Prostate adenoma is a male disease, which is a benign tumor of the prostate gland. Most often diagnosed in adulthood after 40 years. The main reason for the appearance of a neoplasm is a hormonal imbalance - a decrease in the level of male hormones in the body and an increase in female ones. The first symptoms of prostate adenoma occur almost immediately, so there is no need to postpone a visit to the doctor. Pathology is easily cured in the early stages.
How is prostate adenoma different from prostatitis
First of all, it should be noted that we are talking about two completely different diseases. The key difference between them is this: prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, and adenoma is a tumor, a neoplasm. Thus, the difference can be traced not only in the symptoms of prostate adenoma and chronic prostatitis, but also in theessence of pathologies, their etiology.
Prostatitis, regardless of whether it is chronic or acute, occurs due to trauma to the perineal area, frequent hypothermia, infection of the body. Adenoma is a consequence of hormonal disorders in the male body, and the prevailing opinion that prostate adenoma is the result of untreated prostatitis is fundamentally wrong.
Despite the similarity of the clinical picture, you can still find a significant difference in the symptoms of prostatitis and prostate adenoma in men. It lies in the fact that with prostate adenoma, patients do not experience such pain, pain and burning, as with prostatitis. However, most of the symptoms of these ailments are almost identical. It's about:
- potency disorders;
- frequent urination;
- sluggish urine stream;
- feeling of incomplete bladder emptying.
In addition, the complications will also differ if these diseases are not treated. Ignoring the symptoms of prostatitis threatens the transition of the disease into a chronic form and deterioration of he alth, the development of infertility, sexual impotence and cancer. Symptoms of prostate adenoma without proper therapy can be aggravated by hematuria, the formation of stones in the bladder and urinary retention, which is a direct indication for emergency surgery.
Signs of the first stage
To get an idea of the symptoms of prostate adenoma, it would be more appropriate to describe the course of the disease in stages, each of which corresponds to a certainsymptom complex.
The initial stage of this disease is often referred to as the "forerunner stage", which is characterized by frequent urination at night. A man has to get up to use the toilet almost every 1.5-2 hours, on average 5-6 times a night. The patient cannot fail to notice that the urine stream has become sluggish, and the act of urination itself is difficult. To relieve himself, he now has to strain.
As the disease progresses, periodic episodes of urinary incontinence during sleep are not excluded as a result of deformation of the internal and voluntary relaxation of the near sphincters. Despite the difficulty of urination, residual fluid in the bladder does not remain due to the compensatory functions of the detrusor. However, against the background of the development of the disease, the muscular walls of the bladder weaken, which provokes the transition of the disease to the next stage. The duration of the first stage is individual, with a favorable course of the disease, it can reach 10-12 years. Otherwise, the pathology can go through both stages in a couple of years, or even less.
What are the symptoms of BPH in the second stage
At this stage, the disease manifests itself more intensely:
- urine stream becomes steep, may be interrupted by drops;
- to empty the bladder, the patient is forced to push for a long time, and this is fraught with the formation of an inguinal hernia or prolapse of the rectum;
- the process of urination becomes painful due to inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder.
In the second stage, the symptoms and signs of prostate adenoma can be explained by the development of hypertrophy andthinning of the detrusor muscle tissues. Those fragments of the walls of the bladder, which are free from muscle fibers, stretch out and form a kind of bags - diverticula, which as a result will contain residual urine. At first, its amount will be about 100-200 ml, but later it will reach 300-500 ml, and sometimes more, depending on the height and weight of the patient.
The hypertrophied walls of the organ fold "into an accordion", preventing the full flow of urine into the bladder from the kidneys and ureters. As soon as urine begins to stagnate in the upper urinary tract, a number of complications join the disease, including the development of urolithiasis, pyelonephritis.
The slightest hypothermia, colds, untimely visits to the toilet and other factors can exacerbate the symptoms of prostate adenoma. Treatment of the disease in the second stage involves not only taking medications or the help of surgeons, but also preventing overstrain and stressful situations. It is especially important for the patient to follow a diet and stop drinking alcoholic beverages, which can provoke complete urinary retention. Otherwise, the symptoms of prostate adenoma will join:
- excruciating urge and pain in the perineum;
- a feeling of pressure in the suprapubic region and lower back.
