1-2-3 OF BPH

What every man should know about Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Your husband used to give you a hard time for knowing the exact location of the restrooms in all your favorite shops and restaurants. But lately it seems as though he’s been grateful for your washroom wisdom, making more pit stops than you do. What gives? It could be he has benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Here are some things he should know about the condition.

What is BPH?
BPH is the enlargement of the prostate, the walnut-size gland between the bladder and urethra. As the first word in the name (benign) suggests, it is not caused by cancer. In fact, it is a normal part of aging.

“Enlargement of the prostate occurs in every male when they get older but at different rates,” says Jeffry Huffman, M.D., a urologist on the medical staff at Memorial Hospital. “It’s just a part of the aging process.”

More than half of men in their 60s and nearly 90 percent of men 70 and older have BPH, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.

What are the symptoms of BPH?
When the prostate becomes enlarged, it presses against the urethra affecting the flow of urine. Symptoms often start gradually and, according to Dr. Huffman, include frequent urination, a slow or weak stream, urination that starts and stops, and getting up to urinate at night.

Men who experience these symptoms should see their doctor right away to rule out prostate cancer. Diagnosis may involve a rectal exam, urine sample and blood test.

Is BPH Treatable?
Some men experience only mild symptoms of BPH while others must alter their daily lives to deal with it. But just because BPH is natural doesn’t mean men need to live with it. “If it gets to the point where you’re not sleeping well or really struggling to urinate, see your doctor for treatment,” Dr. Huffman says. “There are medications now that are quite effective.”

And if medication isn’t enough, there also are several outpatient endoscopic procedures that can help.

By Shelley Flannery