The prostate is the Achilles' heel in men's he alth. The most common pathology of the prostate gland is called adenoma. Today, the lion's share of the male population suffers from this disease, if not every second. If earlier the age threshold of this disease began after 60 years, now it has been halved. That is why young people who have reached the age of 30 should visit the urologist's office annually for prevention purposes. What calls can be used to suspect a disease in the early stages, who to contact for help and how to treat is described in the article below.
Description of macropreparation "prostate hypertrophy"
The range of suitable characteristics is considerable: gland thickness (anteroposterior size) - 1.5-3 cm, width (perpendicular size) - 2.7-5 cm, length (upper-lower size) - 2.3-4.2 see this kind of scattercharacteristics is associated with the personal distinctive features of a particular patient, as well as with the unreality to completely normalize the method of measuring the marked sizes. For this reason, today it is customary to focus more on the volume of the gland.
Prostate hypertrophy micropreparation will be next. Adenoma is a tissue hypertrophy, that is, its abnormal growth. This is a benign tumor at first. The cells of the gland or the surrounding connective tissue and smooth muscle components begin to increase in volume. As a result, a knot or several small ones are formed that compress the urethra. This blocks the path to the natural evacuation of urine from the bladder. If you ignore the symptoms and untimely referral to a specialist, hyperplasia can turn into a malignant form (cancer). The activity of the gland is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system.
There are various names in the medical literature: prostate adenoma, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic hypertrophy, in the ICD-10 is listed under the code N40.
What are the important functions of the prostate?
First of all, the secretory function of the prostate gland is the formation of the main male sex hormone - testosterone, which regulates the process of spermatogenesis, as well as sexual activity. As a result, violationsthe functioning of the prostate can reduce fertility, lead to infertility, disharmony in the sexual sphere, psycho-physiological problems.
Motor function - retention of urine, control of the process of formation and excretion of urine, excretion of secrets during intercourse. Their violation is fraught with the disappearance of erection, shortening the duration of copulation.
Barrier function - protects the urinary and genital tract from the penetration of harmful bacteria, viruses into them.
Reasons
There can be many prerequisites for the development of prostatic hypertrophy:
- Inflammatory process in the gland itself (prostatitis) of an infectious or other nature.
- Prostate adenoma in men is comparable to menopause in women. In other words, the appearance of this disease indicates the beginning of hormonal extinction. So, closer to 50 years, the synthesis of the main male sex hormone - testosterone, sharply decreases. In parallel, the production of female hormones - estrogens, which contribute to the growth of organ tissues, increases.
- Scientific studies have shown the relationship between increased concentrations of the "milk hormone" - prolactin, in the blood with infertility in men. Hyperprolactinemia develops due to stress, physical fatigue, long-term use of vasodilators, antidepressants, drugs.
- Inflammation of the genitourinary system in the form of cystitis, urethritis.
- STDs (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia) can also provoke this disease.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Inadequate blood supply to the pelvic organs (pelvic atherosclerosis) leads to chronic ischemia of the bladder and prostate. In turn, this leads to atrophy and fibrosis of the gland.
- Prostatitis is a factor in the development of prostate hypertrophy.
- Prolonged sexual abstinence, sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity are fraught with congestion (sperm accumulation, lack of blood outflow) in the gland.
- Overweight is another enemy. The presence of a beer belly indicates a metabolic disorder, which, in turn, affects the hormonal balance, shifting it towards imbalance.
- Unbalanced diet and constipation. Prolonged fecal intoxication also affects the prostate, causing it to become inflamed.
Who is at risk?
Thus, men are most predisposed to prostate hypertrophy:
- aged 35 and over;
- with monotonous sedentary work;
- homosexuals;
- bodybuilders taking anabolic steroids;
- forced to use hormones and blood pressure medications.
Symptomatics
There are exact signs by which one can judge the violations of the prostate gland:
- Initially, changes occur in urination, but so far they are insignificant. The prostate is characterized by an increased volume, due to which pressure is exerted onbladder. This process may take from one to three years.