When self-emptying of the bladder becomes impossible, the patient is removed urine in a hospital using a catheter. Some patients after catheterizationurination is restored. At the same time, the contractility of the detrusor almost completely disappears, and the risk of urinary tract infection increases. If the treatment of prostate adenoma in men is started on time, the symptoms described above can be avoided, as well as the transition to the second stage itself. Meanwhile, the second stage inevitably turns into the third.
Manifestations of the disease in the third stage
At this stage of the disease, the contractility of the bladder drops to almost zero, and the volume of residual urine can increase to one and a half liters. A highly stretched natural reservoir for collecting fluid in the body becomes noticeable even from the outside - its contours resemble a spherical tumor, the upper borders of which reach the navel line, and sometimes even higher. The sensitivity of the organ suffers, but patients mistakenly think that relief has come.
Over time, controlled urination completely disappears, and urine begins to flow involuntarily from an overflowing bladder. At the last stage of prostate adenoma, patients are not able to do without a urinal. A number of complications join the course of the disease due to developing dysfunction of the kidneys and excretory system, as well as constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, constantly tormenting thirst and dry mouth. The patient smells unpleasantly of urine, nitrogenous slags, other symptoms appear. In men with prostate adenoma, treatment involves constant monitoring of body temperature - its increase is quite natural with congestion that exacerbates the infection.
Whatmedicines are suitable for treatment
None of the drugs can be used alone. The therapeutic program should be compiled only by a qualified specialist, taking into account the stage of the disease, the patient's age, and the severity of symptoms. For the treatment of prostate adenoma in men, drugs are selected from two main groups - alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.
The most effective in the treatment of benign prostate tumors are:
- "Prazosin". The remedy has a beneficial effect on the muscles of the bladder and prostate, increasing the rate of urine flow. Due to the properties of the active ingredients, alpha-adrenergic receptors are blocked right in the neck of the bladder. Unlike other drugs from the group of alpha-blockers, "Prazosin" has a minimum of side effects and contraindications.
- Omnic. This tool is also from a number of alpha-blockers. Its advantage lies in the minimal effect on blood pressure.
- Proscar. A drug from a number of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Its main task is to prevent the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. After a course of treatment with Proscar, the symptoms of prostate adenoma become less noticeable in patients, and the tumor itself is significantly reduced in size.
- "Avodart". Often this remedy is used in combination with previous alpha-blockers. The drug promotes the outflow of urine, due to whichthe patient's well-being improves.
You should definitely consult a urologist and read the package leaflet carefully before taking medications for the treatment of prostate adenoma. According to reviews, the symptoms in men quickly disappear if taken correctly, in accordance with the instructions. Among the side effects that occur during the use of these drugs, it is worth noting a headache, redness of the skin, upset of the gastrointestinal tract, intense mucus from the nose.
Natural remedies
In addition to traditional treatment for symptoms of prostate adenoma in men, the use of folk recipes may be justified. Unlike medicines, natural formulations have virtually no side effects and are easily tolerated by the body. Self-medication is not worth it - it is better to entrust the choice of medicine to a professional. The doctor will advise the patient on the appropriate composition, taking into account the individual characteristics of his body and the severity of the symptoms. Treatment of prostate adenoma in men with folk remedies helps to contain the growth of the tumor and prevents the progression of the clinical signs of the disease. The most popular recipes are:
- Infusion of birch leaves and onions. For cooking, you need 2 tbsp. l. dried raw materials - green onions and foliage. The mixture is poured with two glasses of boiling water and the remedy is infused for an hour. You need to drink half a glass of medicine three times a day for a month.
- Boiled beets. Root crops are placed in a saucepan and poured with water, which shouldcompletely cover the vegetables. The pot is placed on the stove. Beets should be cooked for at least 4-5 hours. Then the finished root crops need to be peeled and twisted into a meat grinder, the slurry is well squeezed through gauze, and a tablespoon of honey is added to the resulting juice. Drink several sips throughout the day. The duration of the course of therapy is 30 days.
- Linseed oil. If for a month you regularly use the product for 1-2 tsp. on an empty stomach, after a couple of weeks, the symptoms of prostate adenoma will become less pronounced.
