Unfortunately, today many men of mature age are faced with such an unpleasant problem as prostate adenoma. What it is? Why does such a disease develop? How dangerous can it be? What treatments are available? This information is of interest to many members of the stronger sex. After all, the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the easier it will be to get rid of it, avoiding dangerous and unpleasant consequences.
What is BPH?
According to statistics, approximately 50% of men over fifty years of age are faced with a disease called prostate adenoma. What it is? Is it possible to somehow avoid or slow down the development of the disease? These questions are extremely important and painful for men. After all, in fact, many patients are silent about their problems until the disease becomes more serious.
If you are interested in what an adenoma is, then for a start it is worth saying that this name is slightly outdated. In modern medicine, it is increasingly common to refer to this diseaseuse the term "benign prostatic hyperplasia". The process of development of the disease begins with the formation of a small nodule in the tissues of the gland (sometimes several at once), which gradually (and sometimes quite quickly) increases. Changing its size, the prostate gland begins to compress the urinary canal, interfering with the normal outflow of urine - this phenomenon is not only unpleasant, but also extremely dangerous, as it affects the entire excretory system. In fact, the tumor is a hyperplastic (overgrown) paraurethral glands.
By the way, adenoma is a benign neoplasm, which, despite the possible rapid growth, does not metastasize to other organs. Therefore, the disease, with the right approach, is perfectly treatable. The main thing here is to notice warning signs in time and seek help from a specialist.
Main causes of disease development
It should be noted right away that scientists are still studying the mechanism of development and the causes of this disease. The only thing that can be said for sure: the appearance of adenoma is associated with age-related changes in the body. For example, adenoma is rarely diagnosed in young people. But after 70 years, approximately 75% of men suffer from one or another stage of this disease.
Hyperplasia is associated with changes in hormonal levels, fluctuations in the level of sex hormones, which inevitably occur during the aging process. This theory is supported by the fact that among castrated or castrated men, cases of hyperplasia have not been registered.were.
There are other, indirect factors that can trigger a disease called prostate adenoma. What are these reasons? First of all, doctors note that any lifestyle changes, as well as bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse and drug addiction) increase the risk of hyperplasia. Risk factors also include malnutrition, constant stress, severe psycho-emotional stress, and the negative impact of the external environment. Naturally, by themselves, these factors cannot provoke the appearance of adenoma. Nevertheless, all of them in one way or another affect the functioning of the endocrine system, affect the level of hormones, which, accordingly, can cause the appearance or accelerate the growth of an existing adenoma.
There are suggestions that there is some kind of genetic inheritance here. Unfortunately, there is no exact confirmation of this hypothesis, since it is difficult to determine whether hyperplasia is really associated with heredity or occurs with aging.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Despite the fact that adenoma is a benign neoplasm, the course of the disease can be different. For example, in some men, hyperplasia can develop slowly, not making itself felt for 20-30 years. In other patients, on the contrary, the emerging tumor grows to a critical size in 1-3 years. That is why every man needs to carefully monitor any changes in well-being.
Of course there iscertain symptoms that characterize prostate adenoma. What are these signs? In most cases, this disease is accompanied by increasing problems with the process of urination, as well as sexual dysfunction.
At the initial stages of the formation of hyperplasia, a decrease in the urine stream can be noted. In the future, the so-called "empty" urges appear, when a man has a desire to urinate, but nothing comes out. As the disease progresses, the patient begins to wake up at night (sometimes up to 4 times) to empty the bladder. In the future, men begin to notice that in order to empty, they need to strain, use the abdominal muscles.
Often, against the background of hyperplasia, urine leakage is also observed, when the bladder does not empty completely, and the rest of the urine passively flows out, leaving spots on the underwear.
It is worth noting that quite often adenoma is associated with chronic prostatitis (an inflammatory process in the tissues of the gland). In such cases, along with other symptoms, there is also pain during urination, and during periods of exacerbation - weakness, fever. When such symptoms appear, it is better to immediately contact a specialist and undergo a diagnosis.
Possible complications of adenoma
Of course, if left untreated, such diseases of the prostate gland can cause complications, and quite dangerous ones. Many men note the presence of blood impurities in the urine. The occurrence of such a symptom is associated with changes in the veins of the bladder neck, as well as an increase in blood pressure in the vessels of the smallpelvis.
Severe enlargement or swelling of the prostate gland can lead to complete blockage of the urinary canal and acute urinary retention. This condition is extremely dangerous, as it can cause damage to the bladder, as well as disruption of the normal functioning of the kidneys. It is also very painful.
The most common complications of adenoma include inflammatory diseases. By the way, the inflammatory process can develop not only in the tissues of the gland (prostatitis), but also affect any part of the excretory system. Patients often suffer from urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, epididymitis, etc. By the way, chronic inflammation of the kidneys, if left untreated, can lead to the development of kidney failure.
Modern diagnostic methods
To begin with, the doctor will try to collect a complete history, conduct a survey, ask about the symptoms present. In the future, as a rule, a digital examination of the prostate gland follows, which is by far the simplest and most accessible diagnostic method. After prostate massage, samples of gland secretion are taken for laboratory analysis.
In addition, a urethral swab is needed to help determine if there is an infection. If an adenoma or any other disease of the gland is suspected, an ultrasound examination is performed, which helps to determine the exact size of the prostate, the presence of stones, and also to determine whether there are any congestion.
To set the exactdiagnosis is important and uroflowmetry is a comprehensive study that helps determine the speed of the urine stream, as well as the time of emptying the bladder and some other important indicators.