- Over time, urine begins to stagnate in the bladder, the walls of which begin to inflame. This is indicated by pain in the groin area. In addition, this is an additional burden for the kidneys.
- Over time, the pain intensifies, involuntary urination occurs. The walls of the bladder lose their tone, causing it to stretch.
- The extreme stage of the disease poses a danger to the further functioning of the body. The water-s alt and electrolyte balance is completely disturbed, the kidneys and urinary tract refuse to work.
- There is an increase in the frequency of trips to the toilet "in a small way" both during the day and at night.
- Emptying of the bladder is slow and in small doses.
- No erectile activity in the morning.
Common signs
There are also common symptoms of prostatic hypertrophy:
- Dry skin.
- Unceasing thirst.
- No food.
- Declining vitality.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Smell of acetone from mouth.
Diagnosis
After detecting the above signs, you should immediately contact a specialist - a urologist. To make a diagnosis, the patient's lifestyle and complaints are analyzed. Inspection is carried out through the rectum. By palpating the gland, determine the size and density.
After that, the doctor prescribes a series of laboratory testsbenign prostatic hypertrophy:
- General blood and urine tests - detection of an inflammatory process.
- Blood biochemistry for serum urea and creatinine levels.
- Ultrasound examination provides information about changes in the size of the organ, the anatomical structure, the amount of urine retained in the bladder, and changes in the kidneys.
- Urodynamics study - determination of urination rate, degree of bladder contraction (pressure sensors, the bladder is filled with saline, adjusting the pressure using sensors installed in the bladder and rectum.
- The rate of urination is calculated with a uroflowmeter.
- Prostate secretion analysis.
- Analysis of a smear from the urethra.
- Spermogram for fertility testing.
- Injection of contrast agents - after the injection of the dye, an x-ray is taken to study the urinary tract.
- Biopsy - helps diagnose prostate cancer (an ultra-fine needle is inserted into the rectum to take a tissue sample).
Treatment
In the early stages, the further development of the disease can be prevented by taking medications. Their action is aimed at pain relief, elimination of bladder dysfunction, antibacterial treatment. Massage recommended.
In the late, advanced stages or in case of ineffectiveness of drug therapy, they resort to surgical intervention. Surgical treatment iscomplete removal of the adenoma under general anesthesia with further rehabilitation in a hospital.
Minimally invasive methods
Minimally invasive methods of removing hyperplasia include transurethral resection (an endoscope is inserted into the cavity of the urethra to remove fibrous tissue with electric current) and laser destruction (a laser beam cauterizes inflammation without bleeding). Ozone therapy helps to improve blood microcirculation in the body, has disinfecting properties. Physiotherapy also contributes to recovery - treatment with a laser, magnet, microwaves, cryotherapy.
The operation is to remove the adenoma. A tube is inserted into the wall of the bladder to facilitate the flow of urine. Through the incision of the abdominal wall, they are taken out, and a container for collecting urine is installed at the end. This operation is called a cystostomy.
Possible Complications
Prostatic hyperplasia is an insidious disease with many side effects. Untimely treatment negatively affects the entire genitourinary system, causing:
- Chronic pyelonephritis.
- Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis).
- Inflammation of the urethra (urethritis).
- Kidney failure.
- Urolithiasis.
- Impotence.
- Infertility.
- Cancer.
Preventive measures
According to the feedback of patients and doctors, adhering to some rules, it is quite possible to reduce the risk of getting diffuse prostatic hypertrophy:
- Proper nutrition is the foundation of he alth. The hyperplasia diet provides for the exclusion from the diet of such foods as beef, highly refined products, dairy products, meat, fish, mushroom broths, animal fats, coffee and carbonated drinks, s alt, spices, pastry products. They should be replaced with: fish and poultry fillets, pumpkin and flax seeds, eggs, vegetables, fruits, seafood, various nuts, green tea.
- Keep your feet and hands warm, beware of hypothermia.
- Do sports.
- Track your weight.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
However, as the reviews show, despite a fairly large degree of study, a wide range of treatment methods, prostatic hypertrophy is still completely incurable. Preventive and therapeutic measures should be carried out constantly and comprehensively.