- Decoction of walnut leaves. Dried hazelnut leaves are used for cooking. One handful of crushed raw materials will require half a liter of water. The mixture is put on fire and brought to a boil. A decoction of walnut leaves has a bitter taste, therefore, before drinking, it is allowed to sweeten the drink with buckwheat honey.
Whatever the nature of the symptoms of prostate adenoma, treatment with folk remedies helps to achieve their relief. It is impossible to use natural remedies in the treatment of a benign prostate tumor if the patient has an allergic reaction to the active ingredients. The choice in favor of drug treatment of prostate adenoma in men, the symptoms of which are still mild, is made, as a rule, at the first stage of the disease. At the same time, surgical intervention is considered a more effective and radical method of treatment, which is often also the only expedient available.
Surgery for adenomaprostate
Today, surgical treatment of prostatic hyperplasia can be carried out by one of the following methods:
- Adenomectomy - removal of the tumor. This type of intervention has a minimum of contraindications. Adenomectomy is performed if the mass of the neoplasm has reached 40 g, and the volume of urine that remains in the bladder is at least 150 ml. A direct indication for the removal of an adenoma are complications caused by an increase in the tumor.
- Transurethral resection. It belongs to the category of "bloodless" operations for symptoms of prostate adenoma in men. Treatment is carried out without tissue injury, by penetrating the gland through the urethra. Transurethral resection is indicated in the absence of complications and a tumor weighing less than 60 g.
The operation is done in the department of urology or surgery. The choice of the method of surgical intervention depends on many factors. However, in recent years, sparing treatment options have been increasingly used, thanks to which patients are able to recover quickly. These include laser surgery. In the treatment of prostate adenoma, this method has several advantages:
- The prostate is accessed through the urethra, eliminating the need for skin incisions.
- There is minimal blood loss during the operation.
- After surgery, the patient will not have to leave the stateanesthesia and experience the unpleasant symptoms and consequences of the operation in men accompanying this moment. With prostate adenoma, epidural anesthesia is most often resorted to, if the patient has no contraindications to this type of anesthesia.
Treatment of large adenomas
When diagnosed with a benign tumor weighing more than 200 g, laparoscopic surgery is recommended. To remove the tumor in this way, there is no need to make large incisions. A few punctures are enough for the surgeon to gain access to the prostate. The duration of the recovery period is no more than a week, after which the patient is discharged. After another seven days, the man will be able to return to work and normal life.
Rehabilitation after surgery
Reviews of men who have undergone surgical treatment of prostate adenoma are mixed. Some patients confidently declare that their he alth has improved, pain has decreased, and the symptoms characteristic of prostate adenoma have disappeared. Treatment in men is not always successful, many face complications after surgery in the form of urinary incontinence and the development of impotence. At the same time, urologists note that a favorable outcome and a return to normal life is possible only if a rehabilitation period is completed.
Compliance with the recommendations of the doctor after surgery is of great importance for a full recovery. Despite the fact that the first few days the man will be underunder the supervision of specialists, medical prescriptions cannot be deviated for the next few weeks.
Ground rules for men undergoing prostate surgery:
- inadmissibility of physical activity, sudden tension and active movements;
- drinking enough fluids;
- no s alty, fried and smoked foods;
- taking antibiotics to prevent infectious complications;
- no alcohol;
- quiet outdoor walks;
- no intimacy for the first month after surgery.
What could be the consequences of the operation
Even if the operation to remove the tumor is performed by a surgeon of the highest category, it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of complications. The risk of dangerous consequences is especially high during the intervention to remove a large adenoma. The most common problems that men have to face in the early postoperative period are:
- bleeding;
- infectious and inflammatory lesions;
- development of thrombosis of the veins of the lower extremities, pulmonary arteries.
Negative consequences of the operation may occur within the pelvic organs and some time after the operation. Complications of the late recovery period include urethral strictures against the background of proliferation of fibrous connective tissue, as well as sclerosis of the bladder walls and sexual impotence.
Be that as it may, but to a greater extent, the fault for the likelihood of complications lies with the men themselves, who rarely visit a urologist in adulthood. It is necessary to undergo an examination by a specialist every year for every member of the stronger sex after 40 years. Unfortunately, situations when patients come to see a doctor already with an adenoma of impressive size are not isolated. In such cases, the only available treatment option is surgery.