An important part of the diagnosis is PSA in prostate adenoma. This study helps to identify the so-called prostate-specific antigens in the blood, which are a kind of oncomarkers. This analysis helps to detect the presence of a malignant process. By the way, men aged 50 years and older are advised to take this test from time to time for preventive purposes.
How is adenoma treated? Essential Therapies
Today, there are several ways to treat this disease. By the way, the diagnostic process is necessary not only to detect the problem, but also to determine the most appropriate therapy for the disease "prostate adenoma". Treatment methods can be both conservative and surgical.
In the early stages, the development of the disease can be stopped or slowed down with the help of medications. But, again, conservative treatment will only help to delay the operation for several years (or decades), but cannot completely get rid of the tumor that has already appeared.
The most effective is the surgical treatment of adenoma, as it helps to quickly eliminate all existing problems. Moreover, many men seek help already at the stage of the disease, when conservative therapy does not make sense.
Medicated treatment
Again, it is worth saying that drug treatment only helps in the early stages. Naturally, various drugs are used in any therapy, but most often in combination with surgery.
First of all, patients are prescribed 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (for example, Proscar), as well as alpha-blockers (Ocas, Omnik are considered quite good). Immunostimulants (for example, Reoferon and Pyrogenal) have a positive effect on the state of the prostate gland and the endocrine system. In the presence of an inflammatory process or penetration of an infection, it is mandatory to take antibacterial agents, for example, antibiotics of the gentamicin or cephalosporin group.
Patients are also prescribed drugs that improve blood circulation in the prostate gland and eliminate congestion. The most popular medicine today is Trental.
Along with taking medications, patients are also recommended a proper diet, an active lifestyle, special exercises (Kegel complex for men).
Endoscopic treatments
Unfortunately, in some cases, it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. Surgical treatment of prostate adenoma is indicated in the following cases:
- acute urinary retention;
- renal failure caused by adenoma;
- presence of bladder stones;
- large bladder diverticula;
- constant presence of blood in urine;
- recurring infections of the excretory system.
Only the doctor decides what kind of operation will be performed. In the presence of acute urinary retention, a cystostomy is first performed, in which the doctor surgically creates an external fistula of the bladder with an opening in the pubic zone. Many patients resist such an intervention. Nevertheless, it is necessary, since before removing the prostate or carrying out other manipulations, it is extremely important to restore the normal outflow of urine and to prevent infectious diseases. By the way, it has been proven that complications of the postoperative period in patients who have undergone cystostomy are much less common.
Today, there are many minimally invasive procedures and endoscopic surgeries that are performed through the urinary tract without leaving serious injuries and scars. For example, some patients put so-called stents in the urethra, which prevent the narrowing of its lumen. This normalizes the outflow of urine, but, alas, does not stop the growth of the gland. By the way, such stents need to be changed quite often.
What are the ways to remove prostate adenoma? The operation of transurethral resection today is considered the gold standard. The doctor uses endoscopic instruments to remove parts of the gland through the urethra. In addition, a transurethral incision is possible, in which the prostate is not removed, but only dissected in order to relieve pressure from the urinary tract.channel.
A rather new procedure is laser surgery for prostate adenoma. Its price is slightly higher, but this technique has a number of important advantages. In particular, laser removal is much faster, less accompanied by complications and minimizes the likelihood of tissue infection.
If there is a small tumor, transurethral microwave therapy may be performed. During the procedure, the doctor inserts a special device through the urinary canal, after which it destroys the gland tissue with the heat generated by the electrodes. This technique is also quite popular and practically harmless, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for everyone.
The success of surgical intervention largely depends on the physiological characteristics of the patient and the stage of his illness, as well as on the qualifications of the doctor. According to statistics, approximately 25% of patients report the presence of the same symptoms (urinary leakage, urinary incontinence, nighttime urge) even after resection.
Prostate adenoma: surgery
In most cases, prostate problems can be solved with the help of minimally invasive methods. But in some cases, patients are shown the so-called radical prostatectomy. This operation is most often performed in the presence of a malignant tumor. With an adenoma, it is prescribed only in cases where other methods do not work or they cannot be applied for one reason or another.
Radical prostatectomy involves the complete removal of the prostate gland and sometimes nearby tissues. The procedure requires a direct incisionin the lower abdomen or in the perineum. Naturally, this operation is more dangerous in terms of complications. For example, during removal it is very easy to hook the nerve endings leading to the penis, which is fraught with potency disorders. In addition, the likelihood of developing infectious diseases is high.
Disease prevention
Unfortunately, such diseases of the prostate gland are extremely common. That is why many men are interested in questions about whether it is possible to somehow protect themselves from the disease or at least reduce the likelihood of complications.
Prevention of prostate adenoma is a he althy lifestyle. In particular, men in adulthood (and not only) need to more carefully monitor nutrition. For example, fresh vegetables and fruits must be present in the diet, but the amount of animal proteins must be reduced with age. The abuse of spicy and spicy foods often leads to constipation, which stimulates the growth of the tumor. Fried food also has a negative effect on he alth. In addition, experts recommend giving up alcohol and caffeinated products (coffee, chocolate, cola, energy drinks). At least 1-2 times a year, it is worth taking multivitamin complexes, since it is far from always possible to get all the necessary nutrients along with food.
Physical activity is a very important part of prevention. We must not forget about charging, if possible, go to the gym. Any feasible physical activity will do, even if it's just walking. Hypodynamia -a factor that negatively affects the functioning of the body, the hormonal background and, accordingly, can stimulate the development of the disease.
