in the amount of fluid in the cells of the body. This condition is dangerous due to the likelihood of swelling of the brain or other vital organs.
- Acute urinary retention - problems emptying a full bladder.
- Reduce sodium levels.
Late or delayed complications include the following processes:
- erectile dysfunction;
- urinary incontinence;
- rough scars on the urethra that can interfere with normal urine flow;
- preservation of symptoms of prostate adenoma;
- the appearance of deposits in the bladder (stones);
- retrograde ejaculation (release of semen into the bladder);
- recurrence of the disease.
In order to prevent the occurrence of the consequences of the treatment of prostate adenoma, the patient needs periodic consultations with a urologist even after a successfultherapy.
Adenoma removal and potency
One of the consequences of surgical treatment of prostate adenoma in men may be a negative impact on potency. Therefore, it is also a challenge for doctors to preserve the natural functions of the body and sexual activity, regardless of the age of the patient.
Erectile dysfunction can often occur after an open operation to remove a pathological tumor, since there is a high probability of injury to the nerve and circulatory structures around the penis. Modern methods of dealing with pathology are much less traumatic in terms of maintaining sexual function.
It is also important to follow all the instructions of the urologist in the postoperative period. In addition, it is recommended to perform special gymnastics exercises, which are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the small pelvis and perineum.
Post-op rehabilitation
The appearance of the consequences of treatment (surgery) of prostate adenoma can be prevented if medical recommendations are followed during the rehabilitation period. Its duration depends on the type of intervention performed, as well as on comorbidities and the age of the patient. Most often, this time period is from 3 to 12 months.
At this time, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- lifting of any weight is strictly prohibited for a few weeks after the operation;
- must follow a diet that excludes fatty, fried, s alty and smoked foods;
- necessary to take drugs for preventionconstipation;
- abstinence from sexual activity for 4-5 weeks after surgery;
- quit smoking and drinking alcohol;
- refuse to visit baths and saunas, as well as replace the bath with a shower.
With the advent of modern methods of surgical operations, the likelihood of complications has noticeably decreased, since preference is given to methods that are the least traumatic. However, it is still necessary to visit a urologist during the rehabilitation period to exclude possible problems.
Prevention
After 40, any man is at risk of prostatitis and prostate adenoma. In order to avoid the appearance of neoplasms, you must follow these tips for prevention:
- quit smoking and drinking alcohol;
- do moderate exercise;
- visit a urologist at least once a year, even if there are no complaints;
- keep proper nutrition (avoid fatty, too s alty or smoked foods, give preference to easily digestible food);
- control weight as overweight men are at risk;
- have a regular sex life.
If these recommendations are followed, the chances of developing prostate adenoma are significantly reduced.
